CHAPTER HUNDRED AND SIX
We stood with the guy there, discussing the app, until Jamal came back to take us to where we would stay.
“I hope you know how to climb,” Jamal said as he led us to a tree house that was quite high on the trees it was built on. This one was different than the rest, sturdier.
“You're joking, right?” I asked him, astounded.
“He's not. We had to adapt in a way that they can't,” Katie replied in her usual icy tone.
“Aliens can't climb trees, huh,” Anna whispered with a nod of her head.
I was happy that she had gotten into that school because she learned a lot about them and I could see how interested she was in everything she could learn about them.
“So each new recruit has to try to learn this in a week max, or they'll be sent to the field,” Jamal explained with a kind face, but his words were scary.
I exchanged looks with Anna. The second we step foot outside of this forest, whoever sets eyes on us first is going to be rich or dead, depending on their species. But the end result would be us back in Xavier's clutches.
So we knew we had to try to get this. Thankfully, I was quite athletic with how much swimming I indulged in, but Anna, on the other hand, was obsessed with learning. Dad had to stop her from reading from our private library because she wouldn't shut up about the new things she had learned.
“Don't worry, we'll learn it fast,” I assured her.
“Hopefully because we've got a lot to get to with this new information. Now, up you go, put your hand on this,” Jamal instructed and I followed his direction.
A small cut had been made on the oak tree and I placed my hand on it and hoisted myself up a little.
I wasn't successful as it was more slippery than I had anticipated.
“Ugh, this is pathetic. I'll be over at the kitchen,” Katie grumbled and walked away into the village.
“What's her problem?” Anna grumbled.
“Her boyfriend, who is my best friend, has been MIA for a week now, and she thinks he's gotten caught, but I'm sure he just went off the grid for a reason. I can't pull out an entire operation just because he missed one weekly report,”
“Oh. I understand her now. That must hurt,” I said with pity in my tone. I was heartbroken by someone I shouldn't have fallen for, and it feels like crap; I can't imagine the idea of her losing her lover. I shook my head and focused back on the task, seeing as it was getting darker. “Please can you hoist me up?” I asked Anna as I tried again.
“We don't really encourage that. The whole point is for you to be able to succeed on your own because if there's an alien attack, there won't be time for someone else to help,” he explained in that calm tone of his. It irritated my nerves in such circumstances, but I understood his point, so I took a deep breath and tried again.
“What happens if we don't get it right tonight? We'll sleep on the ground?” Anna asked and I could sense the fear in her tone as I hoisted myself up again, putting more strength in my hands.
“We have those mats for you guys, so you'll be fine,” he said dismissively, and my heart race picked up as I made it past the first step.
“Good girl,” he said as I went past the second one. Damn, why did that sound so good? I guess these weird dreams were making me a horny mess.
“What if she falls?” Anna whispered but I could hear her. Being bonded to Xavier made certain unexplainable abilities develop in me. I just didn't pay attention to it all because it was barely noticeable, but in situations like this, the words out of my sister's lips made my hands tremble as I hoisted myself up again on the tree.
There was so much silence from the ground and labored breathing. Oh, that was me.
I looked up and I could see the ladder I was supposed to climb onto so I could enter the intricately designed house. If I wasn't panting from exerting so much energy, I'd be able to appreciate all of this, but my feet hurt so badly, I had blisters in my soft hands, and I was rethinking my opinion of being athletic. I wasn't athletic one bit and I was on the verge of giving up.
A tear dropped from my eyes as I got on another step. My hands were shaking, and I didn't even know how I'd stayed consistent on this. I didn't see how I was going to be doing this every night before I would be able to sleep..it didn't make any fucking sense!
“I'm so proud of you, girl, you're almost there,” Jamal said to me, jerking me out of my downward spiral of terrible thoughts.
“He's right, just a few more steps, and you can touch the ladder,” Anna added, and with that optimistic thought, I pushed myself up again to the next step.
If it was this difficult getting this far, how was Anna going to do this? She was chubbier than I was. Not fat but she was always breathing heavily during walks from how little exercise she's had to do. I was the rascal while growing up with Brendan. Always getting into trouble and having to run from it. I even learned how to swim by accident. I'd been running from a man selling fruits who I'd mistakenly overthrown his wares and I saw the river as my only choice of escape. It was a dumb decision because I nearly wouldn't have made it out if it wasn't for my big brother.
Afterwards, he made it his duty to make sure I knew how to swim and I grew to fall in love with it.
I took another step, and the ladder was finally in view. Just one more step and I'd have accomplished what took others a week to perfect.
And then I made the mistake of looking down at how far I've come.
I'd thought my experience of flying with Xavier on those jets had cured me of my fear of heights.
It hadn't.
So when the sight of the ground rushed into my line of sight, I became lightheaded and my hold on the steps weakened.
And I fell with a scream pouring out of my lips.
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