The Outsider (Outsider #1) ✔️

Chapter 15 : Learning to Cope

Dusk had no idea when her roommates returned at night. They were not in when she finally went to bed. This time she set her morning schedule properly and also packed her backpack with a set of clothes to take with her.

In the morning, she was mentally prepared and ensured that she did not take a "shut-eye"!

Finally, she reached the Parade Ground in time. With a few minutes to spare. She found her Group, and with them went to the Trainer Station, submitted her sixth-sense, took the metal band to wear on her hand... All in a smooth clockwork like it was a workflow that she had been following for ages.

And suddenly she noticed she was jogging everywhere like the rest of them.

The morning training with them running around the ground for quite a few laps, with the speed increasing with each round. She was taken off the run after 4 rounds when the metal band turned yellow and then pink. She was asked to do a few stretch exercises when the rest did more rounds.

Then she did sit-ups with them but was exempted from the push-ups.

Then they spent half hour punching a set of dummies that were standing strongly and stubbornly on the ground. After a few tries, when it didn't really move, and her hand started hurting, Slider came and suggested to her that she may have better success if she were to jump on the dummy instead of hitting it with the fists.

Without thinking, Dusk walked back, then ran and jumped hard on the dummy. The momentum did have the dummy move. But it did not fall over as she hoped. Instead, it bent as it absorbed the force, with its heavy base staying in pace and then it straightened, throwing Dusk into the air arching towards to the ground a few meters away.

As the rest of the team looked at her, hooting with laughter, she fell right into the arms of Sargent Bear, who simply caught her and put her back on her feet effortlessly. But after that hell broke loose.

"What the hell are you trying to do Dusk Hale! Break you back? OK, which of you nincompoops came up with the suggestion? I am sure it was not her idea. Who told her to tackle the dummy? Knowing fully well it is designed to curve and then straighten!"

He looked at the team, absolutely furious. Then seeing no reply from any of them, he shouted his orders "Ok, then everyone, pick up 200kg bars from the storage, Dusk will take 2 bars of 50kg each, and start running. NOW! I WANT EVERYONE IN FORMATION IN 120 SECONDS!

Immediately the entire group ran and picked up the heavy bars that were to be carried. Piggon helped Dusk pick up the ones that was for her and they started running the perimeter. Sargent Bear ran with them, which surprised Dusk. She thought he will stand in the center and look.

Running again after having exercised so much was already a problem, and carrying heavy bars and weights just made it worse. But they all bore the punishment without compliant. That was the way they were trained. But they did not come and squeal on their team members. The fact that Dusk, being a civilian and the victim kept quiet also, made the team members happy and each decided that they will help her when she ever needed.

After two hours of torture on the field, Dusk dragged herself to the hover-vehicles that came for them. This time she insisted she will get up on her own, and with a little help from Piggon, she did. Rest of the routine was the same as the previous day. Except that she took a quick shower and changed to civilian clothes before having breakfast. Piggon and her friends promised to help her learn to swim, irrespective of whether she wanted to or not ...

Just as she finished breakfast, she saw a familiar figure walking into the eatery where she was sitting... Luke Jones!

She looked at him and felt her face becoming hot and her heart racing. She did not want to face him again at that time. She was not sure how he would react to her after the unexpected behaviour night before. She put her head down and pretended she didn't see him. She hoped he also would not see her. Which was wishful thinking, because she was the only one in the room in civilian clothes...