Marionette (A 'The 5th Wave' Fanfiction) [COMPLETED] #wattys2017

10. 22; Chapter I.

    I was assigned to military Squad 22. They go by just Squad 22. The other members are Slingshot, Mononoke, Nemo, Domino, Stitch and Barbie.

    Slingshot is the leader and called that for a reason. This guys has a sick aim and has the skill to be a sniper. I saw him blow up a target miles away. He didn't even break a sweat while at it.

    Mononoke is theoretically his ‘right arm.’ She's a foreigner like me—she's Japanese. It's said that when she got to camp her hair was cropped down to her jaw, her face was smeared with blood and she had a cape of wolf fur on her back like a cape. She resembled the Japanese animated character Princess Mononoke.

    My sence of direction is bad but I could be a damn tracker compared to Nemo. He has a disease that weakens his sight and he often hits into objects. Despite the handicap I believe he could outrun a moving car—no kidding.

    Domino has my clumsiness multiplied by ten. He gets caught up in his own fantasies, doesn't pay attention and bam! Disaster takes place. On the first day at camp he tripped on his shoelace and fell on a recruit, he fell on another one and another, and we all ended falling over like dominos.

    The biggest blood-thirsty maniac in our squad (if not the whole camp) is Stitch. He's a hyperactive ADHD kid alway itching to kill something or cause some pain. He has a psychotic smile he pulls on every time something bad happens.

    Youngest is Barbie. She's eight and fits the doll description of her namesake. She doesn't specialize in anything to be honest. She's just here. And 24/7 quirky as if on summer vacation at the beach or whatever.

    My name is Marionette. The reason behind my name is simple—when the lacing on my ballet shoes was ripped up and ruined it looked like strings. Strings that cover my past and tie it to me—ballet. A puppet.

    Except that sounds strangely kinky and Marionette is much more interesting anyway. Not only the name. Marionette is all the best taken out of foolish and naïve Rosetta Mae Quinn and morphed into a scilent killer. Marionette knows the the truth and to what lengths she must go to achieve it.

    Or that's what I thought till my first day at the P&D Center.

    Slingshot helped me put on a suit, a necessity for P&D. The other recruits were already outside the bunk, waiting. I could hear Mononoke telling them to stay in formation. Sling told me I arrived after their last newbie went Dorothy and slit his wrists while having a duty at the kitchen. How glorious. Always sets a good mood when you're feeling down. Stupid black humour.

    Also, to fill in the picture, when someone is saying bullocks and they're losing their mind we say they go Dorothy. Dorothy used to be a girl at camp. She was the first known to snap and shoot at her comrades.

    "Basics about P&D should set you far enough," Sling said, interrupting my thoughts.

    He tightened the belt around my waist. "P&D, as in ️️‘Process and Disposal’ Center. The name is self-explanatory. We process the Teds, their belongings and all and then . . . dispose them. Not very creative, I know.

    "We differentiate three groups of recruits that work there. One brings the Teds preferably dead bodies in, the other sort out their possessions, the last take them to be disposed. Well, burned," he clarified.

    "Rules are simple but important. Never leave nor enter P&D without permission. Don't take your mask off. Always keep with your assigned squad. For general orientation you'll be with me, Private, and watch. When you think you've got the hang of it you could try. Any questions?"

    I held the mask under my arm. "You said there are three groups in P&D, right? Which are we in?"

    He patted my back. "Good question. You're a bright student," he said as a praise, though I couldn't not notice the hint of mockery in his voice. "We process. Don't get too used to it. The chores change on some basis."

    I nodded. "Thank you, Sling."

    He grinned, his eyes brightened. "Sure thing, Mary," he said, using the nickname I got. I didn't know his real name or anything about him. That goes for everyone else in my squad and at camp. We don't talk about what was and who we were before the Waves.

    It doesn't matter. We left those people on the buses that took us to camp. Still, I sometimes want to ask how he got the scar on his arm, why Mononoke was so strict, if Nemo's health problem is inherited.

    The bunker door flew open and a rather mad Mononoke stormed in. "What the hell is taking you so long? Get your asses to P&D before Reznik comes and has us cleaning bathrooms for the whole month.

    Sling rolled his eyes and playfully punched my arm. I couldn't blame Mono for wanting to avoid Reznik's wrath. Sergeant Reznik is the meanest asshole drill instructor at Camp and made it his mission to make our crappy lives even more miserable. I was never what you could call the aggressive type, but when I see him I just wanna strangle the guy.