Our War Zone

9

Eliza steadied herself, silently urging her hands to stop shaking as she waited for her turn. "Come on, Eliza, you’ve got this," she whispered in her mind, hoping and praying she would aim right when the moment came. Her heart pounded loudly in her chest, but she did her best to remain calm. It was now her batch's turn, and Alex wasn’t the only one watching her. Tanasha, too, had her eyes on her, though for very different reasons.

The moment arrived, and the group began to fire. Eliza pulled the trigger, and the shot went off, low and helpless, missing the target completely. Her heart sank, but before she could even begin to process her failure, Alex’s voice cut through the air.

"Everyone, stop!" he barked, his voice laced with irritation.

The entire fourth batch ceased fire immediately. Alex’s slow, deliberate steps towards them were menacing, and as he walked in front of the group, the air seemed to grow heavier. His gaze was steely, his jaw clenched in barely restrained anger.

“This,” he began, his voice dripping with disdain, “is the weakest batch I’ve ever seen.”

Eliza’s stomach twisted into knots. The weight of his words hit hard. She could feel the stares of everyone around her, the embarrassment creeping up her neck like flames. Alex’s cutting tone showed no mercy as he continued his harsh critique.

“Why can’t all of you be like the second batch?” He gestured towards the group that had performed flawlessly, and the members of that batch puffed out their chests, feeling more confident as Alex showered them with backhanded praise.

At last, Alex’s eyes fell on Eliza. His gaze seemed to burn right through her. She held her breath, hoping he would move on, but deep down, she knew he wouldn’t. Something about her always seemed to ignite his wrath.

Oh no, here it comes, she thought, bracing herself.

“Eliza, you’re even weaker than I expected.” His words sliced through the air, cruel and cutting.

What did he mean by “even more weak than I expected”? She felt a flicker of indignation rise within her. Wow, he really knows how to be a jerk, she thought bitterly.

Alex stepped closer, and Eliza’s heart raced. “I can’t even fathom how a person like you is here in the first place. Do you think you can survive out here? If you can’t even defend yourself, do you really want to die?” His voice was a low, dangerous growl, and his words echoed painfully in Eliza’s ears.

Every eye was on her now. The training ground had gone completely still, all conversations ceasing as everyone watched the scene unfold. Even her friend Jessica was taken aback by how harshly Alex was treating her. Sure, he was attractive—nobody could deny that—but his demeanor was far too severe for her liking, and he was being downright cruel to her friend.

Meanwhile, Tanasha, standing nearby, was relishing every second of this. At first, she had questioned why Alex had been staring at Eliza during the exercise, wondering if he had some hidden attraction to her. But now she saw the truth—he was simply irritated by the nurse’s incompetence. And that realization filled her with a twisted sense of satisfaction.

The frustration inside Eliza finally reached a boiling point. She had been trying to keep her composure, to stay respectful, but Alex had crossed a line. She wasn’t going to let him tear her down just because he could. Who did he think he was?

“You don’t belong here,” Alex said coldly, his eyes narrowing.

Something snapped inside Eliza. Her breathing quickened, and without thinking, she spoke up. "You can’t tell me that I don’t belong here," she replied, her voice shaky but resolute.

The training grounds erupted in gasps of shock. No one had ever dared to talk back to Commander Alexander before. The soldiers looked at each other, disbelief etched across their faces. Jessica’s eyes widened in horror. Her friend was definitely in for it now. Tanasha, on the other hand, fought to hide a smirk, her eyes gleaming with amusement.

People started whispering among themselves, their voices a mix of awe and disbelief.

"Is she crazy?" someone murmured.

"She’s so done for," another added.

"Does she have a death wish?"

Alex’s expression darkened. His jaw clenched tighter, and his eyes blazed with fury. The tension in the air was palpable, like the calm before a storm. He stared at Eliza with an intensity that could have frozen fire.

"You’re nothing but a rude, disrespectful woman," Alex said, his voice dangerously calm, but the edge in his tone was unmistakable. Though Eliza’s defiance was subtle, it was enough to ignite a firestorm. The tension thickened, and everyone seemed to hold their breath, waiting for the commander’s next move.

Eliza stood her ground, her breathing heavy. She met Alex’s gaze, and for the first time, she truly saw something in his eyes that unnerved her. There was a coldness, a detachment that made her shiver. Her anger started to wane, replaced by fear. Had she just made the biggest mistake of her life?

The silence stretched on for what felt like an eternity. Then, with a slow, almost mocking sneer, Alex crossed his arms over his broad chest, tilting his head slightly as if studying her. "Get ready, Eliza," he said, his voice low and ominous. "By tomorrow, you’ll face the punishment I’ll set for you."

Boom. It was over. Eliza’s heart sank. She could feel her eyes stinging as tears began to well up. He was going to send her away, wasn’t he? She couldn’t stop the tears from falling, and she quickly wiped them away, furious with herself for crying in front of him.

For the first time, something flickered in Alex’s eyes. Was it guilt? Regret? He wasn’t sure. But seeing her cry stirred something in him that he didn’t want to acknowledge. He didn’t want to feel sympathy for her, didn’t want to care. He had to remain distant, cold.

“Everyone is dismissed for today,” Alex said, his voice firm, dismissing the crowd without another glance at Eliza.

_________

Eliza felt a hollow ache in her chest as she sat in her tent, replaying the events of the day in her mind. How could this have happened? All she wanted was to save lives, to help in whatever way she could, and now it seemed like everything was falling apart.

"Chill, Eliza. It’s not like you got sacked from your original job," Jessica said, trying to lighten the mood.

Eliza sighed, running her hands through her hair. "But how am I going to face Doctor Joe now? He’s counting on me, and now he doesn’t have his nurse."

"I could be his nurse," Jessica quipped, trying to be funny, but Eliza wasn’t in the mood to laugh.

"Ugh, I really disappointed him. It’s going to be so awkward when I have to tell him," Eliza muttered, the weight of her guilt heavy on her shoulders.

"Look, Alex didn’t say you were getting sent home, did he?" Jessica pointed out, trying to be the voice of reason.

Eliza gave her a skeptical look. "Oh really, Jessica? What other punishment could he possibly give me? I’m a civilian. What else can he do?"

Jessica shrugged, leaning back against her cot. "You really should relax, Eliza. Maybe it’s not as bad as you’re thinking. I mean, he didn’t say anything specific, so why not just wait and see what happens? Don’t go jumping to conclusions just yet."

Eliza sighed, rubbing her temples. "Yeah, I guess you’re right. But still, I don’t feel good about any of this."

"And if that commanding jerk does send you off, just know I’m going to miss the best freaking roommate of my life—even if we’re stuck in a tent." Jessica flashed her signature smile, and Eliza couldn’t help but smile back, despite the heavy feeling in her chest.

"You’re amazing, Jessica. I’m so lucky to have met someone like you," Eliza said, her smile softening.

"I know, I’m pretty awesome," Jessica replied with a wink, her confidence infectious.

For a moment, Eliza almost forgot about the disaster that had unfolded earlier that day.

Thanks for reading.

What do you guys think Alex's punishment is going be