Chapter 4: Break – In
With all the seats filled up in my group, it was a bit crowded. There were some people talking, but most were silent. Suddenly the lights turned off. Every conversation ceased. The wall opposite of the number started to rise up. They sure know how to make and entrance.
The sunlight outside casted a person's silhouette. The shadow grew and crept until it reached the end of my seat. The lights turned on and we finally saw who casted it. A woman in uniform stood at the door, with her hands behind her back. Suddenly I heard a shout from behind us. Instinc told me that I shouldn’t look away.
The more I waited for her to move, the more I heard some shouts. I was furthest away from the door, so I could see my group members also watching her. Not one of us checked to look at the shouting. All of us sitting and waiting with anticipation for her to do anything.
We heard a shout from group 7. We heard them moving and more shouts. The noise of them slowly faded away, now we were on edge. I could taste the suspension in the air.
She finally moved and started to walk towards us, stopping just short of our seats.
“ATTENTION”
We all stood up and moved. Back straight, arms on the side, heels together angled at 45-degrees.
“You’ve all failed, I should not have shouted at all. When I walked in, you should have been at attention.” she spoke with a slight accent.
She walked towards the middle of our seats, 15 on her left and 15 on her right. Splitting us apart like the sea, then stopped.
“You have all been trained in movements and drill, you can act like us but I will teach you that it’s not that simple.”
She walked towards the number, her back facing the door. Then did an about face.
“I will break your heart more than any relationship you have been in. Your mind will be dried out and force fed until I am satisfied. Your body will be soaked in flames and molded to my standard. This is only an introduction. I hope I’ve not disappointed you as you have to me.”
“On my next command, the line to my left shall get your items, turn towards the door and make your way on the bus. I expect the second line to fall in, is that understood?”
“YES MA’AM”
“Already picking up, how wonderful. Now MOVE!”
Picking up my bag and checking around for anything I might miss, I waited until the person in front of me started to move. We didn’t move fast not wanting to seem panicked, but neither slow to seem incompetent. Since I was in the back, I was looking for items that others may have left in a rush. I don’t want to get punished immediately because we can’t clean up after ourselves.
I wasn’t alone in my thinking as others were doing the same. I manage to pick up some remainders of plastic wrapping. As soon as I passed the first person on my right, she followed after me.
Soon we were all on a bus, with enough space to have a seat of our own. I sat in a window seat, not wanting to be a dick. But it seemed I was too inviting as a girl sat next to me. I spared a glance and recognized her as the first girl to come to the group and the one who I stared at when we were at attention. If only she wasn’t so pretty.
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
A couple seconds after she sat down, our leader was at the front of the bus. She stared at us, but I felt like she lingered on us a fraction more.
“We will be going to a barracks, a sort of communal room where you will be separated by sex. Once you are settled, you are free to explore the facilities. I will recommend one thing, it is to eat.”
When she was done talking she turned around and much like the man in the morning, she turned and talked to the driver making the bus move.
The girl next to me tapped my right arm, making me look down at her hands. She pointed at her wrist. And she’s perceptive. I showed her my watch, and remembered they didn’t have as much time as us. Thinking a little bit more, I pulled out my phone and opened the notes app. I stared to type “What was the shower timer?” and handed it to her.
While she was typing I moved my eyes up to our leader. She was standing with her back faced towards us, but there was a mirror. I felt my phone slide back into my hand. “It was 10 minutes, I’m Zoya. I need names of the guys, I’ll trade you the names of the girls.”
I thought for a minute and typed back. “I’ll bring a few to lunch and we could meet up. It would be better if we work together on this. I’m Kon”
I handed my phone back waiting for her reply. When she handed my phone back the bus stopped. I slid it back into my pocket before reading it and waited for our leader to speak.
“When you get off this bus there are two doors. They lead to your lodging area. Set up whatever you need and then you all are free to explore. Now get off my bus.”
With that we started to move. Turns out the first obstacle was the doors. We were supposed to be separated, but we didn’t know what door to choose.
“If you’re a gentleman surely, you’ll let the ladies pick first.”
Like it had her name on the door, Zoya was the first to confidently walk into the building. I saw a slight smile on our leader's face.
All the ladies started to follow her into that side and us guys headed to ours. The room had bunk beds on the right side, and a wall with nothing on the left. The same wall lit up with names on the side. I knew where this was going, so I made my way to the end. Sure enough, opposite from a single bed was my name.
This was the only single bed with everyone else bunking with someone. It had a plastic coating around the mattress. The head of the bed had a little counter for items. On the side of the bed were wall hooks with hangers. I put my bag under the hooks and took off my coat to hang it. I also took my neck gaiter off and hung it on the inside of the coat. I opened my bag and grabbed the bedding. I started to make my bed.
When I was done, everyone seemed to be settling down. Our short peace was interrupted by a shout.
“I want everybody to stand in front of your beds.”
I made haste and stood at attention in front of my bed.
“Good, now I am your Drill Sergeant. When I address you all I expect a “yes sir” and when I address you directly, I expect a “yes sergeant” am I clear?”
“YES SIR”
“My captain was so gracious to pick you up, you address her the same as you do me, understood?”
“YES SIR”
“Kon Zinc”
“YES SERGEANT”
“Quick on the uptake, I like that. When you are inside this building you are expected to dress casually. If you go outside wearing clothes unfit for outside activity you will be handed a demerit. The same can be said when you do something outstanding, you get a merit.”
He turned and walked towards me and looked straight into my soul.
“Kon Zinc”
“YES SERGEANT”
“Congratulations, you have earned the first merit point.”
“THANK YOU, SERGEANT.”
He stared a bit longer then walked back to the door he came from.
“I have done my introduction, and started one for you all. AT EASE.”
He turned around and walked out of our room. When the door shut, I relaxed a bit more. Taking a deep breath, I took a seat on my fresh bed. Holy shit.
I took my phone out my pocket, reading the message Zoya left. “Already asking me on a date, how bold.”
I took a look at my neighbors, looks like I have to step up.