Young Writers Society

       I screamed as Sadie fell to the floor, watching as she turned white and cold. I could distantly hear Ethan laughing his stupid butt off.

"Shut up!" I screamed. I willed the idiot Ares people and Ethan to become so slow, it was as if they were walking in snow up to their necks. I moved at regular speed, twirling my sword, but didn't lose concentration either. I swung my weapon, nicking Ethan on the arm. Slashing wherever I pleased, I leaped from one boy to another. Watching in satisfaction as I slashed the annoying boy on the chest and as he crumpled to the ground, I turned my attention to the inexplicably maddening muscle men. They had killed my only friend, laughed like they were drunk, and barely noticed their master was taken down! They tried to raise their sword, but I could see that it wouldn't strike me at all, since they were moving in slow-mo.

        I yelled and brought my sword down, easily impaling one in the gut and one in the stomach. They both fell on each other, like kitties sleeping. Will had lifted his weapon as well, but he stood frozen at my outburst. I almost laughed at Ethan's "bodyguards", but somebody very close to me had just died!

"Sadie!" I screamed. I felt like I should have helped her, should have fought with her instead of thinking she could manage on her own. I didn't know I was crying until Will put his hand on my shaking shoulder and handed me a tissue. Where he got that from, I didn't know. Going mad from sadness, I shouted, "Get away from me! I don't want to look at you!" He hadn't played a part in this whole thing! His hurt look turned to hard and unforgiving, and stormed off. I broke down crying again, this time from sorrow for my friend and how I had probably lost the only person who I had with me.

        I couldn't think. I felt numb. The friend who had stayed with me for six entire years, since we were in fourth grade, the only one who hadn't called me a dork, had died. Murdered. Killed. I could still hear her terrified screams, cringing at the thought that I had just stood there. I had tried to clean up the wound as much as I could, using some things from a collection of trees nearby, and trying to make her look presentable to burn a shroud and bury. I was crying again until I realized Will had come back. I looked up, guilt showing up in my gold eyes.

"I..." I couldn't even speak. Hiding my face in my hands, I didn't hear Will talking.

"--maybe go back in time a little to have her alive and kick those guys butts again." He suggested, looking at me hopefully. I considered for a moment, feeling a little too sad to fight, but the thought of Sadie being alive than my selfish excuses won over. I nodded a little and stood up, willing myself to go back in time, to see Sadie with her eyes open and standing up. Filled with prodigious relief, I almost cried again, for the third time, seeing Sadie alive, but I kept myself up and blinked back my tears. Don't cry, for goodness sake, I thought. You're in front of enemies, you little crybaby. That got me on my feet. I waited for Ethan to yell, "Get her, you brats!" Before I zipped to my best friend's side, attacking with new found rage. I slashed and dodged, cutting one on the cheek, and that brought my friend to her senses. She fought alongside me, and for a moment we stood in triumph, looking down at the bruised and bloody figures, then looked up and stared at Nakamura. He glared at me, but I could see fear behind it. 

"Go," I snarled. "Before you, you filthy scumbag rat, lose your other eye as well." (Did I mention he had an eye patch?)

        He backed away, still growling, but as he turned his expression turned into one of pure terror and he whipped around, racing away. I  grinned in satisfaction and turned to Sadie. She had a troubled look on her face, though, and my grin turned into a frown of concern. "What's wrong?" I asked, hoping she didn't remember...

"I had this strange nightmare. I was impaled by a spear and died, somebody was sobbing over me but I didn't know who it was. Then I woke up and fought with you..." I panicked. She knew! I had no choice but to tell her.

"Sadie," I said in my gentlest tone. "That dream? It wasn't fake. It was real. You were impaled. You died. I killed Nakamura and those two idiots. I was crying for three times to learn you were dead. I tried to heal the wound, do whatever I could, but that ended up being preparation for a shroud. Then, I said some hurtful things to Will and he left for the night, and I stayed up all night hoping and praying to Kronos that you were going to be alive, but no hope. Will then came back and suggested I could go back in time..." 

        She was silent for a moment, her eyes wide with terror and surprise that this had happened to her. She obviously didn't know what to say. "I...Thank you..." She murmured, looking down. I nodded and gestured for them to gather themselves together. "C'mon, y'all," I said. "We've got a quest to complete."