The Cure

The Training Room:

Gwen:

I woke up with something warm around my hand. I opened my eyes and found Derek holding it. I was surprised about being in my bedroom, especially with Derek holding my hand. It was strange I should've felt awkward but I felt comfortable with it. I turned his palm over and traced shapes all over his skin, making mindless shapes. I shifted slightly so my shoulder could support some of my weight when I shrieked in pain. I took a sharp intake of breath when Derek's head shot straight up. He blinked the blurriness away and had concern written all over his face. "What's wrong? Are you ok?" He leaned forward to see what was wrong and I clutched my shoulder. "Nothing. Just forgot I got shot." I said. His shoulders slumped and he leaned back in my desk chair. "Why didn't you tell me how bad you got hurt? I would have tried to close faster if you told me!!" He said. I just looked at the ground and furrowed my brow. "You didn't need to worry about me. The lives of other people are more important Derek."

I could practically see the steam come out of his ears. "Why would you say that? The squad needs you and so do I!! Sometimes I don't want you to be a hero and sacrifice yourself. I want you to be here. You're my best friend!! How would you react if I died?" He looked at me with seriousness in his eyes, but I couldn't blame him. I practically didn't value my own life, always sacrificing myself for others. But I never thought what would happen if I actually died. "I would feel horrible and sad. I would feel vulnerable with no one who actually understands me. I wouldn't be able to live with myself knowing that you let yourself die willingly." I said. Derek looked at me with a softer expression. "Now do you see what I have to go through all the time? I always think that maybe this is it. Maybe its time. Could you please just be safe for a while?" He said. I looked up to his face and nodded. "I'm sorry." I said. I reached over and hugged him tightly. I couldn't bear for him to leave me, he was all I had left. My mother had died in World War III and my father had been chosen for The Culling. I wouldn't, no I couldn't let him die too. "C'mon Gwen. We have to go to training." Derek said. I didn't want to leave my safe, warm bed but I stood up anyways. "Hold on I'll meet you down there Derek." I said. He nodded at me and walked out of my room.

I peeled off my blood stained tank top and threw it in the trash. No amount of cleaning would get the stains out. I walked over to the other side of the room and crouched in front of the dresser. I opened up my middle cabinet and threw on a plain, white t shirt. I picked up my olive green vest and zipped it up. I fingered the two stars on my vests pocket. It symbolized that I was the leader of my squad. "Just like dad." I thought. I could still here the announcer say his name and see him walk up calmly to the double doors. I blinked rapidly trying to prevent tears from forming in my eyes. I can still her his smooth, deep voice and how proud he was when I joined the army. "Stop." I thought. "You know your making it worse." Of course I knew that, but I couldn't stop. This was how my day usually played out. I took a shaking breath before rolled the bottoms of my jeans up. I slipped on a pair of black, combat boots and grabbed my olive green beret. Now was not the time to think about the past. I had to think of the present.

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I twisted the knob and pushed the door to the training room open. The sounds of guns and pounding feet were completely normal to me. My foots steps echoed off the metallic walls of the training room. Everything came to a stop and every one in the room dropped their guns and knives and saluted towards me. I put on my beret and stood silently. "At ease." I said. Everyone visibly relaxed in front of me. I hooked my fingers around the loop of my belt. "I'm sure you guys all heard what happened yesterday," I said. Everyone looked down at the floor like their shoes were suddenly the most interesting things in the world. "And I wanted to say that some bad things happened. We lost a lot of good people. We got lots of injuries but guess what. We're still here though. We're still alive and our hearts are still beating. We will fight and we will put a stop on this madness," They all stood taller and nodded their heads. "I am angry that they did this to us. We lost our loved ones for this fake cure. How do you guys feel about this?!" I shouted. I was pacing back and forth in front of them with my hands clasped behind my back. Everyone let out a yell in agreement. I nodded my head, "Now thats what I want to hear!! Now today I don't want you to just practice," I stopped in front of my first squad member. I leaned in close to his face and shouted "I want you to get angry! Show me everything you got soldiers!! Now move!!" Everyone split up and ran around the room. I stood there watching them, today I had to secretly evaluate each one of them. We did this every single month but this was different. My General said this was very important, I had no idea why but I figured I would find out soon. I ran to the other side of the training room and picked up my clipboard and stopwatch. I came back after everyone had done a warm up lap. "All right guys. Here's the plan. I want you guys to do five miles, army crawls and target practice. And then some hand to hand combat." I said. I heard everyone groan and I looked up with my eyebrows furrows, "Should I take that as you want more training? We can always try the waterfall you know." I heard everyone swallow hard, but I couldn't blame them. The waterfall was a rock climbing wall with water gushing in top of it. The army wants us to be prepared for the worst but that was just torture. I can still remember the pounding of the water on my shoulders, blocking my view as I scaled the climbing wall. I shivered remembering how horrible it was. "That's what I thought. Now run soldiers!" I saw Derek take off in a run, not hesitating to run. While the others looked dumb founded for a second and break into a jog. Derek was in the lead, and had already completed one lap when everyone else was starting. Derek was a great soldier and was my lieutenant in missions, he was my best friend and after yesterday, the only person I had left that I cared about deeply.

