The Fight for Freedom (Book One in the EDSOR Military Academy Trilogy)

Chapter 15- Dinner in the Great Hall

5:00 pm on my digital watch meant dinner. Many EDSOR students if not all eat at the great hall located near our dormitories in the Poveda Camp. Ms Militante announced before that on the super loud speakers that we’d have intense training tomorrow this coming Saturday and no one would be spared, not even the War Council or Computer Personnel.

I’d like to use this space to explain the food rations in EDSOR. Its not as simple as accounting for the academy funds. Its way more complicated than getting a good grade on a Math test.

We get daily shipments from many food catering services and home cooked deliveries everyday from other schools like Miriam High School, Ateneo and St Jude. Since they have also closed down due to the state of war in this third world country, caterers still seek some money and can still do small businesses. I think we’re the only school in the entire Philippines that is still functioning. Technically, not really academically. Our classes were suspended for the duration of the war, if we all can survive. I don’t even want to think about what will happen to the survivors or POWS.

I haven’t been really in charge with the rationing of supplies but Peter and Trevor are working on it. From their reports, I can clearly see that we are running out of suppliers. We had about 45 suppliers three days ago but the numbers have dwindled to 36. Ordinary people would say that’s too little but our major farmland supplier, The Great Acre, has stopped sending us grains, rice, wheat and vegetables, vital nutrients for our bodies. The other 36 suppliers are mostly focusing on meat products. We can’t afford to grow bigger than our armor. One of the key mottos for this school was “Swift, agile and fleet-footed are the warriors who can overcome any opponent. Pair these up with technique, skill and momentum will render the warrior invulnerable” I don’t have any bias with fat people but I think that we should focus our attention on the warriors. We need to look for vegetable and fruit suppliers.

There were about twenty long brown tables that stretched so far that I couldn’t see the other side. White monobloc chairs were cramped together as students ate their meal on reusable plates. It was Thursday and our meal was Chicken soup served in bland white plastic bowls. Our water was bottled in order to prevent infection. Sick people were not allowed to join or else everyone would get sick. The last thing we’d want in this school is to be sick. You can’t put up with a great enemy if you’re coughing and on medications.

I’ve always been claustrophobic in crowds but I felt a bit superior than all of them, being the Core of the army. I knew IO had a responsibility even if I didn’t deserve it.

It took me twenty shouts to silence the whole school with a mega-phone. “Fellow EDSOR students, let us say our prayers and be grateful for everything bestowed upon us”

Silence followed after my voice boomed across the Great Hall. Chants of prayers were heard. As soon as they were finished, I said something to them. “You may now eat”

Student hungrily ate their meals and it was so silent you could hear a pin drop. Entertainment was provided while the EDSOR academicians feasted. I never knew the Great Hall could be a place for happiness too. There was a dance number by ICA, Xavier, Poveda and La Salle dance troupes. It was so spectacular and it even made me wonder that they could appease the Militicians for a longer time while we prepare. No way, Jesse. They’d just end up as target practice.

Myka, a fellow ICAN, sang beautiful hymns. It seems that this hall has become a place of paradise. Orange juice was served to us as we all enjoyed the scene.

“How was the chicken soup?”, a mature voice beside me asked. I turned and saw that it was Chelsea, head cook of the Poveda Camp. “Oh hey Garfield!”, I playfully teased her. We met each other in an intercamp cooking class. Every week, we have about three intercamp classes so we could learn in different environments. I’d say this is not entirely effective because students use this opportunity to gossip. This is really a bad idea, I should say.