Night Shift [ON HOLD]

1 - The Troublemaker

"Mind telling me what you're up to, Lieutenant Colonel?" Colonel Skaller said with a stern voice.

Lieutenant Colonel Teresa Furnesworth jumped as she heard that horrific voice. She quickly stuck her phone under her pillow, hiding it from the woman in front of her. She quickly stood up and place her right hand above her right eye, saluting her.

"Good day Colonel." She stood staring in front of her, making no eye contact. She dropped her hand.

"Did I fantasise it or had you just been on your mobile phone?"

Teresa hates lying. "I quickly checked the time on my mobile, Colonel."

"Is that a yes or a no, Lieutenant Colonel?!" She yelled into Furnesworth's face. Furnesworth still made no eye contact. She prepared herself for the worst.

"Yes, Colonel."

"And for what reason exactly? You do carry a wristwatch with you, am I mistaken?"

"Yes I do, Colonel. I wanted to check if my wristwatch agreed with my mobile."

"And what time is it, Lieutenant Colonel?"

"It's 10:34 am, Colonel."

Skaller looked at her electronic watch. Her stern expression turned to slight embarrassment as she saw that Furnesworth wasn't lying.
"Thank you for your honesty, Lieutenant Colonel Furnesworth. Now would you please finish up and meet the troops outside in 15 minutes."

"Yes, Colonel." Teresa lifted her hand once more above her eye. They saluted each other before Skaller turned and walked out of the bunker.

Teresa sighed in relief as she sat back down on her bed taking out her phone. She unlocked it and went back to the text from the unknown number. She didn't lie to Skaller. She was indeed busy with her watch before she saw the text.

You're cute when you're concentrating.

Suddenly she received another text.

You better hurry outside if you don't want night shift.

Night shift was where you have to spend the 3 hours outside in the dark patrolling the camp. It wasn't a good job to do. You're left with nothing. No flashlights. No food. No water. Only the horrors of the night, even if you weren't scared of the dark. There was always something or someone out there with you, no matter how brave you think you are. You were given a knife, most of the time, for protection in case of emergency.

She quickly stood up. Put away her phone and walked outside. She looked at her watch and had 8 minutes to spare. They were all about to head to the Cafeteria, or that's what they all called it. It was like a restaurant but nobody had to pay for their food, it was all sponsored. No fancy food, like seafood, unfortunately.

They had to stand in their formation till the Colonels had marked off everyone present. Teresa walked over to her four best friends in camp, Claire Sandon, John Elveden, Fernando Martinez and Meria Durham. They were all Lieutenant Colonels with Teresa.

"Hey LTC! Thought you'd skip Cafeteria," Meria said as her eyes widened with excitement. She ran towards Teresa and gave her a hug.

Meria Durham. She'd been best friends with Teresa since the first day they came here. Meria was always the kind to be over the top. With Teresa's 22nd birthday she arranged for everyone to be super mean to her for a whole weak, only to make her depressed, then surprising her the night of her birthday to the biggest party in the history of the U.S.O.

"And why would I sacrifice lunch for night shift?" She said laughing.
"Oh girl there's people out there that would do anything to be with the BG's!" Said John.

John Elveden, he was one of the toughest recruits here. How Teresa ended up being friends with him will always remain a mystery to her.

"Speak for yourself!" Fernando Martinez was always the charming one. He was either busy at the gym or busy flirting with a girl. When Teresa first met Fernando he was continuously trying to seduce her, but luckily she never gave in. He soon gave up but every now and then he gives it a shot. His friends always ignore his flirts. He was a good friend though 'cause he stands up for what's right. He always has your back.

Claire Sandon. She was always shy around people other than her friends. But sometimes she climes out of her box, then she's the life of the party.

"C'mon they're all total hunks!" John says imitating a girls voice, quoting the girls of the camp who falls head over heels every time a man glances at them.

"I'd have to agree with John on this one," said Claire. She'd always had a crush on one of the Brigadier Generals but no one ever knew who, she never talked about it.
Everyone laughed.

"Okay guys C'mon the Colonels are here," Teresa said realising that the Colonels were preparing for absence check.