4 Let the games, Begin!

After the incident, Archie was carted off to their infirmary to get patched up. Me on the other had leaned down and picked my hoodie. Flinging it over on to my back. When I faced my peers, they all had wide eyes and jaws gaping open.

"Um... just a fair warning, I don't like bullies all too much"

With that I walked off. Well, more like ran up the hill and straight into the bush.

"What the hell is wrong with me?!?" I yelled, scaring off some crows that were in the trees.

"Well, nothing really"

I practically jump out of my skin when I heard Megan say that. Though she was laughing her head off.

"Jesus! Don't scare me like that!"

"Well its a bit hard not to when you just run off after beating up the biggest bully at the camp"

"Well I didn't mean to! It's just I don't like bullies"

"So you said. Well, that "bully" has super strength and has been training here for 2 years"

"Ha ha! ... Your kidding right?"

"Nope you just did what we thought was impossible"

"Damn!"

"I was wondering~"

I recognised her tone from before. Immediately standing up and backing away.

"How did you get out of his grip? It's like iron once he gets hold of someone"

Her tone seemed to vanish when she said that. Making me both a little scared and confused.

"I-I think I froze time"

"Do you know how you did it?"

"No... not really"

"Well you could always go to the combat arena and get Aden to teach you. He taught everyone here how to use our powers"

"That's actually not a bad idea! Thanks Megan!"

"No problem. Wait, what was your name again?"

"Can't you just look inside my head?"

"No, I can't do anything to super powered people without their verbal consent"

"Well, in that case. It's Jackson!"

As I walked off, I only just managed to catch a glimpse of her blushing again. But this time she was smiling, like she was into talking to me. But that's not right, I wasn't a ladies man. Was I?

On my way back through the bush, I could hear some faint singing coming from a distance. I didn't want to listen in on them, but I felt compelled to get closer to the source, like a python to music. I walked around for a few minutes until I came across a small stream leading to a pond. A waterfall was at the base of the pond acting as a kind of shower, for whoever was singing under it. I immediately felt like an intruder, blushing as I was watching this person shower. as I got closer and closer I could tell for sure it was a woman. The feeling was amplified when she turned around and saw me. She screamed so loudly that I though I was going to go deaf. Cover herself up she yelled at me to "F*** OFF!!!"

I felt so horrible that I ran for dear life only realising half way back that the person I just saw...

was Aaliyah!

Walking back into the clearing, still blushing like a madman. I was trying to think of a way to say sorry when I was smothered by a flying tackle. Mick was standing over me telling me his tour.

"Dude. This. Place. Is. Amazing! They have a strawberry field and a giant lake and sick cabins and a Rec room and a -"

"Hey slow down! I went on the same tour remember?"

"Oh! Yeah guess you did, didn't you?" He was rubbing the back of his neck nervously now, I thought to myself what am I going to do with you man.

"So. Have you moved into your cabin yet or are you still to slow?"

This made him go a bright shade of red out of embarrassment.

"W-Well not yet"

"Well, I'll go check out my new cabin while you check out yours. Make sure you take it sloooooow this time, ok!"

"Ok, see you later man!"

I managed to catch a glimpse of a blur running down towards the cabins. With a sigh, I started my slow walk down towards my place.

Standing out the front of my cabin,  I thought that it looked rather older up close. As I could see the dust on the porch and the boards practically falling off.

"Well, it's a bit of a fixer upper. But it's all I've got"

I walked up to the door and opened slowly, resulting in it creaking very loudly.

"At least the door didn't fall off"

Looking inside, it had a fairly simple layout. There was a hall running from the front to the back, with rooms coming off either side. At the back was what looked like a common room, with fairly old dusty furniture scattered around in pieces. There were remains for what looked like a round table and some chairs, giving it a kind of eerie vibe.

"Seems like no ones been he in a long time"

"Just about no one except me"

Jumping halfway across the room I yell at Adan "THE F*** Adan! Why is everyone here trying to scare the sh** out of me!"

"Well... I don't know anything about that. But, this place hasn't been used since 16th century. Looks like it's about to come down"

"Ya think! How am I going to sleep in here without getting crushed!"

"You could always pause time for a bit and fix up the place"

"I don't know how to do that yet"

He looked at me with a confused face, but relaxed when he realised something.

"You've only just turned 16. Haven't you?"

"How did y- "

"Know? Only first timers don't know how to use their powers. Because they have only just started sensing them and I felt you stop time earlier"

"Oh... Wait can you teach me how to use them!"

"Yeah. After all, I am the only one that can move and remember the pauses"

"Cool, this going to amazing! When do we start!"

"We can start now if you want?"

"YES PLEASE!!!"

He seemed to chuckle at my enthusiasm, like he was playing with a kid.

"Good, meet me at the combat arena in 15 minutes"

I watched him walk out of the room, carefully making sure to not fall through the floor.

When he closed the door I took another look at all the rooms. Once I had been around the place again I found the room I wanted. "The master bedroom"

It didn't have a bed, but it was clearly the master. As it had its own private bathroom, walk in closet and what looked like a old fashion TV in the corner.

"Well. With a little bit of work, I could have a pretty cool room!"

I checked my phone to see how much time I had left, my clock said that ten minutes had past so I only had five minutes to get to my lesson!

"Shit!"

I sprinted out of my door as fast as I can, ignoring the sound of the door coming off. I ran up past all of the cabins and past the lake to the arena. By the time I arrived I was already exhausted and collapsed on the floor. Adan was already there and was having a chuckle to himself.

"What took you so long?"

"Lost... huff*... track... huff*... of time"

"Well, hopefully after this. Time shouldn't be an obstacle anymore"

He extended a hand out for me and I accepted it. Upon rising to my feet Adan said

"So, how many times how you paused time?"

