Born From Death ~ 2
Sections from Chapters One, Two, Four, Ten and Eleven. :)
1:
“Break when you’re ready, Sergeant.”
I repeated the same call in Room 2 and the Parade Hall. Cadets began queuing up in line for the canteen. In a few moments, the Parade Hall had cadets milling everywhere in one blue mass.
I headed towards the office, stopping short as Plt. Off. Detter stepped through the door ahead of me. Blowing an exasperated breath, I started to turn away, but glanced back as I noticed one of the new cadets start after him. That wasn’t so unusual; many of the new cadets asked advice off Detter. The expression on this girl’s face looked strange, though. Pale and scared-looking, she glided across the room, but a fierce determination shone from her eyes. I studied her, remembering our impression when she first came.
Dressed like something out of the old-fashioned films, with that long skirt and loose blouse.
My interest sparked, I waited until she returned before heading into the office.
I wonder what she wanted? Didn’t look like something confidential.
Plt. Off. Detter hadn’t wasted any time, but appeared to have gone straight to the inner office.
Something for the Boss’s notice, then. Just to make sure…
“Where’s Dad?” I asked.
One of the civilian instructors, Gayle Unwin, glanced up.
“He’s busy in the office with Pilot Officer Detter.”
I shrugged and knocked at the door.
“Corporal Westcott!”
Her voice trailed off as Dad called out.
“Come in.”
I opened the door a crack and slipped in, shutting it on her disgusted face.
“Pampered…” I heard her muffled voice as I moved to a chair.
“Are you all right, Corporal?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Mr. Detter and I are discussing something.”
“Yes, I know.” I assumed a worried expression and turned to Detter. “I noticed one of the cadets wanted to talk to you, sir, and wondered if everything was okay?”
“Nice of you to take such a rare interest, Corporal,” Detter remarked in a dry tone.
I felt the heat rise to my face. Dad glanced from Detter to me.
“You can talk in front of Pete, Rich,” he encouraged. “From what you’ve said, the N.C.O.s might need to know about it, anyway.”
Detter’s lips compressed; he glanced once at me before continuing. I hid my smirk.
“Well, I don’t think it’ll come to that, Frank. At least, I hope not. We’ve never had a case like this before, have we?”
I gave a little twitch of irritation, but I didn’t dare ask for an explanation. Dad noticed.
“So explain what happened again, Rich.”
“This new cadet – what’s her name?”
“Abigail Thomas. She’s known as Abbie.”
“Yes, well, I was coming into the office, and Thomas came up to me and said, ‘Excuse me, sir, can I ask you a favour – as a lady?’”
I glanced at Dad.
Weird.
“She looked so nervous, I felt sorry for her. So I said, ‘Sure.’ Then she said, ‘You know my brother and I are both Christians.’ Of course they are, the nation is pretty much Christian. I nodded and replied, ‘Ok,’ and she carried on to say, ‘So I was just wondering if you would mind not swearing just when we are around, please.’”
“Whew!” I let out my breath in a whistle. “What did you say to that?”
“I said something like, ‘I never knew I was doing it, I certainly will.’”
He looked at Dad.
“I didn’t really know what to say, I thought it would be best to just agree.”
Dad leaned forward, hands clasped, gaze intent.
“I think you know, Rich, although you probably don’t, Pete,” he nodded at me. “I used to attend church when I was younger, before I realised that it was a bunch of hogwash and no one really believed what they claimed they did. However, there are always one or two fanatics who insist on pushing their beliefs on everyone.”
I stared.
Dad? A religious man?
I coughed back a laugh. Dad paused for a second, thinking it through.
“I should imagine that the Thomases live in a rather protected environment, where they don’t hear much language. Sort of a middle class upbringing.”
I stifled a snort.
“We as members of staff will try to watch our language for now, and I think you should be more careful, too, Corporal. As they get used to language they hear from the cadets, we will be able to go back to normal. Sometimes you end up with rather straight-laced people who had old-fashioned training, but they should learn to fit in soon. There’s nothing really to worry about, Rich. You gave a good answer.”
I gaped, soundless.
“It’s not for long, Corporal,” Dad encouraged me. “It will give us a chance to show our adaptability to other religions, too.”
