Sydney Rye Mysteries Books 1-3 by Emily Kimelman

Author:Emily Kimelman [Kimelman, Emily]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Emily Kimelman

CHAPTER THREE

TRAINING MONTAGE TIME PEOPLE

Running on the beach with Blue by my side became my every morning. Merl ran behind us, his dogs flanking him. We'd run so far and so long that by the end I wanted to dive into the water, sink under the gentle waves, and be washed clean the way Merl was in China. But it felt like the fever inside of me would never break. I'd never be on the other side of this thing.

We practiced Tai Chi at dusk, once the sun was calm enough. "Relax," Merl would say, and wiggle my extended fingers. "Don't rush," he'd remind me as I tried to float across the sand. "Relax," he'd say, and touch my shoulders to make me drop them. "Don't rush," he'd say as I reached for an invisible enemy.

Full-speed combat practice happened either at night or in the blazing heat of mid-day. The same instructions were given. "Relax. Don't rush."

"How am I supposed to not rush when I'm trying to hit you!"

"Relax."

"Argh!" I used my frustration to throw two quick jabs, both missed him, leaving just a sly smile on his face. I dropped to the ground and tried to take out his feet but he jumped, landing with his elbow in the back of my neck. I fell to the sand and felt it burn my cheek.

"Here, take this," Merl threw a long stick to me. I rolled over and stood.

"I've never used one of these before," I said, picking it up. The stick was made of blonde wood, and almost my height. Merl twirled an identical weapon in his well trained hands. I felt my heart dropping, this was not going to end well for me.

"Get a feel for it," Merl said.

I twirled it once feeling the even weight throughout. Merl jabbed at the air with it showing me how far it could reach. "See what this can do for you?"

"Sure," I mimicked his movement extending the weapon.

"Now bring it around." Using one hand, Merl spun the stick behind his back and then grabbed it with the other and brought it to his side. "You can defend yourself at a good distance from multiple attackers."

I smiled and followed his lead, bringing it behind my back and striking at imaginary opponents surrounding me. "Wouldn't a gun be even more useful?"

"Until you ran out of bullets."

I laughed. "That's what an extra magazine is for."

"You know so much, do you?" I took my eyes off the stick and looked up at his calm face.

"Not so much. Just asking a question."

"I don't use guns, if you want to learn that you'll need to search elsewhere."

I shrugged. "Okay, touchy subject?"

"Guns make it too easy. Taking a life should not be so simple." He leapt across the space separating us and stopped just short of stabbing me in the stomach.

"If that was a bullet I'd be digesting lead right now."

"We are not actually trying to kill each other, Sydney," he said.

"Just play, right?"

"Exactly."

I hit his stick away using mine.

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