Children's Army

2: Boot Camp

I never imagined a place like this ever being in the small town of Vercily, even though I know there is an army.

I've been to the base a few times uninvited.

This place is different though. They told me it was called the children's army.

I didn't really understand why until I got here.

There are no adults, the only people being trained on the base were children.

That was a week ago though. Now I'm finally getting used to this place and it's insanity.

We have to wake up very early every day, and to top it off we get to do useless work all day. 

They told me that I would be assigned to a group with four other people. They didn't say what my group would be doing but I assumed that it was something interesting.

Tomorrow I get to meet my group. I'm not sure if they would like me but they get to decide that.

Tomorrow isn't the problem though. It's today I'm worried about. I get to meet my trainer today.

The first thing I notice about him is that it looks like he had an injury to the stomach at some point.

He walks with a limp, so slight that only someone who was looking for it would notice. I just happened to be looking for it.

"I'm Eryn and I'm going to teach you to fight before you meet your team so you don't seem weak," my trainer said.

"I'm not weak," I mumbled, "I know how to fight."

"No, you know how to flail your arms around hoping to hit someone," Eryn snapped.

I sighed and followed him to a track much like the one a school would have.

"Before you learn to fight we need to up your stamina," Eryn explained, gesturing to the track.

I sighed again "I ran from officers like you for nine years and you still don't think I know how to run?"

"I know that you run and then stop for ten minutes, hiding somewhere. I want you to run without stopping," he said angerly.

Not wanting to get an unexpected injury from him I started running.

I had lost track of how long I'd been running when Eryn suddenly yelled at me.

"Keep going!"

I figured it was moral support but I completely blocked him out. I was too tired to concentrate on anything but the run.

About ten minutes later I collapsed in the inner lane of the track. I closed my eyes and tried to get them to focus, but even still the sight of Eryn walking towards me was wobbly and blurred.

"Get up," he snapped.

I tried to stand but my legs failed me and I collapsed again.

I wasn't about to try to stand again so I took in a deep trembling breath and tried to keep my body from shaking.

A headache pounded in my head and I pressed my hands to the sides of my head to get it to stop.

"I need a break," I mumbled.

Eryn sighed and threw a water bottle in my direction.

"Okay, tough girl," he teased.