Chapter 22 - Training

After deciding to become a soldier, I spoke to Jake in the morning. After a lot of convincing he let me do a trial run. But to actually participate in missions, I had to be molded into a suitable soldier.

Starting my gruesome training, I was forced to run around the town with 20 pounds on my back, and increasing everytime Jake saw me look comfortable. From morning to noon, I did only that. After running, I ate my full during lunch. Jake smiled devilishly watching me eat.

He had me dig a crater inside the the town, and forced me to fill it up in murky water. He placed a plank on to of it, leaving only a small entrance.

"I want you to crawl to the other side through here" He pointed toward the small space.

I stared at him dumbfounded. The water covered 80% of the inside of the crater and the plank covered another 10%

I only had 10% of breathing space!

While I was crawling through the inside I raised my head a little too high and bumped on the plank. Just as I was about to lower my head, Jake swung another plank, hitting my head with it.

*Gurgle*

It was so sudden and heavy. I accidentally swallowed some of the murky water.

After crawling out of the crater, I wanted to yell at Jake. But then he suddenly whistled telling me to do it again.

Swallowing my anger, I started doing it again and got hit on the head multiple times AGAIN.

We continued like that for 4 hours non-stop, stopping once in a while to throw up my lunch. When I was told to stop I was able to sit down for 3 minutes when Jake told me to follow him.

We walked outside the camp and entered the town. We walked until we came in front of a 5 story building, an old apartment complex.

He told me to climb it from the outside to the top. He told me to do it as fast as possible. I asked him if he was joking, but no, he just stared at me as if he were an unamused child.

I went up without any safety measures. Just me and my plain shirt and jeans.

After nearly falling a Bajillion times, I got to the top.

Great! He told me. Now I have to get down and go up again, the same way 19 more times.

After my training was over for the day, I went to visit Jasmine.

I talked to her a bit. But she seemed distant, I asked her about it since I get annoyed if I don't know if I did something.

She told me she regretted what she did to me. After all, I was just barely 18 and she was 26.

I complimented her telling her she looked barely 18. While flattered she told me it was better not to do things like before again.

1 step forward, 2 steps back.

I have never known a saying so relatable before this. I sighed

But I wasn't willing to give up. So while I will give up on trying to do 'adult' things with her. I definitely won't give up on making her mine.

I realized while spending time with her, that while we haven't met each other for long. I felt at happy with her, I felt at peace. I don't know if it's love, but I do want her as my girlfriend.

So I won't stop trying.