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to show for her efforts. Noticeably, the numerous articles scattered about the room did possess many strange and unusual creatures from her imagination. But she had thought to herself time and time again that none of them were quite right. She wanted her submission to be perfect.
    Interrupting her musings, she heard the loud and sharp clanging of an alarm clock, its sound relentlessly echoed up and about the walls. It was now time to train, and she knew Duncan mustn’t be too far away. She thumped her hand down on top of the alarm, bringing its incessant ringing to an end and climbed back into bed. She wanted to feign sickness, to somehow avoid her morning training, and ultimately the prospect of facing yet another day at school. In truth, she hated school. Aside from the joys of hanging out with Naomi during the day, she found all her classes to be meaningless, and felt that the teachers specifically went out of their way to pick on her. Katherine also figured that if she could find a way to stay home, she’d have more time to concentrate upon what was most important: the designing of this new mascot. The mere notion of skipping school to work on the mascot was a most pleasing thought; to get lost within her artistic endeavours, to spend the day sketching and painting. But she realised it wouldn’t be long before reality kicked in, and Duncan had insisted they get started.
    It’s so frustrating, with school and training, there are just so few hours left in the day to focus upon what I really care about, she thought to herself.
    She briefly considered that perhaps a migraine might serve as the best excuse to stay in bed. Only, that had never worked for her in the past. And before she could come up with any excuse worthwhile, Duncan was already banging upon her door with significant force.
    â€œPlease, just give me a few more minutes,” she mumbled under her breath, and burying herself deep beneath the blankets.
    Bang! Bang! Bang! Duncan knocked again and again upon her door, each knock heavier than the last.
    â€œI’m awake,” she cried, now seated upright in bed. “Just give me a sec.”
    She dawdled for a moment more, before she slinked back down and under the duvet. She lay there, even though she knew that further knocking was inevitable. But no more knocks were forthcoming.
    Just maybe , she thought to herself, this will be the day he finally gives up.
    No such luck. For her bedroom door swung violently open, and Duncan dragged the duvet from off her bed.
    She tried to reclaim the duvet. “Hey! What about some privacy?”
    â€œHurry up and get dressed,” Duncan grunted, before storming back out of the bedroom.
    Katherine knew she’d never win. She reckoned she’d have to be coughing up blood before Duncan would ever forego a morning of training. Still, she wasn’t going to let that discourage her.
    Tomorrow morning , she decided, she would get up a little earlier and think of a decent excuse.
    She leapt out of bed, ditched of her pyjama bottoms, and withdrew from a set of drawers a pair of black sport trunks. She foraged about within the cluttered mess that was her wardrobe and pulled out a small gym bag.
    â€œRight,” she muttered to herself. “I might as well make the best of it.”
    Once fully clothed, she headed out of her bedroom door, descended a winding staircase, and scampered along the hallway toward the garage. Inside, Duncan had constructed the garage as a makeshift gymnasium: with padded floors, a punching bag, a bench press, and various sets and weights of dumbbells. Duncan stood there waiting at the garage’s centre; his arms and legs were firmly strapped with red boxing guards. Katherine entered.
    She reached into her small gym bag and withdrew some tape to wrap about her knuckles. Once wrapped, she tied back her long black hair and eased into her workout. With an impressive reach and remarkable precision, she kicked and punched