Fire And Steel (The Merryweather Chronicles Book 2) Read Free

trying not to get my face rearranged."
          Gerrick stopped toweling his chest and met Brandon's gaze. He said. "You found emptiness." He draped the towel across his shoulders and crossed his massive arms across his chest. "That's impressive, Brandon. Especially for somebody your age."
          "What are you talking about?" Brandon said. He went and picked up his own towel. He dried the sweat from his face. His arms felt like they weighed a hundred pounds when he lifted them. "What's the emptiness?"
          "It's a fighting technique." Gerrick said, sitting on one of the patio steps. Gerrick studied Brandon for a moment, seemingly lost in thought. When he spoke, he spoke slowly to emphasize his words. "It's called many things, by many cultures. It was called the emptiness when it was taught to me. It is the clearing of one's mind during battle, in order to focus all of your being on the moment."
          "And I did this?" Brandon asked. The wind was icy against his flesh, blowing in to announce that winter was on its way and coming hard. Halloween was only a few days away.
          Gerrick nodded. "That was how you hit me. You emptied your mind of all of your fear and doubt, as well as your intentions. You closed yourself to me and I was unable to anticipate your attack. Once you've found the emptiness, it becomes easier to achieve. Some warriors try to keep the emptiness wrapped around themselves at all times."
          "How do I do that?" Brandon asked. "Keep the emptiness wrapped around myself all the time?"
          "It's a matter of concentration and control." Gerrick said. "Imagine that nestled inside your mind is a small lockbox. Into this box, you push all of your emotions. Fear, hate, love, happiness. Every emotion that can clutter your mind. Once your mind is empty of everything except your goal, or single purpose, you close the box and lock it."
          "And that works for everything? Not just fighting?" Brandon asked.
          "Practice." Gerrick said. "The longer you can maintain emptiness, the better at achieving it you become. You'll find that it can help you in accomplishing most anything. Whether it's defeating your enemy or passing a test at school. It's all a matter of perspective. Set your goal and achieve it."
          "You sound like Tony Robbins." Brandon said, smiling at his uncle.
          Gerrick just looked at him and shook his head. Standing, he led the way into the house. In the kitchen, he took a seat at the kitchen table and gestured for Brandon to do the same. When Brandon was seated across from him, Gerrick said. "Tomorrow night, we focus on weapons training. You've shown aptitude with the sword, so that is where we will focus."
          Brandon shrugged. "If you think I'm ready?"
          Gerrick nodded. "You're more than ready."
     
     

CHAPTER 2
          The town of Matheson was quiet on October 29th, the streets mostly empty of people, despite it being only a couple of days until Halloween. Like a wounded animal, pulling back in on itself after an attack. Normally, kids would be scattered across town, roaming the streets in preparation for the holiday. Decorating yards and laughing as they tried on their costumes. But now the streets were devoid of merriment. The people that did move about did so with worried glances at the town around them. Matheson had changed over the last few months, as summer gave way to fall and slid inexorably toward winter. People had disappeared. Children, as well as adults, had vanished from the woods and parks that were so much a part of Matheson's charm. Now those quiet and shadowed corners were something to be feared. Not sought out.
          There was nobody on main street to see the short caravan of vehicles cruise past the empty police station parking lot without slowing. The three vehicles were black and shiny, with multiple antenna bristling from the heavily tinted back glass. Down Main Street, past the