SAIA's Influence

It's Sunday and after coming back home from church with mom, I quickly finished all the household chores assigned to me then asked mom that I'll be out of the house for awhile.

I commuted straight to the Tobinson's Mall setting my heart to observe the archery Mom and I saw before.

Since it's Sunday, there are many people inside the mall and maybe most of them are those who just came from attending church. I can even see few people wearing their AR glasses while roaming around but there's no worry over them tripping or bumping since they can see the world around them clearly, unless they are too absorbed playing. I also brought mine but I just kept it inside my sling bag  whenever there's a need to use it.

I find myself becoming more and more used to people just like at school as I observe from walking past them.

If I remember it correctly, the archery class was located at the 4th floor so I headed there straight away.

The 4th floor is intended for recreational activities since the gaming arcades, taekwondo & judo, dancing and archery workshops were all located here.

Upon reaching the top of the escalator, the first thing that welcomed me was the lively gaming arcade where most of the children, teens and some adults always come. It's  full of gaming equipments, computers and laughters, yet I don't think I'll enjoy going there since it's too crowded for me and I don't have friends to play with.

Passing it, I then found myself walking beside the dancing workshop where I can see some people dancing, next to it was the Taekwondo & Judo workshop and after it is the archery workshop.

The people from the inside are visible too like last time since the walls are glass and portions of the curtains  were opened. But I can't enjoy the view nor I can't see anyone with their bows except for the decoration on the wall in an Office like setup portion inside.

"Wanna come inside?"

My soul almost jumped from where I was standing when someone so near behind my right side suddenly talked and I unconsciously gave a fighting stance.

"Hey sorry sorry! I didn't mean to startle you." The man held up his hands like surrendering, he must have been shocked too.

"Ah S-sorry, I also didn't mean to do that." I said while immediately bowed down to him repeatedly also confused from what I just did, I think I still have those adrenalins from fighting zombies last night.

He chuckled showing his cute crooked canine and while palming his forehead and a portion of his dark gelled-up hair. "I was quite surprised too you did that, but I'm fine. Do you perhaps practice self defense?"

"Oh, ah... he he, actually I have had some experience but that was a long time ago." I said while rubbing my finger on my cheek. I may sound awkward If I tell him my adrenaline from last night's game was still active and kicking, but I wasn't also lying when I told him that I have had some experience, as I was enrolled in judo and taekwondo before but,... that was when I was still a preschooler.

"I see, but your fighting spirit is still so active even if that was a long time ago already, you must be a natural fighter." he said while contemplating and his hands now on his chin.

"Ah, sorry to hold you here outside, I have never seen you before but seeing that you are watching from the outside, you must be really interested, don't be shy let's come in!"

"Huh? eh, w-wait!" I didn't have the time to react anymore as he pulled me inside right way.

Eeenggg. Tling-ling! The glass door opened and closed with the chime of the bells.

"This is the Lobby and the Club Office and First Aid station" he started again right away with his right palm opened and showing me around. The Lobby was where we are standing right now with the sofas and tables.  The office  and first aid station was the one I just saw from the outside located on the front right. It is partitioned with clear and smoky glass to separate it from the others. 

"This side here are the comfort rooms, changing rooms and shower rooms." He added while dragging and showing me to the left side of the floor. He then pulled me back again to the middle pointing the door aligned with the door of the entrance and just behind the Office and First Aid Station. 

He pushed the door open and the first thing I noticed was the big glass in front showing the archery shooting range on the other side. We continued to move forward and realized that the façade of this facility was too small compared to what's inside.

The shooting range was composed of twelve lanes and each lanes was more or less one and a half meter if you compare it to the people standing there. Every third of the lanes were nets making it four clusters.

We reached the massive glass wall that separates the viewers from the players on the other side, I placed my palm on it and tried to remember when was the last time I saw the same giant wall. Ah it was with my Father. 

"Woah, what a big glass." I said with a big sparkling eyes, adoring the massive glass in front of us.

"You call that a window wall or curtain wall." Father said with eyes squinting while smiling.

"Window wall? Curtain wall?", but it's not a window, it's a huuuuuge wall, why do you call it a window?"

"aha, yes, it's a huge wall, and we call it a window since we can see others too on the other side just like peeking on a window..."

"Come here." I came back from present as the guy took me by the hand again and went outside of the viewing area, he led me further on a path  where we passed the storage and lockers room until we reached a door. He opened it and we went straight ahead. 

Swoosh... Twaannngggg!

Swoosh... Swoosh.. Twaannngggg!. Twaannngggg!

The sound of every arrow being released and pinned on the faraway target board welcomed us as we entered. I was quite astonished to see that the inside is more capacious compared when watching on the other side of the window wall.

"We are standing in the competitors' area, the lines you see on the floor separates the Competitors from the equipment area, waiting lane and the shooting lane starting point."

  Some of them are already shooting the arrows, some are adjusting their bow, and others are wiping them clean.

We continued to go around the area while he gave various info regarding archery, some history, its uses and techniques and the types of bows. He even let me try how to use them and invited me to enroll.

I initially told him I can't enroll yet due to budget constraints and possible conflict of schedules but according to him, the archery had some sort of one month free trial and as we can see there are also classes on weekend. Then I can decide later if I were to continue or not.

"Ah by the way." Says he.

"Name's Ruel, and you?." while reaching his hands towards mine.

"You can call me Rian." I replied receiving his hand.

I went back home satisfied with my fruitful business and had been unexpectedly acquainted myself to an archery student too.

W-wait? Did I just talked to a previously complete stranger without problem? Eh??????????

*******

Sorry for a short chapter, currently with a high fever and have been super busy at work lately.

I'll be giving  a good chapter on the next release.

Thank you for your support :D