"Hey!"."Hey! Wake up!""Wake up! Dammit!".A sharp kick landed on Derrick's waist and forced his eyes open. The bright sun shone on his face and he squinted. He took a look at his assailant.It was a woman, short and rounded with a cute face, her hair was plaited backward and she wore an apron around a tight-fitted gown. Her nostrils widened in anger and her eyes had a slight look of disgust as she glared at him. She held a long broom and pointed it towards him while shaking it as if to chase him away.Derrick took an unsteady step and stood up.He looked around him.He was under a small caravan and around it were others like it. Small tables were scattered everywhere beside these caravans.This was a market." It seems I slept in this lady's store". He thought.Derrick understood why she wanted him to leave, but he did not get why there was a trace of disgust in her tone as she spoke.He then took a look at his clothes."Oh, that's why". He still wore his torn and dirty clothes fr
Derrick took the remote from the couch and switched on the flat-screen TV that hung on the wall. It was kept there by his mother, so the children could not mess it up. The first channel was a news broadcast. Derrick had never liked the news. When he was a child he always liked to change the channel to a cartoon channel. Apparently, people grew to like news but Derrick reckoned he was different, no matter his age, he always disliked news."Hmm?"Derrick had his finger on the remote a second away from changing the channel, when the headline of the broadcast caught his attention.# BLACK VACATION: CRUISE BOAT CAPSIZES, FIVE THOUSAND PLUS FEARED DEAD.# AUTHORITIES BLAME MINI TSUNAMI AS CAUSE OF INCIDENT, SEARCH FOR MISSING PEOPLE CURRENTLY UNDERWAY.He pinched his forehead in embarrassment. He had completely forgotten about that. He picked up a phone he saw on the desk, probably one of his nephew's. He dialed the police hotline." Hello, Good evening. I want to report a case of missin
" My name is Frank. And I shall be your trainer ".Frank chucked his hands in the pockets of his oversized jeans and glared intensely at them." I said I shall be your trainer but let's not get too hasty. I cannot be your trainer unless you are a trainee. And you have to earn the right to be a trainee by passing some small tests".He signaled a boy staring and the boy came running with a stool and Frank sat on it. His elbows were on his thighs and his chin was in his hands. He continued."That means that as of now, my name is Frank and I AM your examiner!".He scanned the lot of them and his fierce gaze made most of the little boys start quaking in their shoes. His eyes rested on Derrick . He stood up and went directly in front of Derrick . Nose to nose, eyeball to eyeball." I don't know why a grown-ass man is here taking tests meant for kids". The breath from his nose washed over Derrick's face." You're way past the age for this. What are you doing here?"." Didn't get a chance to
" Here is your certificate to identify as a Martial arts trainee". Agnes said as she handed Derrick a document."Thanks".Derrick replied. " Is there anything else I need to know? Maybe like when do I take training and stuff?".Agnes reached into a drawer in her desk and handed him a pamphlet." Here are the rules and regulations of the training center. And about training, it's entirely up to you. You can come any time between six thirty in the morning to seven in the evening. The only thing is you have to pay monthly fees any time you train. And once the time is exhausted you pay for another month to keep training".He nodded " That's cool"." Mr. Derrick". A voice came from behind.Agnes stood up, "Sir".Derrick turned and saw it was that creepy head trainer." What do you want?"." Just so you know, if you are not a Martial apprentice by the age of thirty-five you lose the certificate to practice martial arts. It's the rule for everyone alike, and since you came this late you only
Harrison tapped the treadmill. " Before you start training, you should know your current speed and strength to know what we're dealing with". He said.Derrick then climbed the treadmill." That's cool, but remind me again why it's you here and not that Frank. I thought he was supposed to be our trainer?"." He's training the young ones. We can't have you doing the training as them. And from the tests, you have a very good bone structure. The best talent we've seen in this center. The highest talent we've seen apart from you is our president and he's a fifth-stage apprentice while I'm a fourth-stage apprentice. We've never had a Martial artist before. Now you see why I'm the one training you? Anyway, enough with the questions. Start running". " Okay, okay, alright. Didn't know I was such a big shot". Derrick remarked.He started the treadmill and started running. He noticed an indicator on it showing his current speed. He increased his momentum and it increased slightly. After some mi
Two weeks later. In another country in Bur. The Martial Arts Trainee Center.Two young boys stood across each other on a round mat.The first boy had a dark skin with bushy eyebrows and a shaven head. He was topless and displayed his ripped muscles. His gaze was serious as he stared at the other boy who looked at him mockingly. This one was light in complexion and had white hair, his green eyes sparkled evilly and he wore a thin yellow jacket that was left unbuttoned. A man who stood a small distance from the mat raised his hands and shouted." Start!".The dark boy stiffened his taut muscles and pushed off immediately from the ground. He shot straight at the fair boy and threw a heavy punch at his face.The other boy smirked. Before the punch arrived he turned his body slightly and narrowly dodged the punch. In the next instant, he caught the attacking hand and in a swift motion broke the arm at the elbow joint. A mournful voice immediately cried out.Still, in a fluid movement
" Why don't you let me go next?". Derrick said.Harrison walked close to Derrick. " What do you think you're doing?". He whispered." Can you not see what they were doing to those boys? I'm a trainee too, let me take his place". Derrick replied as he went towards the mat.Max stood in front of him to block him. " Who the hell do you think you are?". He askedDid they think they could ignore the rules and send in an apprentice? " I'm a trainee too and I want to take his place". Derrick pointed at the scared boy huddling in the corner.Max turned to Harrison, " Is this true?". Harrison nodded and held Derrick's shoulder. " Do you know what you're getting into? These guys have reached the limits of their bodies. Do not be impulsive.We will surely give the boys medical attention. Stand aside and this will soon be done with".Derrick had an annoyed face, " And you're just going to watch as they harm your trainees?"." There are rules concerning a challenge......"." Spare me that cra
" Well then, what do we have here?".Derrick raised Marcel until he was face to face with him. His smile grew wide until it reached his ears.The boy really pissed him off. Two times he had hit him and both times he aimed for the face. Who aims for the face? He raised his hand.Pah!Marcel's right cheek inflated immediately. Derrick raised his hand again and slapped. Pah! Pah! Pah!.Derrick continued slapping until a red hand print formed on Marcel's face.He was enjoying himself. This guy's face was really smooth. Slapping it gave his palm a good sensation. Suddenly, he felt the weight on his hand disappear. Looking at his hand he saw that Marcel was gone. He looked up and saw Max dropping Marcel on the floor away from the mat. Max turned back to Derrick and smiled." Bullying children are we now?". His smile looked as genuine as one looking at a beloved family member. He took a step forward and suddenly Derrick lost sight of him. In that fraction of a second Derrick felt a