“I – suppose,” I sounded flat to my own ears.
“Okay then,” Dad gave a nod of dismissal. “Richard, ask the other members of staff to gather in the office.”
I left the room, feeling rather dazed.
Religion? God? I thought that was all out-dated stuff. Nobody with any sense could believe that anymore!
Entering the parade hall, I glanced at my watch.
.......................................................
I stepped back into the room – and froze with my hand on the doorknob.
“Everyone, shut up! Cadet Thomas has something to say to us.”
Oh no! Alan, how can you!
I directed a quick glare in his direction, but he didn’t notice. Abbie flushed, hesitated and fell out, coming to the front. She picked at her sleeve, raising her gaze for a second and dropping it again.
“Most of you probably know by now that my brother and I are Christians…” she glanced up, and I could see that the barrage of blank stares scared her. She gave a nervous half-smile.
“I know you won’t like it, but believe me, it’s not easy for me to say this.”
She looked down again, fumbling for words. The cadets on parade stood motionless.
“I was wondering…would you mind not swearing using the name of God or Jesus when my brother and I are around, please?”
I stared at her, saw her swallow. She shifted. Cdt. Longdon recovered first.
“Did everyone understand that? I think it’s called blasphemy, right, Cadet?”
She glanced at him with gratefulness.
“Yes, Cadet.”
“So we’ll all make an effort, won’t we?”
His tone wasn’t threatening, but firm enough for the cadets to understand he meant it. They stood for a moment, before coming, hesitating, to attention.
“Yes, Cadet.”
I scanned the faces before me with anxiety. The expressions varied from shock, ‘uh-oh, religious nut’, surprise and annoyance.
Oh my life! What in the world is Dad going to say? She’s gone from expressing her views to forcing her beliefs on the other cadets!
My eyes locked on Garland’s face. He stared at Abbie with an expression of near hatred in his eyes. I remembered the rumours I heard in the past of Garland’s father, A. Sgt. Garland, having some religious experience, before backing out of it.
Oh no. Here comes trouble. Garland won’t let this drop.
Longdon stood before me, waiting.
And......you're going to have to wait for the other sections. >:D
1:
“Break when you’re ready, Sergeant.”
I repeated the same call in Room 2 and the Parade Hall. Cadets began queuing up in line for the canteen. In a few moments, the Parade Hall had cadets milling everywhere in one blue mass.
I headed towards the office, stopping short as Plt. Off. Detter stepped through the door ahead of me. Blowing an exasperated breath, I started to turn away, but glanced back as I noticed one of the new cadets start after him. That wasn’t so unusual; many of the new cadets asked advice off Detter. The expression on this girl’s face looked strange, though. Pale and scared-looking, she glided across the room, but a fierce determination shone from her eyes. I studied her, remembering our impression when she first came.
Dressed like something out of the old-fashioned films, with that long skirt and loose blouse.
My interest sparked, I waited until she returned before heading into the office.
I wonder what she wanted? Didn’t look like something confidential.
Plt. Off. Detter hadn’t wasted any time, but appeared to have gone straight to the inner office.
Something for the Boss’s notice, then. Just to make sure…
“Where’s Dad?” I asked.
One of the civilian instructors, Gayle Unwin, glanced up.
“He’s busy in the office with Pilot Officer Detter.”
I shrugged and knocked at the door.
“Corporal Westcott!”
Her voice trailed off as Dad called out.
“Come in.”
I opened the door a crack and slipped in, shutting it on her disgusted face.
“Pampered…” I heard her muffled voice as I moved to a chair.
“Are you all right, Corporal?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Mr. Detter and I are discussing something.”
“Yes, I know.” I assumed a worried expression and turned to Detter. “I noticed one of the cadets wanted to talk to you, sir, and wondered if everything was okay?”
“Nice of you to take such a rare interest, Corporal,” Detter remarked in a dry tone.
I felt the heat rise to my face. Dad glanced from Detter to me.
“You can talk in front of Pete, Rich,” he encouraged. “From what you’ve said, the N.C.O.s might need to know about it, anyway.”
Detter’s lips compressed; he glanced once at me before continuing. I hid my smirk.
“Well, I don’t think it’ll come to that, Frank. At least, I hope not. We’ve never had a case like this before, have we?”
