Husk

Chapter 5

Time – 6:30 pm

Location – Montana Military Base

Cobalt sat on the wooden bench in the dining hall of the ‘Shed’ with the rest of Unit L-7. Other units from the L division sat in the room, scattered amongst the many wooden benches and tables that made up the room. The scraping of one-hundred-or-so forks against many food-trays echoed off the cement walls that lined the Shed.

Tin on the outside, uniform cement walls on the inside. It hurt Cobalt’s eyes.

Quite a few people were talking amongst themselves, and Cobalt didn’t have to hear them to know they were talking about him.

“Just fantastic.” He muttered to himself.

He looked up and saw Levi approaching, eyes set on him.

Oh, here we go.

Levi took the seat next to him and set his tray down on the table. He was still for a moment, and then he turned to Cobalt.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” he asked suddenly.

Cobalt just shrugged, stabbing a potato with his fork and shoved it into his mouth.

“No, that’s not good enough!” Levi slammed his hand on the table, and his furious whispers caught Cobalt off guard.

“Why do you care? It’s none of your business what I do.” Cobalt threw back at Levi.

“I care because I don’t want to see you get thrashed or thrown out of the military! I can tell you’re a good kid, but this tough-guy bullshit isn’t doing anything good for you!”

“Look, we’re not friends. Heck, I don’t even know you! Stop acting like you’re my mum for Christ’s sake and mind your own business.” Cobalt replied in a low voice.

Levi stared. “You really don’t know how things work around here, do you? We’re all equal here, brothers in arms, here for a purpose. You can’t expect people to take you seriously if you keep acting like a child!”

Cobalt laughed. “Is that why you joined the army?” He leaned closer to Levi, as if he was sharing a secret. “Did they brainwash you too?”

Levi stood up abruptly. “The hell? I joined because I want to actually do something worthwhile, you insufferable jackass. If not for honour, experience or, heck, even the money, why would someone like you sign up?”

Cobalt answered with a smirk on his face. “It’ll look good on my resume.”

Levi shook his head slowly, a look of pity on his face.

“Unbelievable.” He stated.

Levi stepped over the bench seat and went to leave, but turned his head to Cobalt.

“Good luck, kid.” With that, Levi walked off.

-

Cobalt lay upon his designated bed and stared at the ceiling above him, eyes tracing the small cracks in the concrete. He was thinking about what Levi had said to him. What really stuck out to him was what Levi had said about joining.

Why had he joined? When he first enlisted, he’d been asked the same question, to which he had said “To do what is best for my country.”

Looking back now, he knew he’d been lying.

The truth was, Cobalt actually didn’t know why he signed up. He had just felt like he needed to, he supposed. Sighing, he turned over.

Levi was right, of course. Cobalt was an idiot for acting the way he had, and he felt like it too. He silently scolded himself.

You’ve managed to make a fool of yourself twice in one day. Why don’t you just listen to the advice you’ve been given, and stop acting like an asshole? He asked himself.

Either leave the military or clean up your act. What’s it going to be?

His thoughts turned to Husk, and how well he had gotten his ass kicked. He wanted to be able to do that one day.

He smiled.

Well, I do like these uniforms....