Old Dreams Excerpt #3

  OLD DREAMS-

  Excerpt - 3

  Brian watched as Sam slowly looked across the acre of bare land, then turned to stare as Josh and Ginger did a few warm up stretches. "Hey, Ginger, don't use any alien tricks on him."

  She laughed and gave Brian a grin. "I don't need alien tricks to do what needs to be done."

  Sam walked over to Ginger and glowered. "A little over confident aren't we? Didn't you ever learn not to underestimate your opponent?"

  Ginger didn't even bat an eyelash. "Yeah, didn't you?"

  Brian flopped down on the grass to watch and Josh moved to stand behind him. Brian could tell Josh was thinking the same thing he was. Time to stand back, this was going to be one fight they neither wanted to miss or get to close to.

  Sam wiped his hands down his jean clad thighs, slid his feet apart and planted his boots firmly in the sand in preparation for Ginger's test. "Whenever you are ready."

  Ginger took a fighting stance, feet outstretched pulling one behind her, with her body turned so only the side of her was facing him. Putting her right elbow tightly held against her side, while she curved her left arm up at a ninety degree angle so her left fist was held up in front of her chest about a foot in front of her. Her right arm was then pulled across her chest and her fist was held up to guard her face. 

  Brian recognized her stance as the first fighting pose all Zogones were taught. Simply make yourself smaller to the enemy giving them less access to you and less space for them to hit. It was a fantastic strategy. Brian had just figured she would have tried something more complicated, maybe one of her general perfected moves.

  Ginger lifted her chin over her right fist and stared Sam down. "You know this test is your one shot? If you fail you pack your bags, leave and forget about all of us, forget that the Puritan Vampire ever existed."

  Sam held both hands up to her, "Yeah, what happens 'when' I do pass your test?"

  Ginger arched a brow at him, "Confident aren't we? If by some way you do manage to pass, you'll pack your bags when we do and you'll help us hunt that monster down. When Arlene is ready we will stop him and finally be able to go home. After that, what you do is your business."

  For a moment they just seemed to circle each other, then Ginger struck quickly, but not to powerfully in Brian's opinion. One of Sam's crossed arms shot up and easily blocked her. Time and time again Ginger struck out in the same almost easy gesture. A right here, a left there, a quick kick to the shins. All where easily deflected.

  Sam deflected, but didn't hit back which seemed to anger Ginger. "Are we going to fight or dance all day?"

  Sam glared and shot back, "Maybe we will when you stop playing with me and really attack."

  Ginger gave him a sarcastic smile and through gritted teeth said, "Be careful what you wish for."

  Holding a palm up toward Sam, Ginger closed her fist, then opened it instantly back up. A flash of blue light blinded them for two seconds, but it was plenty of time for Ginger to make her move. It seemed as if she disappeared and reappeared across the spot were Sam was standing.

  Ginger's attack landed in mid air. Her punch landed where she wanted, but Sam was no longer there. He didn't run or jump out of her way. He had just simply taken a step to the left, just out of Ginger's striking range.

  Ginger jumped back, then rushed Sam again. He closed his eyes and took a step to the right, again just barely out of the line of fire. They repeated the process three more times, until Ginger was livid with rage.
She growled, "How do you keep avoiding me, especially with your eyes closed?"

  Sam opened his eyes and an obvious sniff. "One of your roommates must have sprayed her perfume next to you this morning. I can smell it all over you clothes. But even without it I can since each of your movements around me. Plus, if I concentrate really hard, I can hear your heart beat. I am half vampire after all."

  "Very good job, then I'll have to take this test to the next level. After this if you can walk away without help, I'll be surprised. If so, then you have more than earned your place among us."
Sam nodded, "I can take whatever you throw at me little girl."

  Ginger smiled, "Good, because this time you had better do more than avoid my attacks. Your test is to fight back and stop me from killing you."

  Any other man would have gulped and feared of peeing himself, Sam though just grinned. Ginger didn't even blink as legs slid wide apart and she threw her arms out straight beside her. As the air around her started to crackle and glow, Ginger slowly levitated above the ground.

  With a slanted gaze to the right, Brian watched Sam's eyes widen slightly, but only for a second. Pulling himself back into full focus, then adjusted his fighting stance. Sam was obviously ready for just about anything.
Brian glanced back at Ginger and watched as her lips slowly started to move in the age old Zogone meditation chant. In essence she was 'powering up' or sensing each small particle of her own being, bringing every ounce of her powers to the surface. In other words, Ginger meant business and she wasn't about to go easy on Sam.

  Josh must have realized the same thing, because he started to fidget uncomfortably. "Hey Ging… Don't you think you are taking this a little to far?"

  A simple, "No!," was his answer and she was right back to the chanting.

  "This is just a test Ginger, remember? We aren't trying to kill Sam, just see what he can do."

  Ginger opened her eyes which had turned pure white, pupil less, and answered. "I know exactly what we are doing here and I have every intention of seeing what Sam is made of."

  Josh started kicking his feet as he ran a hand over the back of his neck. "Well that is great, but we don't really want to see 'what' he is made of. It's a little early in the morning to be having a bath in someone else's guts sis."