Barbed Lives ☑️

22. Side Subsidy

"I'll shove chillies down his throat today."
Charles said coldly as he went ramrod straight and looked forward.

Commander was coming out of the gym, breathing hard. And there was a cut on his lower lip with blood seeping down. He cleared it with the back of his palm. I swear I missed a few heart beats right there.

****

General Warren walked towards us and stood fuming.
"Control his mouth before I kick all of you out."
That was a clear warning.

"Yes sir."
Charles said quivering.

"I'm fine with your basic framework. You and Neil bring the official proposal to my office tomorrow and I'll see how to talk to HQ. But this -"
He pointed at his bleeding lip.

"- if he can not control his anger, consider it scrapped from my side."

"It won't happen again, sir."
Charles promised and commander left.

"This fucker.."
Someone's body is going to be minced soon.

We entered to find Neil lying on the floor grunting in pain.
One of his eyes was swollen and he held his left pinky finger tightly in his right hand.

I was horrified to see his state.
They didn't spar, they beat up each other!

He looked at us with one functional eye and released a relaxed sigh.

"He agreed."
Neil said and I noticed his gum was bleeding too.
Ouch! That must have been a power punch.

So much pain and the first thing he has to say is that commander agreed to their plan?

"I heard."
Charles said as if nothing bothered him.

"Med care. I'm broken."
Neil requested.
I finally moved to pick him up but was stopped.

"Twenty first."
Instructor Charles said cruelly.

I turned to him.
"Are you crazy! He's exhausted to even move! How will he-"
"Are you, sir?"

"I... Instructor... I think I broke this..."
He lifted his pinky finger up.

Oh goodness.
"Even better. Will give a nice sting of memory. Twenty before anyone even touches you."
I don't think Charles has a heart.

Neil looked at him confused who looked back mercilessly.
Neil turned around without a word and grunted loudly. They had some conversation I wasn't included in.

"He probably broke one or more ribs too."
I said softly.

"Well then he'll suffer through it all."
I can't believe this!
Such cruelty!

Suddenly I saw six men around us - two I knew, one being Kelly. The rest four - I had never seen.

One man started requesting Charles.
"Instructor.. He-"
"He will push twenty for reason he knows already."

Neil tried his best and kept falling.
He was on eight and struggling hard when Kelly boosted him "Come on, sir. You have to do it for us! Push it!"

Following him, the rest started encouraging him and Neil somehow gathered some strength to complete twenty.

He fell on the last count.
Charles went and bent next to him.

"I appreciate your silence throughout this suffering."
"I've learnt my lesson, Instructor. I'll control my anger here onwards."
Neil said wheezing loudly.

"You are our leader, and I'll be glad to put my life on line for you before anything even touches you. But that bad a control again, and I'm leaving. With all due respect, sir."