Ishq-e-Watan

Chapter 5- Let The Training Begin

CHAPTER 5

LET THE TRAINING BEGIN

Monami shot up in bed, wide eyes frantically looking around the room. Through her tears, it took her a few panic filled seconds to recognize it.

Her room in the academy.

She was safe. She wasn't there. She was safe.

"It's okay", she muttered to herself. "It's okay, Monu. Tu theek hai. Tu nahi hai wahan par. Tu theek hai."

She screwed her eyes shut tightly, eyes stinging from the tears. Her hands shook wildly. She wiped her tears away, rubbing her eyes till the tears seemed to have stopped.

She looked over at Sanjana. She was sleeping. Peacefully.

Envy rose up. She wanted to curl up and sleep like she was. She shook her head, glancing at the clock where the time blinked in red, glowing letters. 3:46.

Way later than she had expected. Less than an hour till she was allowed to be up. Over an hour till the alarm for the cadets will ring at exactly 5.

She swung her legs over, the cool, breezy air from the window making her aware of the sweat that covered her body. Her clothes clutched her tightly. They were restraining.

She leant over the window, taking deep breaths. The nightmare sounded in her head, the noises and voices distant as if far away. She glanced at the table, sighing. She sat down on the table, getting her diary out and picking up a pen.

Another deep breath before she started writing in the light of the lamp.

---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---

Karan sighed. "Chaar gaaliyan de de", he said. "Baat toh kar, yaar."

"Hum kyun kare?" Faizi grumbled, as he laced up his boots. "Kya zaroorat hai? Hum kuchh kahein toh tumhe achha nahi lagta. Hum kyun zuban kharaab kare?"

"Kya karega phir?"

He stood up, narrowing his eyes. He stomped lightly on his feet. "Tumhaari uniform kharaab."

Karan smiled slightly. He tilted his head slightly up at him. Faizi smiled back, nodding in assurance. He suppressed a sigh of relief. He didn't like it when Faizi was mad at him.

"Hume Sanju se kuchh baat karni hai. Tum training room mein chalo. Hum aate hain."

He nodded, standing up. "Achha, sun", he said. "Wo informer se milne ke baad seedha mere paas aana. Hum Batra Sir se baat kar lenge." Faizi nodded.

Karan shoved his hands in his pockets, walking to the training room. Faintly, he could hear the boys in the washroom getting ready for the drill as he walked past it. The training started at 6 and an alarm rang for them at 5, after which they were supposed to get ready and eat something light before reporting at the training room.

He entered the training room, pausing when a figure moved. His eyebrows furrowed. He inspected the figure, hand drifting to his gun.

"Monami?" Karan asked, walking closer and the figure looked up.

"S-Sir", she said, standing up.

He glanced at his watch. "0523 hours huye hai. Reporting time 0600 hours ka hai. Aap jaldi hai."

"Sir", she said, nodding.

"Rani Sahiba, aap training room ke andar 0555 hours se pehle nahi aayengi. Chahe toh use apna reporting time samajh sakti hai agar jaldi aane ka zyaada hi keeda hai. Zyaada jaldi aane se sirf apne aap ko zyaada tire out karengi, kuchh milega nahi."