Half Life

Fight or Flight

"Hey! Ca-dorks!"

A voice rang out across the campus training grounds. Danny, Sam, and Tucker all turned around. A group of tall, athletically built boys stood next to the high gravity track. They were all wearing matching second year training suits and smirking at the new students. 

"Get over here! New cadet inspections." The tallest boy shouted. He looked like a normal human, and his blonde hair was cut in a military style crew cut. His lackeys were also human, but looked unusually strong and none too bright.

Danny looked at Sam and Tucker. 

"Let's just get this over with," Sam groaned. "If not today, this'll just happen tomorrow."

"What do you mean?" Tucker hissed as they started toward the boys. 

"Bullying and intimidation is an art form among Chlorises," she explained. "Just let them feel like they've won, and we should be home free."

They stepped up to the group of boys, Danny and Tucker trying to look as small as possible. The lead boy grinned viciously. 

"Welcome to Casper newbies. Since all the cadets have such big heads when they come here, we've decided to knock a little common sense into 'em."

"How noble," Sam muttered. 

"Whadya say?" the blonde boy challenged her. 

"I said you're like so noble and strong and handsome!" Sam gushed, eyes sparkling with fake sincerity. 

"Got that right," he agreed, making, what he probably assumed was a flirtatious look at her. Danny couldn't repress the urge to fake vomit. A small snicker escape Tucker. 

Before he knew what had happened, Danny was flat on the ground with the left side of his face throbbing. A pair of intense blue eyes were inches from his own. 

"Think that's funny punk?" the boy growled. "You're just another space colony wash out who's never going to get anywhere."

Danny felt a flicker of rage and hurt flare inside of him. 

"Look who's talking. The big bad second year who beats up the new kids to prove he's all that." he snapped.

Tucker moaned softly behind him.

The boy's eyes lit with rage. He drew back his fist again. Danny moved by instinct. He twisted out of the way. His skin felt hot with anger. His heart thumped, his face burned with emotion, his hands curled into fists.What was he doing? He'd never been in a fight before? But the sight of that snarky, arrogant face just made him want to go nuts.

Come on. Come on! Let's go. He thought. 

The boy was only too happy to comply. He rushed forward. Without thinking about what he was doing, Danny lunged toward him, slamming his fist toward the boy's chest. 

And his hand went straight through it. 

The blonde boy stopped mid-swing, eyes huge. Danny stood with his hand inside the boy's chest, a weird heat burning through him. The boy's blue eyes were panicked, terrified. Danny yanked his hand out and stumbled backward. They both tripped and backed away from each other. 

It had only been seconds. Nobody else seemed to have noticed. The blonde boy curled on the ground, shaking. Danny scrambled to his feet and said shakily,

"Leave us alone or... or I'll do worse than that!"

He turned and ran, Sam and Tucker close behind.