I gave a little twitch of irritation, but I didn’t dare ask for an explanation. Dad noticed.
“So explain what happened again, Rich.”
“This new cadet – what’s her name?”
“Abigail Thomas. She’s known as Abbie.”
“Yes, well, I was coming into the office, and Thomas came up to me and said, ‘Excuse me, sir, can I ask you a favour – as a lady?’”
I glanced at Dad.
Weird.
“She looked so nervous, I felt sorry for her. So I said, ‘Sure.’ Then she said, ‘You know my brother and I are both Christians.’ Of course they are, the nation is pretty much Christian. I nodded and replied, ‘Ok,’ and she carried on to say, ‘So I was just wondering if you would mind not swearing just when we are around, please.’”
“Whew!” I let out my breath in a whistle. “What did you say to that?”
“I said something like, ‘I never knew I was doing it, I certainly will.’”
He looked at Dad.
“I didn’t really know what to say, I thought it would be best to just agree.”
Dad leaned forward, hands clasped, gaze intent.
“I think you know, Rich, although you probably don’t, Pete,” he nodded at me. “I used to attend church when I was younger, before I realised that it was a bunch of hogwash and no one really believed what they claimed they did. However, there are always one or two fanatics who insist on pushing their beliefs on everyone.”
I stared.
Dad? A religious man?
I coughed back a laugh. Dad paused for a second, thinking it through.
“I should imagine that the Thomases live in a rather protected environment, where they don’t hear much language. Sort of a middle class upbringing.”
I stifled a snort.
“We as members of staff will try to watch our language for now, and I think you should be more careful, too, Corporal. As they get used to language they hear from the cadets, we will be able to go back to normal. Sometimes you end up with rather straight-laced people who had old-fashioned training, but they should learn to fit in soon. There’s nothing really to worry about, Rich. You gave a good answer.”
I gaped, soundless.
“It’s not for long, Corporal,” Dad encouraged me. “It will give us a chance to show our adaptability to other religions, too.”
“I – suppose,” I sounded flat to my own ears.
“Okay then,” Dad gave a nod of dismissal. “Richard, ask the other members of staff to gather in the office.”
I left the room, feeling rather dazed.
Religion? God? I thought that was all out-dated stuff. Nobody with any sense could believe that anymore!
Entering the parade hall, I glanced at my watch.
.......................................................
I stepped back into the room – and froze with my hand on the doorknob.
“Everyone, shut up! Cadet Thomas has something to say to us.”
Oh no! Alan, how can you!
I directed a quick glare in his direction, but he didn’t notice. Abbie flushed, hesitated and fell out, coming to the front. She picked at her sleeve, raising her gaze for a second and dropping it again.
“Most of you probably know by now that my brother and I are Christians…” she glanced up, and I could see that the barrage of blank stares scared her. She gave a nervous half-smile.
“I know you won’t like it, but believe me, it’s not easy for me to say this.”
She looked down again, fumbling for words. The cadets on parade stood motionless.
“I was wondering…would you mind not swearing using the name of God or Jesus when my brother and I are around, please?”
I stared at her, saw her swallow. She shifted. Cdt. Longdon recovered first.
“Did everyone understand that? I think it’s called blasphemy, right, Cadet?”
She glanced at him with gratefulness.
“Yes, Cadet.”
“So we’ll all make an effort, won’t we?”
His tone wasn’t threatening, but firm enough for the cadets to understand he meant it. They stood for a moment, before coming, hesitating, to attention.
“Yes, Cadet.”
I scanned the faces before me with anxiety. The expressions varied from shock, ‘uh-oh, religious nut’, surprise and annoyance.
Oh my life! What in the world is Dad going to say? She’s gone from expressing her views to forcing her beliefs on the other cadets!
My eyes locked on Garland’s face. He stared at Abbie with an expression of near hatred in his eyes. I remembered the rumours I heard in the past of Garland’s father, A. Sgt. Garland, having some religious experience, before backing out of it.
Oh no. Here comes trouble. Garland won’t let this drop.
Longdon stood before me, waiting.
And......you're going to have to wait for the other sections. >:D
Ack! But i wants to read more!!! *puss and boots eyes* Pwweaassee???
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