The Gladiator's Soul chapter 3

Previous chapter: The Gladiator's Soul chapter 2

The evening was becoming night, the sun setting, and Hime went home. I walked her half way, as usual. That night I could not stop thinking of what happened at the school entrance, and mainly of the images that broke in my mind as I healed her wounds.

I knew everything was going to change. I felt like a young child (even younger than I was) playing on the edge of a cliff, always carefree. But I noticed that day’s deeds pushed me inevitably towards the edge. It was scary. It was really, very scary. But the image of my Hime with her life wrecked… that was the scariest thing. I spent the night like this, among thoughts, spinning on the bed and so, almost not sleeping at all.

It was the dawn of the next day: Curtain wide-open, blind lifted; the sunlight warmed my face, as I knew what was coming. <<If I get a foot out of this bed I will not be able to back out anymore. Come on, coward. If you are afraid don’t get up>>. A sea of rhetorical questions in my head, already answered in my dreams. <<Does even exist the chance to hesitate?>>

Firmly I got up, took a shower, dressed. I had breakfast as always and headed to school. As I took the latch I made it tremble, making obvious my nervousness. “What is the matter, young master? Is there anything wrong?” I did not answer, just looked at my servant. He seemed to realise something, since as soon as he saw my eyes said “do it well, young master”.

As it was usual I met my Hime before reaching the school. “Good morning!” I just saw her smiling face and heard her voice, and my doubts and fears seemed overwhelmed by them.

“How are your wounds?”

“They are less painful, although still healing”.

“Hehe, yes? Then don’t worry, I am not called ‘Kotaro the butcher’ for nothing…” I made a gesture like taking something out of my coat, which caused her face to turn extremely pale. “Haha! It was a joke hahaha!”

A cute expression of anger inflated her cheeks, erasing any shred of doubt from my heart, in case there was still something. “Damn! You are a meanie!”

“Sorry, sorry. It’s true, I am a little joker.” There was nothing else for me, I just had to protect that which gave me life.

We reached the fence of the entrance, wide-open as ever. As we passed through it I recalled clearly what happened the previous day and my heart pounded hard in my chest. And just as I feared, there were them, the same ones from yesterday, staring at us with the same smile. With a knot in my throat the conversation was cut off, and suddenly the pathetic, forgotten feeling came back to me.

We passed through silently, I looking at the ground and she staring at their eyes! Hime grabbed  my hand and yanked me, making me feel like a small, defenceless child. After swallowing that bitter pill we kept talking, although the atmosphere was heavy. We were doomed to be target of the bullies, that was inevitable. We entered the old school building and arrived in class short before the bell rang.

During the first lectures my hand did nothing but trembling, and my legs moved restlessly as if they were alive. “Kotaro, please, keep reading”. I was so lost in thought that I did not even heard the teacher call.

“Kotaro!” The children laughed. “Remain focused! Start in page 35, fourth paragraph.”

I read nervously, stammering a little. The children whispered while my Hime looked at me worried.

The time for the snack came, and I went to HIme’s table to eat my sandwich. My restlessness was so obvious that as I unwrapped the foil I almost dropped it. Hime caught it skilfully and gave it back to me; she held my hand while doing it.

“I know it is difficult, and you are afraid, but don’t worry. I will protect you. I am going to be with you whatever happens.” Her words were warm like the sun in the morning of the first days of spring. My pupils shrank like pinheads as I recalled the images that still floated in my mind. <<It’s true. I have to protect the only thing I have, even if it takes a high price>>.

As though her words were an antidote I calmed.

We kept talking cheerfully as we ate our sandwiches voraciously. The next hours went by quickly, now calmer. It was the last lecture, half an hour to the bell. I was paying attention to the teacher, when (as I used to do) I turned my head toward Hime. She was also focused in the blackboard (or that was what it looked like at least), but her legs were trembling, and her face was paler than normal.

She had been able to feign not being afraid so far, but even she had a limit. She had clearly been acting for me, to give me firmness. And I could be grateful. What could have been of me if she had shown signs of fear?

I was focused half on the lecture, half on my thoughts, when the fateful sound arrived. The bell resounded in my insides as if my eardrums were being drilled. She winced on her seat.  Shortly later she dedicated a look to me and it seemed like suddenly she stopped shivering. Calmly she got up and walked to my table, her eyes fixed on me.

As she arrived she offered me her hand. And a tense smile invaded her innocent face. “What do you think, Kota, let’s go home…?” Unable to do anything else, I just nodded and grabbed her hand shyly. I could hardly imagine the pain Hime was feeling, while she concealed it for me. She was the ‘determined’ one, so she always ended up dragging me for whatever.

As she towed me along the corridors my world became small and closed, as if her hand were my only connection with the exterior. My eyes drooped, my breath slow as if I were lethargic. My hands were frozen. My body seemed alien. In spite of the situation, in few moments of my life I had felt so calmed. And in my absorbed mind only a prayer: <<please, I want courage to protect her… please…>>

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Even so I was aware of the shivering in her hand.

We quickly reached the fence at the exit. <<Good. There is nobody. We are saved>>. Hime sighed in relief, but my state would not change that easily. We turned the corner smiling, when ‘paf!’ Something in front of her pushed her and the girl fell down. They had been awaiting us. There were the same five of last time. My worst fears were becoming real.

The story continues here: The Gladiator's Soul chapter 4