NOVEL WEB Chapter 20: A Day of Rain, Pain, and Unwanted Visions
That morning, Evan and his team made their way to the volleyball court again. Two members of the team dug a 5-foot deep by 4-ft diameter hole using their folding spades (included in their field packs). Evan then tied one end of the rope onto one end of the telephone pole, using an easy release technique they had previously learned. They stood the telephone pole on end in the hole they had dug, then filling in the remaining space with rock and soil, packing it in well.
Evan shimmied to the top of the telephone pole with the help of his pants belt. Using another pants belt (donated by one of the others), he "secured" himself to the pole. Unbeknownst to his team, he was able to wandlessly cast a sticking charm on himself as well. He then pulled out his modified grenade launcher, equipped with spear point on one end, tied the end of the rope to it, loaded a blank cartridge into his rifle, mounted the grenade launcher onto the end of the barrel, aimed at the oak tree, and fired his weapon. His Sergeant was standing near the base of the pole, head tilted back, screaming at Evan like a banshee asking "What the hell do you think you're doing there, soldier! You can't use your weapon during this exercise! Midshipman Fenix!" The modified spear flew true, hitting the trunk of the tree.
Ignoring his Sergeant, Evan then tightened up the rope. Leaving one belt behind, he traversed the rope (upside down), crossing the volleyball court, to the oak tree. Without waiting, (and ignoring the now stunned Sergeant) Corry climbed to the top of the pole and secured herself in place. Using additional belts and rucksack harnesses, Cory "ziplined" the equipment across to Evan. Corry then crossed herself. Ben, Noah, and Bobby quickly followed. The whole operation took over an hour.
When questioned by the Sergeants how they came by the equipment (the goal was to use what they had and what was provided), Evan replied, "You've already told us many times that in order for an operation to succeed one must employ intelligence, intelligence, and intelligence. Cheating is allowed because in war, nothing is fair. We gathered intelligence, we used intelligence in evaluating options and planning, and we as a team scrounged for the materials and brought them along. As they became part of our pack, they were technically allowed."
Evan was proud of his team, and was excited to tell Hermione about it all in his letter to her that night. He was, however, anxious about the next day – October 31st. Something always happens on October 31st.
October 31st – Evan's morning started with a feeling of anxious anticipation. It didn't feel like his own feelings. Evan took a few minutes to calm himself, to center himself, and push that feeling away. Today, Tuesday October 31st. For the last four years something always happened on that day. For the last four years, his "friends", but in particular Hermione were with him. Evan realized that thinking of Hermione, focusing on her and their friendship, helped him push the "un-natural feeling" away. He employed the exercises Sensei taught he in preparation for Haragei to try to isolate and follow the feeling he was having, but did not have any success. He just knew it wasn't his. It was 0500 – time to get ready for the day's activities. One of his mates put on the radio – it was playing I Believe / Up on the Roof by Robson & Jerome….again!
The day in general was "unexceptional". It was raining cats & dogs outside but, as the Sergeants kept repeating, you don't get to choose the weather when in battle! You just have to "adapt and overcome!" (Evan swore that if it wasn't for the lack of scars and existence of body parts, he thought the Color Sergeant was Mad-Eye Moody!) The order for the day: more running (in the rain and mud), exercising, lectures on landmines, mortars and claymores, and how to effectively use them. Tomorrow would be the beginning of the Individual Skills training, and he wanted to be prepared. His team mates could sense something was a bit off with Evan that day – he seemed a bit distracted.
It happened just after 2200 (10pm) that night – a sharp sense of elation it was almost painful. He had been in the process of re-assembling his rifle after cleaning and oiling it. Evan hissed and put the heel of his palm of his hand where his scar used to be, braced himself and rapidly breathed in and out. His mates noticed his distress and came to his side, asking in concern what was going on. Evan was frozen in pain. He saw flashes of Voldemort standing in the shell of a house, laughing as he crucio'd a family of three. He could not identify anything to tell him where this was happening, but he knew he had to push this from his mind.
Using the techniques he leaned when he studied Bujinkan, he centered himself, first focusing on breathing through the pain. He remembered that morning and how thoughts of Hermione helped him. Evan grabbed onto that thought as well; he focused on Hermione, her smile, her "nagging" to do homework, and her constant support, using that feeling to help him push out the visions and feelings from Voldemort. Slowly the flashes of Voldermort receded. Evan continued to center himself, and then to calm himself until he no longer felt Voldemort's influence.
Opening his eyes, he saw the concern in his friend's eyes. One of them had called the medic, who was just arriving. After a brief checkup by the medic, Evan told his mates that he occasionally gets these searing pains from an old scar and flashes of things that sometimes come true. He told them he felt something awful had happened, but did not know where. Most of them scoffed a bit. They were concerned about his health, but didn't quite believe in the "flashes".
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