Defying Terror

Chapter XLIII

Slater J. Tross, O.L.C

August 27th, 2030, 3:12 pm

I scan the group over the deck of cards in my hand. CJ, to my right, plucks two cards from his stack and drops them face-down on the pile in the center of us. "Two threes." He studies us, not glancing down at his cards for even a moment. I want to break the silence amongst the rest of the group, but the pile of cards in the middle is quite tall. If I call it, I could either be set back, or he'll be punished. It's a great risk.

I find a single four of hearts in my deck. I deal that to the center. "One four."

"Meadowlands," CJ mutters, bringing his attention back to his deck.

"Fuck! I was going to call it!" Ed Callahan, across the circle, tilts his head back and groans. "Next time, I'll get you."

Hal snickers to himself. As my neighbor in this game, it's his turn now. "Yeah, well, we'll see. Three fives." He flings his last three cards into the middle. His hands are clean.

"Bullshit," Mai says in detest.

Hal leans back against the railing of the bunk bed and crosses his arms. "Go ahead, check it."

She reaches to the center and flips over the last addition. Sure enough, a five of hearts, clubs, and spades all stare back at us losers. She throws her stack of cards onto the gray rickety table, and the rest of us follow. I had six cards left. This is the third time Hal has won already today.

In less than twenty-four hours, the ten of us will officially be members of the Imperial Guard. I don't know if I should be excited or concerned. For one, excited because I'm moving on to the next stage of my life. I'll be surrounded by my closest friends, ones that I have grown to trust during my time here. I'm unsure as to what exactly these assignments entail, but that's all part of the learning process. It'll be fun to get acclimated around here.

At the same time, I have plenty to worry about. Before we began our card game, Craig and Hal were in an argument, and it got heated. So much so that CJ had to restrain Craig while broad-shouldered Ed was the only one who could hold back Hal. Hal landed a right on the Sergeant, bruising his eye the day before the ceremony. In an egotistical fit of rage, Craig ranted about how childish we were all being, and how he was the only mature "adult" in our class. You know, besides the fact that he started this fight in the first place.

Their dispute was about me. Craig blamed the state of the Empire on me. All the murders and crime is an after-effect of my months-long rampage, and it's all my fault. He accused me of killing Major Talbot's wife in cold blood when I don't remember a damn thing. Since he was Talbot's apprentice over the summer, he claims that he watched me murder her in front of his eyes. To which Hal replied by asking why he didn't stop me if he was right there.

Although he was insulting me and my lack of memory, I will admit that Craig was able to keep his cool for a little while longer. They threw derogatory phrases at each other for about three minutes while the rest of us watched in awe. We didn't know what to do until Craig swung at Hal. It took a few seconds, but they were subdued. Shanelle jumped between them and scolded them to their core. After that, Craig writhed out of CJ's control and announced how he wasn't going to take our "childish" mentality any longer. He stormed out of the room, bruised eye and all, and probably went to the infirmary. Of course, after he cried to Sergeant Lee down the hall.

Long story short, Craig and I still aren't on even terms. Nothing in this world is going to make him like me, not even threats. I could save his life and he would still blame for the death of the Major's wife. Look, I'm not denying that I must have done it. I don't remember shit from my time on the run, and if he claims I killed the woman, then I guess I'll take his word for it. But he'll never forgive me for the murder, no matter how apologetic I seem.