Time Turner

"Not until you stop calling me a wimp." Alfizar shrugged as he turned back to walk towards a chair available not far from where they stood.

"Not until you tried archery," Brianna said proudly.

"No, I just joined the Combat and Defense Club," Alfizar said with a mocking grin.

"What?! You join a club while I'm away?! Why did you not join Archery Club?!" Brianna exclaimed. Both of her hands on her waist.

"Captain, please stop trying to steal CDC's members," Rachzi said with a sigh, he folds his hands fold over his c.h.e.s.t.

"I'm not stealing! I just direct them to the right path! Archery is a Noble sport, many said that it has existed tens of thousands of years ago! I don't understand why that brat and many students choose a club that using-brute-force-and-not-elegant-at-all over our elegant Archery Club!!" Brianna shouted loudly, gathering her club's members attention at her.

Combat and Defense Club, or CDC for short had many people's attention because it was different from many other clubs. It's a club that trained their members as if they are part of the military. An ideal club to be in if the students want to join the military, and want to learn self-defense.

Looks like she had a strong hatred for the CDC. She failed to persuade her little brother, Dioz Hanson to join the Archery Club. "At least tried holding the bow and shoot the arrow." She stared at Alfizar's figure. She was not going to give up at the possibility of him joining the Archery Club.

The club's members look like they were used to such a scene. Rachzi also did not say much, only hold his hands up to give in and sending Alfizar a look that says 'go ahead'. Alfizar shook his head exasperatedly.

"I'm still working on my strength, and you guys expecting me pulling the bowstring?" Alfizar raised one of his eyebrows eyed all the club members. Most of them just shrugged.

"Just think of it as exercising your arms' muscles," Rachzi said. Alfizar sigh as he scratched his head that doesn't felt itchy.

"Just this once," Alfizar said. Rachzi took out his own c.h.e.s.t guard to lend it to Alfizar and helped him wear it, then one of the club's member gave him the lightest bow in the club.

They considered his strength. Then they brought him out of the room to the field where they usually practice archery. Rachzi handed him an arrow, then he pointed to a target board.

"Aim for that target board, it's 30 meters away. The closest range for this sport." Rachzi then smiled sheepishly. "Please ignore our captain's nature, that's just how she is. She is a good leader in the club, a good friend, and a good archer. She just so wants to be an athlete that represents our country, becoming a winner of an international competition to beat her big brother."

"I understand, everyone has something they are passionate about." Alfizar then began to take the stance to fire the arrow, just like how he saw the members did.

***

Alfizar stood straight, holding the bow with his left hand in front of him, then pulled the bowstring with his right hand until his palm beside his jaw. He aimed for the target board that was ninety meters away from where he stood, on a sports field at the school. Then he let go of the arrow. The arrow sped through the air, then stuck right in the center of the arrow target board. Someone suddenly smacked his back hard, used enough force to make him choke on his own saliva. He coughed.

"See? I know you can do it! Even though you are reluctant at first! But after I constantly bothered you, you finally give in! You only took a month practice to get this far! I'm jealous!" Brianna said as she laughed loudly.

"Now... why don't you join us?"

***

'Brianna?' He thought. It was a Deja Vu or vision that usually showed up right before it happened. But, the distance between him and the target board was different. Maybe it was another small changes due to the accident.

That sudden vision caught him off guard, a sense of confidence suddenly surges through his body. He could do this! He was sure! Then Alfizar began to take the same stance he did in that vision.

Stood straight, left hand holding the bow forward, pulled the bowstring and arrow with his right hand back to his jaw, with much difficulty. Alfizar tried to pull the bowstring a few times, but it's not easy considered his arms strength that has not recovered that much yet.

His hands were shaking as he forced himself to pull the bowstring, and somehow managed to pull it all the way to his jaw, he aimed then let go of the bowstring and the arrow. The arrow shot away from the archer towards the target board.

It didn't hit the target, the arrow somehow ended up a meter away to the left from the target board. Alfizar sighs loudly in disappointment. He let his body dropped to the ground, feeling disappointed in himself. He was so confident. Maybe it was because he can't even pull the bowstring properly, let alone hit the target. Rachzi crouched down beside him, patted his right shoulder.

"Don't be so down. This is the first time you hold a bow right?"Alfizar merely nods his head, he feels a little sweaty, the blowing wind from the opened window cooled down his body.

How shameful! This is not his first time to hold a bow!

"It was actually pretty good for someone who doesn't know anything about Archery. Your stance was also good if not because of your lack of strength. Wimp." Brianna said as she laughs unwomanly, hands on her h.i.p.s and her chins up as if she just heard the funniest joke ever.

"I have tried archery just as you want, so stop calling me a wimp!" Alfizar stood up angrily. Rachzi who was behind him was amused, he only laughed at the exchange.

"Sure sure," Brianna said as she laughed loudly again. "Maybe you have the talent. So how about you join us? I will still let you join that unelegant club since you want to be it's member so much, and maybe that club would be good for you to build up some muscles." She winked at Alfizar, that was when an arrow suddenly darted past Alfizar's left shoulder.

"Ah!" A girl who happened to be standing not far behind Alfizar suddenly screamed in pain. All the students' head snapped towards the girl who was already on the floor clutching her t.h.i.g.hs firmly near the arrow that had pierced her left t.h.i.g.h through the thin skirts she was wearing. Her hands and shoulders were trembling as she whimpered in pain.

"Emma!" Rachzi shouted as he and Brianna quickly get to the now sobbing girl's side. He does his best to examine the wound.

"Who is the fool who fired that arrow?" Brianna glared towards where the arrow should have come from.

***

"Humans tends to look for something as high as their height. That is from the floor to the eye level." The person said as he leaned his back on the couch, he sipped the cup of coffee.

"Was that the reason why he was never caught back then?" Alfizar asked as he rested his forehead on his palm and his elbows on his t.h.i.g.hs. He sat beside the person. There was another four presence in the room sat on another couch. A small office to be exact. But none of them make a sound. The person did not answer Alfizar's question.

***

Alfizar tilted his head up while everyone looked left and right to search for the culprit. He looked up just in time to saw someone's silhouette left the balcony where other peoples usually watched the archery activity. Alfizar abruptly ran from the crowd.