Defying Terror

Part II: Chapter XI

Slater J. Tross, O.L.C

August 12th, 2030, 7:45 am 

Today is Monday.

Like any Monday morning, my willingness to rise from my bed is little to none. I try to close my eyes as I toss and turn around under the covers. I lay on my stomach with my face in the crushed pillow, trying to suffocate the thoughts of me having to do anything. There is something about today that is off from those normal behaviors.

I roll onto my back and stare up at the ceiling. The window screen to my right allows warm morning air to seep into the bedroom and cling to my bare skin. The long grass behind the house sways in the soft wind. There is not a single cloud in the sapphire sky above.

I swing my legs over the edge of the bed and sit up. My hands meet far above my head, and my shoulders pop backward. After a yawn, I rub my eyes. I have a small ache building in my chest.

The Manchesters let me sleep in Hayes' room this past week while I stayed here. It's the only bedroom in the house with hardwood floors, and only a tiny red rug half-hidden under the bed for foot comfort. The rectangular window beside the cold, metal bed opens outward and makes up for a lack of vents or a fan. Aside from a wooden dresser across the room from a small desk, there's really nothing in this room. I guess Hayes really did settle for so little.

Last night, I laid out an outfit to wear today at the end of bed. I must've kicked it in the middle of the night, because now it's scattered around the room. I was told by the Captain that I could wear whatever I wanted, because I was going to be provided with my own clothes, anyway.

That'll be the most generous thing the Imperial Guard will do for me these next couple weeks.

I've been able to keep myself calm and not worry about the ranking this past week. Every day, I've actually been excited to get to the headquarters and get started. I've stayed up late at night and thought about how it would be to walk in and have everyone's eyes on me. The more preparation I got under the Captain, the more confident I felt; the happier I've been.

The same couldn't be said about last night. As soon as I said my good nights and shut the bedroom door, reality set in. All eyes will be on me. I can not fail. The ranking will be jam-packed with kids who've been preparing for months, and then there's me, Slater Tross. Compared to them, I'm not ready, but I have no choice.

The Captain was in his study, downstairs, so I had to go talk to Celestine, in her room. She was still up, so I knocked on the door. She stopped talking to whoever she was chatting with on the phone.

Celestine opened the door, peering out from the darkness. Once she noticed it was me, she looked at me, worried. "Are you okay? What's wrong?"

I shook my head. "I can't do it. I can't stop thinking about the ranking. Like, what if I don't do well, and I don't rank-"

"Calm down, calm down. It's okay." The dim light in the hallway gives her face a warm glow as she places a gentle hand on my shoulder. "Are you scared that you won't make it? Is that why you're all upset?"

I nod. "I can't go. Everyone there is going to want to kill me."

"So what? Do you really think anyone is going to risk their chance to get into the Imperial Guard to kill you? You're going to be around people in groups the whole time, anyway. No one would be that crazy, trust me."

"You don't know that."

"No one is going to want to kill you. You have people trained to protect others all around you. They wouldn't let anyone get to you. Don't be paranoid about it."