Earth's Revolution

~13~

We were all gathered around a pile of weapons in the common room. Targets had been set on one side of the room and dummies with vaguely human shapes on the other.
"Hello everyone," said Alan, "I've asked you all here just to explain this training idea briefly. Basically, Maria pointed out there might be rogue people outside and we need to be prepared in case they attack us, whether you are going outside the base or not. Of course, in this next week, we'll privilege those actually going out because our techniques would need to be up to scratch, but otherwise all of you need to know how these work."
He proceeded to explain how to use the equipment here, starting with the targets. He showed us how to throw knifes and aim an arrow with a bow, with the help of another walker, more experienced in this domain. I believe his name was Alec. Afterwards, Mia demonstrates how and where to punch people, along with other techniques to use, with or without knives. Then lastly they showed us how to handle a gun, which we decided only one person in the group would have. The rest would stick with knives, mainly because we didn't have many guns (after all, this was Europe, and we were just regular civilians). It was also heavy and easy to mishandle.

***

I knocked on the office door, alone.
"Hello, I'm here for the physical checkup."
Earlier today, Maria and I had volunteered to be part of the team leaving the base. As suggested, we all had to do check ups first to see if we were in shape to do so, and we were given specific times to do so.
"Come in, take a seat." Sara gestured to the chair across from her, "First off I need to ask you if you have any chronic health issues or anything, though I'm guessing if you signed up, you don't."
"You guessed right, I don't have any health-related issues."
"And mentally?"
"Nothing. Actually, I won't lie, I've had bad patches, but it has been a while since, I don't know if that counts."
"If it's not recent, then it's not an issue," she assured me kindly, "That's it for the questions, I'll just tick off the box on your form then we can head off to the gym."
The next two hours passed smoothly, now I'm no super-fit genius or anything, but I'm not half-bad. I'm average, or more than average as Sara said. Knowing that I've done long hikes whilst carrying supplies in the past does help my case too. I want to join this expedition and feel useful, and I have a gut feeling I was meant to do this.
"You're all good to go," called out Sara from the edge of the running track, "And not to get your hopes up or anything but it does seem like you are perfectly fit to join the team. We will be letting all of you know who is joining the team later today before dinner."
"Thank you so much!" I exclaimed, before grabbing my water bottle and leaving the gym room. It was pretty big and, as I did mention, contain a whole running track. Sure, it was smaller than the normal 400 m ones, but 200 meters for an underground apocalypse bunker wasn't half bad either.
I went to our living quarters and took a quick shower before joining Maria in the common room.
"Hey! How did it go?" she asked me as I approached her and joined her on the couch.
"It went well, Sara reckons I'm "fit enough" for the team. How about you?"
"She said the same for me. I wonder what it will be like outside if we both end up being part of the team."
"I'm going to take a wild guess and say hot."
"Haha, very funny. But seriously though, I'm already feeling like a character straight out of an apocalypse movie. I wonder, seeing as we're actually trying to save the world, if it will be more of a Mission Impossible vibe." We both caught each other's gaze with "the look", and sang out the Mission-Impossible theme tune until we burst out laughing.
"Whatever happens, I hope I'm with you though. Imagine being out alone in a scorched planet with strangers," I wrinkled my nose.
"Well by then they won't be strangers anymore."
"True, but it would be different."
"Yeah... well here's to hoping we'll be together then." And we continued bantering about everything and nothing until suddenly, Alan walked into the room holding the volunteers sign up paper.