Training:001

"It s-shouldn't be that bad..." thought Cherix as she approached the area. Many of her comrades told her that the hill was a symbol of death, or the upper gateway into oblivion. She didn't want to do this training exercise in the first place but she knew she had to eventually. She needed to do this to get stronger.

As she got at least halfway of the walk, she saw it...

She stopped and stared in fear.

"And he called it a hill!?!"

It wasn't a hill at all.

It was definitely …a mountain.

Shivers traveled up her spine. She had this fear of heights for the longest time. She hardly got through the 7th training exercise.

That was when a hand landed firmly on her shoulder. She looked to see a cloud of smoke, which she inhaled in by accident. Coughing, she whipped the smoke away with her hand...and like a stranger coming through a thick fog in the forest, she saw his face - Superior General Hazex. No one could ever forget that smug look that never leaves his face.

"Ready for some rock climbing, kid!?" he said. He grabbed her hand and place rock climbing equipment in them. "Your process of training No. 7 sucked like hell!! You better do better in this one cuz I'm gonna be watching. As a matter of fact, I'll be with you ALL THE FREAKIN' WAY!!" he yelled in her ear making sure it was transparently clear.

Cherix moved back slightly. "Y-Yes, sir! I will do much better than last time!"

"WHAT!? Can't hear you, private!!"

She took a deep breath and yelled, "I WILL DO BETTER SIR! YOU WON'T RECOGNIZE ME BY THE END OF IT SIR!!!!"

"Good, good. By the way, I weigh around 250 pounds" he said walking ahead of her.

Cherix questioned this newly added, yet random information but just nodded and started putting the rock-climbing equipment on. She noticed something strange about it.

“Um, sir… this equipment doesn’t feel right.”

The Superior walked passed her to get a clear view of the mountain before him. He inhaled deep, gathering all the air and smoke he could before answering, “That’s because it’s made for two people.”

Cherix still didn’t understand.

…Then he chuckled.

Cherix froze in place. She didn’t like that fact that he chuckled. That chuckle doesn’t mean good things. Either she made an agreement to go drinking with him, or she had to serve him more coffee. But that was when she figured it out. That would only be the reason he’s still standing there…

“I…I have to carry you sir?” Cherix choked.

The General turned to her in a quick motion. “Yessiree, private! ALL the way up!”

Cherix almost jumped back. “But, but sir! Surely I can do this myself!” She didn’t want to sound like she was complaining but Hazex saw right through her.

“Are you complaining, soldier!?!” He took an angry step forward. “Are you complaining?!”

“N-N-N-No sir!! Complaining is for weak-minded people sir!!”

[Many Hours Later]

Cherix knew she was going to die very soon. Her back felt like it was going to snap in half and her arms feel like they were going to rip off. Why did the Superior General have to be 250 pounds?

“Boy, the weather looks very clear today. Don’t you think so private?” the superior said nudging an elbow into her back.

Cherix winced at his manly elbow hit. ”Must not complain!” she thought.

“You feelin’ tired, Private Stick! Because we could go back down,” the General said. His voice had no hint of concern so she knew she couldn’t say no.

Up and up she climbed, slowly and painfully. In her mind she kept thinking about one thing, the Brigadier General. But it never lasted because the loud voice of the man behind her echoed in her ear.

“I’m getting bored! If you don’t get to the top in five minutes, you’re going to go back down and START OVER! This time you’re gonna be carrying me and my lunch!” he yelled while rubbing his stomach. “MMMmmm!!” he exaggerated. “Food! I bet you’re hungry private! But you won’t get food until you climb this hill!”

Cherix cried to herself and continued to climb.

[Many Hours Later]

“See that wasn’t so bad,” said Hazex, forming a portal of darkness. Cherix laid on the ground, panting. The climbing gear was stil on.

Hazex laughed a hearty laugh and reached into the darkness and pulled out a new kind of equipment. Cherix saw this and her eyes fell out of her head. She quickly sat up. “S-S-Sir? What’s that?!”

Hazex looked at it and shoved it in her face. “Why it’s your next training exercise. Don’t think you climbed up here for nothing, kid.” Taking the cigarette out of his mouth, he dropped it on the ground and stepped on it. Cherix slowly examined the new set of equipment. Sighing, she started took off the climbing equipment and started putting on the new one.

“End of training exercise No. 1… Time for No. 15.” Hazex said whipping out another cigarette and lighting it up.

“Time for No. 15?!!? What exactly is that sir?” Cherix asked carefully and fearfully. She had the new equipment on and ready.

The Superior leaned close to the private’s face and blew the smoke out causing her to cough.

“Time to fly.”

He kicked her off the mountain.