"I told you. Don't talk about your sister anymore... Masasaktan ka lang lalo."
Hindi ako nagsalita. Bumuntong hininga ako.
"matutulog na ako." sambit ko.
Hindi na rin nagsalita si Yndra at iniwan na ako dito sa barracks ko.
I woke up to the loud sound of the birds in the early morning of darkness. Still sleepy but I need to do this, I got out of bed and stepped into the cold air. Today felt different. I promised myself I’d try harder, run faster, and maybe, just maybe, get closer to the person I wanted to become.
The morning run was always the first challenge. As I tied my boots, I could already feel my tired muscles protesting. But I had one thing going for me: determination. With every step, I reminded myself why I was here and what I was fighting for.
I can do this. I can do this.
By the time we reached the obstacle course, the sun was starting to rise, casting a golden light over the camp. The obstacles looked huge and intimidating. The wall climb was the hardest one for me. My heart was racing, but I took a deep breath and went for it. One hand at a time, I pulled myself up, gripping the rough wood. For a second, I was stuck halfway, scared but determined, then finally, I got over it and landed on the other side, breathless but proud.
During drills, I focused hard. Every movement, every command, I gave it my best. I could feel myself getting sharper, faster. When my sergeant gave me a small nod of approval, it felt like a big win.
By the end of the day, my whole body hurt. But as I lay in bed staring at the ceiling, I felt proud. Little by little, I was growing. Every day, I was becoming stronger and better.
I knew tomorrow would bring new challenges, but for now, I let myself feel proud. I was Gucci, and I was improving... one step at a time.
General Yndra’s eyes always seemed to follow me when I walked past her in the hallway. At first, it was small things, a short nod, a tight look when she saw me training with Agazhe. I thought I was imagining it, but the tension was real.
Later that day, in a strategy meeting, I felt it again. While I was sharing my ideas, I could feel her eyes on me. When I finished, she immediately picked out flaws in my plan, her voice sharp.
"You're lucky dahil ako ang naka-assign sa mapping training no ngayon."
"Thank you, babe." I smiled at her.
"Ma'am General." She corrected.
Namake face ako at umirap.
"Kung may mission kayo sa isang bundok, gamit ang mapa, ilalagay mo kung saan kayo maglalakad, saan may mga patibong o kalaban, at saan ang ligtas na daan."
"Okay. I'm excited!" Then I clapped my hands!
“You didn’t think about the terrain,” she said. “Did you even check the reports?”
“Yes, babe,” I said calmly. “I reviewed everything... Well not everything. But atleast I reviewed.”
Nilapag niya ang mga gamit sa mesa... May map, compass, lapit and etc. Hindi ko na alam yung iba!
“Okay, so like… parang Dora the Explorer? Ang cute! ” I twirled my pen between my fingers, staring at the giant terrain sketch on the table.
Pinapagalitan ako ni Yndra gamit ang mga mata niya kaya medyo na tahimik ako.
“I mean, may maps, eh, feel ko mag-eenjoy ako. I'm a fan of Dora the explorer."
Yndra didn’t laugh. She didn’t even blink. She was hunched over the map like it was her thesis defense. Every line, every legend, every frickin’ coordinate, ang seryo-seryoso niya. While me, nagdradrawing ng mga houses and stickman sa paper ko.