"About two"

"How did you feel, the moment before you stopped it?"

"I don't know. The first time I got mad with Mick for beating me in coin dare and my second time I also got pissed off when Archie tried to give me a swirly?"

"Ok, so I think it might be anger, that triggers it. But. Never mind, think about the happiest memory you have, the most joyful day of your life!"

"But if anger is what triggers it? Then why do I have to think of something happy?"

"Because, the opposite emotion is always a lot easier to control than the trigger"

"Oh! Ok, I'll give it a try!"

I concentrated as hard as I could. But nothing happened. I tried yet again. But again, nothing happened. Adan looked bother and asked

"What memory did you choose Jackson?"

"The first day I met Mick, my best friend"

"No, no! That's not enough you need it to fill you up with happiness! So you can stop the moment and time itself!"

"I have one other memory, but it's not really a memory. It's more like a wish"

"What kind of wish?"

"For my parents to just be home and notice me"

"Well, anything that works"

I stood and walked to the centre of the arena and thought about my parents being with me, applauding and cheering me on! I started to tear up. But, I felt something! A tugging in my gut. Adan was behind me and I could hear him cheering me on. I felt so good that I opened my eyes and looked at Aden. He seemed to be in shock when he looked at me.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Your eyes are glowing!" He screamed out. After a few seconds he seemed to be regaining his composure as he talked

"look at your phone"

I pulled out my phone check the digital clock. It wasn't moving! I'd done it! I'd stopped time on purpose! But, something didn't feel right I looked at Adan and realised he wasn't frozen.

"Hey Adan?"

"Yeah?"

"How come you can still move?"

"I'm a descendant if a Time Lord, remember? I can resist the flow of time. But, sadly. I can't control it like you"

"Cool, soooo... what now?"

"Resume time and I'll tell you"

"Ok, I can do that!"

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath in. When I let it out I felt a weight lift off my shoulders. I looked around to see if it worked, until I remembered my phone and check the clock. It was moving again!

"There we go! I can actually did it on purpose this time!"

"Yes, but you are going to have to learn how to use them in combat!"

"Against you? But you can negate my powers!"

"No, no! Not me! I'm much too out of practice. No, you will be sparing against her!"

"Wh-"

I stopped as soon as I saw Aaliyah walk around the corner with a murderous look on her face.

Oh shit! I thought.

"Yes, Aaliyah here is very skilled with twin swords! But, don't worry! I'll give you a sword too"

"Thanks" I say sarcastically to him.

I peek over his shoulder to get a look at Aaliyah. All I saw was Aaliyah grab the two swords floating towards her and do the finger across neck symbol to me.

"No hard feelings about before! Right?!?"

"Sure" I hear her say, but only to be followed up with a terrifying smile.

"Gulp!"

Adan tapped a button off to the side that rose the entire arena up, making 8 foot tall walls around us. Sealing us in! I looked up at Adan with a why did you do this to me look. All I got was a chuckle and a thumbs up.

Now I was starting to see a crowd pilling into the stands and filling the entire arena!

This is a bit excessive I thought

Adan stood and clapped his hands to get everyone's attention

"Alright! The rules are as follows!

- No killing!

- No maiming!

- No damaging equipment or the arena!

- If a opponent taps three times they have surrendered!

- All powers are allowed!

- If opponent is unconscious then they have lost!

With that said! Let the games. BEGIN!!!"

I immediately tried to bolt, but felt something holding me, keeping me still. I looked down to see a red mist surrounding my legs and hips completely immobilising me. I'd completely forgotten about her telekinesis! My head snapped back up to look at Aaliyah. She was slowly advancing on me, swinging her swords without worry.

"No chance we can talk about this? right?"

"Nope! Should I cut your eyes out first, for looking at me! Or should I cut out your ears, to stop you eavesdropping on my signing!"

"Is neither an option?"

"Nope!"

"S***!"

She walked closer and closer. I looked to the crowd for help, but it seemed like Aaliyah did this to a lot of people. I even heard a few whispers like "another blood bath" and "here we go again".

I knew I couldn't get out of this without losing something so I did the first thing that came to mind.

I tied to freeze time!

Blocking out all the people and fear I felt, I concentrated on my memory. Not feeling anything I closed my eyes and prepared for the blades contact, by holding my arms in front of my face. The crowd was going wild at this point, cheering and chanting Aaliyah's name. But Suddenly I felt a familiar tug in my gut again.

I opened my eyes and saw everyone slowing down, getting slower and slower until they came to a complete stop.

I'd did it! I thought

"Yes, I did it!!!"

"Yes you did!" I turned around and looked up at Adan, remembering he could move as well.

"What will you do now?" He called down

I looked around trying to find something to restrain Aaliyah with, when I came across some shackles on the far wall.

"I guess these will have to do!"

It took about 5 minutes, but I finally managed to completely chain Aaliyah up and lock all the cuffs. At this point I was nearly ready to collapse in exhaustion, it seemed that the longer I spent in "freeze time" the more energy I used. Ignoring this moved in front of Aaliyah and snapped my fingers, resuming time with the snap.

Upon resuming time I heard the collective gasps of the audience as they slowly registered what happened. Aaliyah, looked down in shock and horror, as I had chained her up in a star style, completely outstretching her limbs.

She seemed to get really angry once she realised she couldn't move and shouted

"Release ME! NOW!!!"

"No can do sweet heart. You have to tap out first!"

She then did something I was not expecting, I felt my throat close up! I started to choke and cough at the lack of oxygen. Flailing about trying to breath I fall to the ground, only just managing to tap my hand three times when I breathed out the last of my gasp of air.

Suddenly, my throat was released and air returned to my lungs. I gasped a few times before finally blacking out.