Chapter three

The basement

After the day's training, I walked down the stairs into a dark walkway that led to a large hall that 

looked like the training ground, it was well lit  and well arranged I was amazed at the training 

the ground was less structured than the basement.

And I had wondered why people were always scared when they were sent here as punishment 

I was nervous as to what happened here and why everybody hated this place.

As I got closer to the I could smell two obvious reasons everywhere reeked of blood and sweat.

And two Antonio was busy joining people to spar,  he continued until I was the only one left, Then 

he pointed to a punching bag and motioned me towards it.

And said calmly "punch it until your hands can't move I am watching you.

It felt easy in my head as I thought I got really tired he would allow me to rest a while before continuing.

I started punching as he'd instructed, and he continued supervising others.

An hour passed then two then three, four five, six.

Slowly I fell to my knees exhausted, I could not move my body anymore as the sweat covered my whole body noticed I was down and yelled: "go on stand".

Stand up and punch  ", he yelled.

He has never yelled at me before tears rolled down my eyes

Then he said  "orphan", just like with Lisa I rushed to punch him

My weak legs tethered before I fell to and stood this time channeling the anger and letting it flow through me I moved with renewed agility and charged ahead.

Everyone watched silently in amazement, a smile crooked on his face and his eyes brightened 

As threw my right hand towards him, he moved to the side pulled my hand, and hit the back of my neck.

I tumbled forward before falling on my face, as I lay down to catch my breath I heard him say

"Is that all you have orphan".

My heart raced as he teased me and the rest of the trainees in the basement laughed

He turned and looked at them and they quieted down and then he motioned peter to pick me up.

As Peter came closer I punched him and he moved back to evade it but I got him bad.

Antonio told him to leave me.

And he also left me there and they continued sparing like nothing ever happened.

When I got a little of my strength back, I took my water bottle drank from it, and sat and watched the rest.

Then I heard him say "peter she owes you a pint of blood go get it".

Peter moved to me, we fought and he knocked me out the right I left the training basement, my whole body was sore and it hurt a lot

I walked slowly to my car.

Someone knocked on my door, I looked up and it was like he'd waited for me, Antonio had ordered them not to touch me and everyone left.

Mike said" Peter told me what happened so I decided to wait for you, he offered to drive me home, but I declined to say " I am not a charity case, please go away.

He waited for a while then he said,   my house is a block from yours "please let me".

I was exhausted and weak and besides my body aches as in no shape to drive.

So I said" okay".

As I moved over to the front passenger seat while he entered the car kick-started StartEngine and drove me home.

On the way, he spoke freely as I stared into the lights from the vehicles in front lost in thought 

Of how bad today was for me.

"Amber! Amber !! He called

I turned slowly and looked at him, and he said "sorry"

And then I asked "what for?

And he replied "nothing "

Silence crept into the car and filled it whole as no word was said until we reached my house

He came out of the and helped me climb the stairs to my door.

He handed me the keys to the car and said good night.

I went in locked the door and went straight to the shower.

In an instant, the water and the blood flowed down the drain.

Anger course through me as thought of how Antonio had humiliated me.

I wanted to hurt him back bad, as he had done.

But then I still liked him even now but I would want him to feel like this too.

And surely I will get peter for this and would have to pay in pain just like I did.

As I stepped out of the shower checked my home aid kit and took painkillers for the pain, and Put some band-aids on my bruises which were noticeable on my elbows and knees, my face looked a bit okay surprisingly since most of her attacks had been aimed at my head and ordered pizza.

I ate two slices on the bed and then slept off.

The next morning as I woke up I could not go for moved much I lay in bed for a while then later walked down to the training ground.

I was late again but this time it was different I walked to the basement and then began to train.

I punched and kicked harder and harder, and so did the next day I would imagine my parent's killers, and I would punch and hit continuously.

I even imagined peter as the bag and I would hit harder,  then I remembered magnum, and I 

stopped drank some water

When I looked around Antonio stood there his face blank as usual and then he turned and left

Without saying a word, I was taken aback and said nothing myself then the humiliation of 

yesterday crept slowly on my face and I walked behind him.

Everyone had it and it was night already, Antonio entered his car and drove away.

I entered my car and sat there for a while before driving to the hospital.

As I got there, pulled into the drive-in and walked upstairs to the male ward.

Magnum was asleep now but he looked better.

The policeman in front of his room  said "you can't see him now"

I stared at him once more before leaving, as I walked out to my car and drove home

I stopped at a Chinese restaurant grabbed dinner and went home.