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"Why don't you have to do any of this stuff?" A new member of my team said. I snapped my head to the side. I was trying to teach them a new technique in hand to hand combat when someone said that smart comment. "Maybe its because I've been here longer than you and have passed my military test. I've been through this and have passed. I was chosen as a squad leader to teach and lead you so I suggest as a teacher, for you to keep your comments to yourself." I said. He had no right to question me abouy not doing any of these things. "Well I just think that its unfair how you just watch while we have to do anything. It's not like you're that much better than us." He said. Today was his first day and I was planning to go easy on him but he just crossed the line. "Alright then, If you think your so much better than me. Show me what you got. " I snapped back. I saw the new soldier walk up in front of everyone. He walked up to me like he owned the place, not like he was the new, untrained soldier like he should. "Alright go ahead hit me." I saw him pull his arm back and I took a step back with my right foot, so I was in my fighting stance. He let his fist cut trough the air and I let it get close to my face before I blocked it and hit his solar plexis, making him breathless. "C'mon. Don't go easy on me newbie. Hit me like you mean it." I said teasing him. He breathed heavily though his mouth and he always stood with his right hand and leg back. He was right handed and would depend on those to hit. "What else?" I thought. His hands were trembling. He was nervous so he would react quicker but more sloppy. He had a nervous tick in his left foot. I smiled evilly, I already knew some of his weaknesses and I would use them to my advantage.

He thrusted his foot forward and I took a step to the side and brought my fist to his jaw. He stumbled back clutching his jaw and I seized forward. I wrapped my hands around his neck and thruster my knee to his groin. I heard him groan and I watched him fall to the floor. "Get up soldier. I didn't say it was time to take a nap." I said impatiently. I looked out of the corner of my eyes to see my squad members with completely straight faces. They knew not to question my methods, if they did it would lead to severe punishment. I saw the boy get onto his knees and he pushed himself off the floor. He threw another fist toward my face and I grabbed it. Instinctively I twisted it so his elbow was pointing up and I brought my fist to just above the tip of his elbow sending him falling on the floor. I saw him whimper and a bruise already forming underneath my hand. I gripped his arm tighter and brought my mouth to his ear so only he could hear me. "I suggest that you keep your opinion silent and go to the infirmary for ice." He looked at me with wide blue eyes. I let go of his hands and stared at the wall infront of me. I lowered my voice and said, "Dismissed." I heard feet walking towards the door in a hurry. I clutched my hands behind my back and look over my shoulder to find Derek staring at me.

END OF CHAPTER THREE

-Hey guys!! Vicky here!! Sorry for making you guys wait so long for an update :/ I was gonna update sooner but you know SCHOOL. AND OMG 53 READS FOR THE FIRST TWO CHAPTERS COMBINED..... YOU PEEPS... ARE AMAZING. So anyways yea. I'm trying to draw Gwen on my drawing tablet but I swear I CAN'T get her eyes right!! It's really frustrating!! Anyways once I fix my dilemma I plan on posting it on my tumblr blog. If you wanna check it out check out my profile and go to my website(i-be-queen-v.tumblr.com). So anyways DID YOU GUYS LIKE THIS CHAPTER?! I tried to show the more sensitive and harsher side of Gwen in the same chapter. So if you liked it leave a comment below! :D and as always guys STAY AWESOME!!