Cayden's Crusade

Training Is Hell

We went to our usual spot at the training ground. Sa likod, malayo sa mga bully na armies. There were only fifteen of us now. Yes, fifteen because five of the recruits killed last night was from our class. Barin, Asher, Knox, Milo and Harlan, they were killed for trying to escape. We were sure it was the knowledge of what was waiting for us out there made them decide to ran away.

From our spot, I can see the same army recruit bullying Tarquin. The boy that was bullied in the canteen. He did not escape. He stayed. It seems like the recruits from the army loved to bully him. When they did not get any response from him, they spat at him before moving to another team who lost teammates last night as well.

Nobody fought back at their taunts, maybe because the armies were telling the truth, or because everybody is afraid of the warning from our class advisers.
Fight with the armies and go home. We have proven that going home meant being dead.

I hated every minute na late yung trainers namin, because any minute from now, the army will move to our team. I wonder if sinasadya nilang malate, na sadyang nakalaan ang mga oras na to para i bully nang mga armies. Sabagay, the trainers are from the army, they would favor their students more. Dati, si Tarquin lang binubully nila, ngayon, dahil sa kaduwagan nang iba naming teammates, kasali na kami.

And here they are, coming to us, with their evil grins ready to make our trainings worse than hell. Maybe, araw-araw na to. Might as well get ready and give the poker face that Zinny suggested.
No fighting! No fighting!  No fighting! I keep repeating it inside my brain.

"So, here is the most cowardly team of all", the boy said, as if introducing us to the kids behind him. "5 down, fifteen to go!"

He made an act of shooting a gun to us. "Sino kayang susunod?", nilapitan niya kami, isa-isa, he seemed discontented na wala siyang anumang reaction na nakuha sa amin. He smiled evilly, I have this hunch he's going to do something. He stopped in front of Zinny.

Oh, please! Not Zinny. I looked at Holden and Myron and even them was alarmed. Zinny was shaking with fear, trying to fight back her tears. I clenched my fist.

The bully noticed this and took advantage of it. He was provoking us! He was trying to make us fight back. He raised his hand slowly. He's going to slap her! I walked towards him, ready to punch him. He wants a fight, I'll give it to him.

"Prrrrrrrrrrttttttt"

A whistle! A trainer's whistle. They have arrived.

The bully lowered down his arm. He looked at us. "You can call me Thanos, and I am not done with you all". He spat before he turned his back on us followed by his minions.

We breathed. Saved by the whistle.

Aloutte held Zinny's hand. "Hold it!", she said referring to Zinny's tears. "Don't give them the satisfaction!".

"And you! You! You! And You!", she pointed at Cassius , to Holden, then to Myron and Clovis. "Stop clenching your fist! And you Cayden!", her voice was angrier when she mentioned my name. "I can't believe you are actually going to punch him!"

"He's an ass!", I answered. "He was going to slap Zinny.

" He's just taunting you and you played right into it", she said rolling her eyes.

"YANKEES!", we all shut up when we realized that one of the trainers was coming to us. I looked around and everyone was already doing push-ups while our team was still standing. He was mad. He gave us double the amount of push ups with blocks on our back.

"That should teach you to listen during training", he said, his voice with satisfaction.

I saw Thanos, as evil as his name is, laughing with his minions at us. I looked away and focused on my push ups. One mistake and our equally evil trainer might triple it.