District 71: Battle Earth

Chapter 8 - The Last On The List

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DISTRICT 71

BATTLE EARTH

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Chapter 8: The Last On The List

“That was a great show Captain.”

Simon teased Ana.

“That Jimenez.”

She gave a short laugh.

“So..”

She said to Simon.

“So, you’re next opponent is me.”

Simon answered her.

“Oh really?”

“Yup.. and do you want me to do what Jimenez just did.”

Simon continued teasing Ana.

“Haha.. you do know that you can’t use the same trick twice to me Martinez.”

“Yeah I know... and you know that I can’t win to you either.”

Simon answered with a smile.

“As much as you want me to win Martinez, you have no choice but to fight me.”

They started the fight. They seemed like doing sparring sessions. It was like Ana giving lessons to Simon. They were even laughing not knowing that there was a pair of eyes looking at them from the winners’ bench. It was Jonas. Jealousy should be controlling his heart but upon seeing Ana carelessly laughing, he can’t deny that what he was feeling was happiness. It was rare for him to see Ana laughing. Even if he can’t make her laugh like that, but just seeing her happy makes him happy as well.

“Martinez, you know that you can’t spend all your energy fighting me if you’re going to fight others later.”

Ana said to Simon. While waiting for him to catch his breath.

“Yeah, I know. That’s why I’m surrendering. Here take my flag.”

Ana laughed and grabbed the flag from Simon.

Simon sat at the bench to rest. Dizon took his turn to face an opponent to win and get a flag. Ana wrote her name at the ranking list –11th.

Few hours later, the military course exercise of Platoon Six was finished and the results were instantly proclaimed after the last match. The last name on the list was Perez. He was a junior official and the fighting partner of Second Lieutenant Simon Martinez. Though he was not the last one to arrive at the battleground, he was defeated on the last fighting match.

Before they have their late lunch, they ended their session by giving the merits and punishments. Those who have two flags –including Jonas, are given three days off and are exempted from the two military training sessions. While the punishment for Perez was to do house cleaning duties for one whole day including the laundry of the whole platoon which includes the muddy shirts from their gym, dish washing at the canteen, and cleaning the Platoon Six dormitory.

When they officially ended the session, everyone was laughing and teasing Perez as they headed towards the canteen to have lunch. They had no idea that in a few weeks, they will be mourning for him.