Perfect Flaws

30. Gnawing Remorse

(TRIGGER WARNING: This chapter contains scenes that may disturb you and cause discomfort, proceed with caution)

Elijah

18 hours earlier-

I feel a sharp jab in my back, jolting me awake and ready to attack. I look behind me and see Nala sprawled out on my bed and over my covers. Her paws just behind my back twitching, while she quietly barks and growls in her sleep.

I laugh, slowly and gently scooting her over.

I look over at my alarm clock, seeing three red numbers glow in the dark. 5:59 am, a minute before my alarm goes off.

Right on time, a loud beeping echoes throughout my bedroom, waking Nala up. She stretches her legs and paws, and begins wagging her tail when she sees me.

I smile, "Good morning Nala, you woke me up."

She stares at me, still wagging her tail.

I pet her head, and turn the alarm off by pressing a small button. Rolling over, I get out of bed, and walk to my bathroom across the hall.

Wincing from the blinding brightness of the light, I turn the shower on waiting for it to heat up. While I wait, I take my sweatpants and boxers off, taking a towel and wrapping it around my hips.

I walk back into my bedroom, grabbing a pair of training clothes.

Once I set my clothes down on the counter, I get into the shower, feeling the warmth engulf me and curl around the room.

I lather soap all over me, making sure I'm clean.

Once my shower is over, I step out and onto a gray rug. I use my towel to ruffle though my hair, continuing to wrap it round myself, as I brush my teeth.

I slip on a black compression shirt, sweatpants, and a pair of sneakers. I go into my closet getting my all too familiar duffel bag with various weapons inside, as I grab my phone, clicking the first contact I see.

The phone continues to ring just before I decide to hang up, "Hello?" I hear in a groggy tone. I sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose, "Are you seriously sleeping right now?"

"I stayed up late last night, didn't get much sleep."

"And who's fault is that? We were supposed to start training at six-thirty!"

I walk into my kitchen, holding my phone to my ear, "Look at the time, jackass."

Silence.

"Oh shit, my bad, okay I'm getting up, I'll meet you there in ten."

I open my refrigerator door, grabbing my premade smoothie from last night, "Hurry up, Dal."

"Yeah, yeah, I got it," he mumbles, hanging up.

I begin sipping on my drink, filling up Nala's food bowl. As soon as she hears the familiar clanking of kibble and metal, I hear her nails clacking against the floor from my room all the way to the kitchen.

She eats her food, while I drink mine, grabbing my duffel bag from my room. Suddenly, I hear Nala barking alarmingly.

I rush to where she is, hearing knocking on the front door. I check the window to the side of the door, looking for the person there, finding nobody. I grab hold of a dagger, opening my door just slightly.

An Aepresean soldier comes into my view. I immediately shut my door, locking it, while I snap my fingers, ushering Nala towards the back door.

"We can do this the easy way or the hard way Mr. Anton," the man shouts from the door. I unlock the back door, beginning to open it, until I find that it's blocked. Something is against the door, keeping me from leaving.