aliens are stupid • ben parish

08

'Well, well Squad 53, you didn't exactly suck that time!' Reznik says when we reach her on our seventeenth time round the compound.

'Thanks a lot, bitch.' I say under my breath which earns me a look from Teacup.

'You shouldn't say bitch.' She says smirking.

'Yeah? And neither should you!' I say getting irritated.

She walks off to talk to Ringer and the rest of the squad follow them. I lag behind a little because I want to be alone for a while.

I walk along the dark grey corridors and follow the squad to the dining hall that's already filled with the other squads. There's the constant rumble of conversation and it reminds me of the lunch hall at school.

As I go to get my food I'm stuck in the line behind the rest of my squad, more specifically I'm stuck behind Zombie. I was lagging behind so what did I expect?

'Hey,' I say venturing a little wanting to distract myself from my earlier thoughts or aliens.

He doesn't even acknowledge me as he picks up a tray and goes to stand behind Oompa.

Did he not hear me?

'Hey?' I say a little louder and he turns around this time, looking at me with a puzzled look on his face.

Does he seriously not remember me?

'Hey?' He says and I realise I have to start a conversation.

'So... how'd you get the name Zombie?' I ask looking at my black combat boots.

It was the first thing I could think of besides 'what's for lunch?' and that's pretty obvious now considering my plate is piled high with what looks like it's supposed to be spaghetti.

'Survived the Red Death,' He says not looking at me properly.

Ben Parish had the Red Death?

'Oh,' I say rubbing my neck before going to walk away. He obviously doesn't want to talk to me because when I slide into the seat beside Ringer he doesn't look at me for the rest of lunch. He didn't even answer me in a full sentence.

After lunch Ringer's taking us for 'target practise' as she called it when she told me.

By target practise she means shooting paper, human shaped targets with assault rifles about ten times heavier than me. When she hands me mine I almost drop it again earning a little laugh from her before she moves on to passing Flintstone his.

I got stuck next to Nugget and Flintstone. I haven't spoken to Flintstone again since he called me 'hot shot' and things with Nugget have been awkward since our conversation this morning. Not that a five year old is aware of what an awkward situation is but I can feel it.

Before we can shoot anything we have to put on goggles and green ear defenders. The defenders squeeze my head uncomfortably and remind me of the time Cassie made me play princesses when we were six. She forced me to wear a too tight tiara and it ended with me stomping off in a tantrum.

When we're all suited up Ringer starts to tell us what to do.

'Don't think of the gun shooting. Think of you shooting. The gun is part of you.' She says and I hoist the gun onto my shoulder with a lot more effort than I expected it to take.

'Now everyone. Aim. Breathe in. Fire. Breathe out. Exhale when you pull the trigger.' She says motioning for us to shoot the targets

I've never held a gun before this let alone fired one so I'm expecting myself to fail miserably.