Chapter 10

It really is time. The war has really begun. I can't think of anything else right now. The terrorists attacking our campus just kept coming into my mind. I kept remembering the events earlier, not noticing or hearing Joey calling me. "Hey, Glen! Stop thinking about anything right now," Joey said as I snapped out of my thoughts. Joey sighed, "You have to focus right now. You won't survive if you kept yourself out of focus." He was right. If I kept thinking about the events earlier, I might not survive especially I was not very aware of my surroundings. "I know that you are thinking about it earlier because I also was thinking about it but now is not the time. We still have to prepare our things and equipment right now," Joey said as he was preparing his things. So, I also prepared my things. "You're right. I'm sorry, Joey. I might not survive if I kept thinking at this kind of time," I apologized to him. He hummed, "It's alright, Glen. Just... be careful. I don't want anything to happen badly to you." I smiled slightly at him as I put my fist up for a fist bump. He responded to my fist with his own fist as well.

After preparing our things, we went out of our quarter. We saw soldiers preparing as well, getting their guns and loading their magazines. We also saw some soldiers looking at pictures of their families. Some are also praying to God, hoping to make them safe. After the incident, the attack of the terrorists, few soldiers are at least not killed but are still slightly injured. They are taken and are letting them rest in the medical room or the clinic. Later, we still have to move to another place because they might go back here to the campus and target us again. Joey suddenly talked, "It was chaos earlier, wasn't it?". I nodded then looked at my surroundings, "That's why something was off yesterday." Joey looked at me as I looked at him. "What do you mean by that?", Joey asked me, confused about what I meant. I shrugged and sighed, "I'm not sure. I just felt like something was gonna happen." Joey became quiet while thinking of something when he said, "Maybe it was a gut feeling. You sometimes should listen to your gut." I just nodded then kept quiet. "Hey, Glen. Let's go find Bella and Vangie and check if they're alright," Joey suggested as he nudged me. I just nodded and followed him.

After a few minutes of walking around and trying to find the two, we finally found them. We sprinted to them when they also saw us. "Hey, Glen and Joey. Are you both alright?", Vangie asked as we stood beside them. Joey then responded with the same question, "Shouldn't we be asking you that question? The terrorists were near the women's quarters." Bella then responded, "We are fine. No one is injured. Some of us were still awake so we were alerted." I was the next one who then asked, "Why were you even awake in the first place?". "We all couldn't sleep so we decided to not sleep for a while," Bella answered my question. They then shrugged off that topic and talked about something else. The telecom suddenly went on and someone spoke introducing themself as the General. "Soldiers, while we are waiting for the other to recover from their injury, please do prepare your things and head outside the campus into the field. We will be moving to another campus. Be ready for what's to come. The was has started," the General informed us as he finished his talk and the telecom went off. Joey then broke the silence, "Well, Glen and I will go back first so we can get our things. We'll just meet you later on the field." We both bid goodbye to them as we walked back to our quarter and brought our things to the field.

We saw different soldiers, carrying their bags and guns. Some of us were just waiting for the others to arrive especially the Sergeants and the General. Later, then arrived many Army trucks where the Sergeants are driving. "Hey! Get your bags and bring yourselves here! Do it quickly before we leave you!", a Sergeant shouted as we hurriedly fetch our things and picked a truck to ride on. Joey and I were beside each other on the same truck. When all of the trucks are full and no soldiers were left behind, we started leaving the campus and went to another campus.

"Be on high alert, soldiers. The campus is far away from here. It might take hours before we could arrive there," the Sergeant on the passenger seat informed us. We just kept quiet while holding onto our guns, the safety button or lever on. It was quiet, no one was talking. We just looked in front of the truck and sometimes behind us. I rummaged on my coat as I tried to find our family picture that my mother gave to me before I left. I focused on the picture as examined each of the faces on the picture. Joey saw the picture as he suddenly asked quietly, "Hey, Glen. Is that you and your family in the picture you are holding?". I looked at him and answered, "Yes. It is. This is actually the only family picture we have of us complete. You know especially after the incident. We may have taken a lot of pictures before the incident but we were poor. We only asked for a picture from our neighbor because he is the only one who has a camera." Joey nodded and looked at the picture, examining each of their faces, "Well, I only have two siblings excluding me." I looked at him, "I didn't know that. I thought you were the only child in your family." Joey told me, "I never talked about them that much because they are mostly away for work and with their own families. I still stayed with both of my parents." I nodded then said, "So, you are the youngest. But at least you still stayed with your parents because if you didn't then you might not have met your girlfriend." Joey chuckled and nodded, "Yeah. I guess that's true. By the way, can you tell me who is in your family picture?". "Of course. As you can see, this is my mother then...," I introduced them to Joey one by one, telling each of their characteristics and attitude, how close our relationships are, and sometimes their hobbies as well. In return, Joey introduced his family to me as well. He took out their family picture and also a picture of him and his girlfriend. He also told me how and where he met his girlfriend, the work of his older siblings, his childhood, and more of his past.

After a few hours of sitting in the truck, we arrived at our campus. It isn't like the previous building that we stayed in. It was more like a "survival in the jungle" kind of camp but it was still large enough for soldiers to stay at. The camp was almost the same size as the previous camp. Many soldiers are scattered outside the new campus. A Sergeant motioned us to follow him inside the campus. "So, some of you have noticed that this camp is the same as the last one. You will stay at the same number of your quarter. We also have a meeting later at the cafeteria. Be there at dinner because this is very important. Understood?", he informed us. We all nodded and answered, "Sir, yes, sir!". He nodded and told us to go to our designated quarters. We did what he said and went to our own quarters. Joey and I walked together with some soldiers who were with us in the same quarters.

We arrived in front of our quarter and went inside. We picked our own beds and put our bags beside them. We set aside our guns and unpacked our things but I didn't pack all of my things in case there is an emergency.

After we unpacked, we went to the cafeteria for dinner and the meeting. We picked up our dinner and sat at our table. Joey and I sat and talked with each other on different topics. "Hey, Glen. We didn't see the two, right? I, myself, didn't even see them," Joey said as he talked about Bella and Vangie. I answered his question, "Yeah. I didn't notice in one of the trucks." "Hey. You know we should go and find them later. I know you are worried about them especially Bella," Joey said as he teased me once again. I rolled my eyes and just continued eating, "You know that we can just find the tomorrow, right? It's not like they are going to go somewhere else." He just pouted and sighed, "Okay. Fine. Let's just find them tomorrow." After some talking, we set aside our trays and waited for the meeting to announce.

Later arrived the Sergeants and the General. We stood up and greeted them as they greeted back and motioned us to sit back down. "Today, we have a meeting according to about what happened. I hope some of you have recovered from earlier especially the soldier who got injured," the General started. One of the Sergeants then talked, "We also discussed that at least ten of you soldiers should go on a night patrol to guard the camp during the night." Another Sergeant then talked, holding out a map, "This is the map of the whole campus. The places that are circled are the places where you should check and guard. We are also going to pick who is in charge of the night patrol. If you are also wondering how the terrorists found us, we don't know about that. We are still further discussing that matter. For now, we still should be aware." "We are going to some of your quarters to tell who are the ones who will be on night patrol," the General informed. "That's all for now. Thank you for listening and coming to this important meeting. You may go now to your own quarters," the General continued. We stood up and went to our own quarters.

While waiting inside our quarter, a Sergeant arrived in our quarter. "Sir Glen, you are in night patrol. Please proceed outside of the campus," the Sergeant informed me. He walked out as I stood up and went to get my coat and gun. I head out our quarter and to the field. I started my designated place to patrol when I also saw Bella on patrol.