Page 10
Story: Orders and Obsessions
I heard him yell, “What are you doing?” from behind the door. I didn’t pay attention to him and just put the shampoo in my hair. “Rivers, get your a*s out here now, or I’ll give you another punishment.”
I bent my back and let the warm water flow down my body as I dipped my head back into it. Then I took the conditioner and did the same thing again.
“Riley!” he said in protest. “Get out of the shower right now or I’ll come in and drag you out myself.”
I leaned my head back to get rid of all the conditioner. It smelt like lavender and made me think of my grandma’s garden in the early spring when all the flowers were in bloom. The soapy bubbles surrounded my body and gathered under my feet. It gave my skin a slight shine.
“Riley!”
I picked up the shower gel and squirted a good amount into my hand. Then I slowly moved my fingers over my body, rubbing my skin in circles.
“I swear to God, Riley, I’m calling the commander back.”
I turned off the water and stood under the shower until my body had absorbed every last drop. I twisted my hair in my hands and waited for the flow of drops to slow down. After that, I opened the door, reached for my own towel, and wrapped it around my body.
“I’m sorry, did you say something? I couldn’t hear you over the shower water.” I blinked at him like I didn’t know what he was talking about.
He looked like he was possessed; his veins popped out of his forearms because he was holding his fists so tightly. I really thought he was going to hit me at any moment, and I don’t think he would have stopped there. Maybe murder.
He was now fully dressed, with Nike sweats and a plain T-shirt on. I combed my hair in front of the mirror, ignoring his glare.
“Are you f*****g serious?” he yelled. I looked back at him in the mirror. His face was very red, but I’m not sure if it was because he was angry or because we had just been naked and showering together.
“For once,” I said with a sigh, “can’t you just act like a nice guy?” His eyebrows shot up in surprise, and then his eyes softened.
“Tomorrow I’ll do your extra laps and push-ups. Whatever you think is fair punishment. Just let me take a shower, change, and dry my hair.” He looked into my eyes, and I waited for him to let me go on.
“I could lose my rank for this,” he finally said, sounding unsure of himself. Then he nodded, which meant he had made up his mind. “Under one condition.”
I patiently waited for him to go on.
“You always show me the most respect, especially when we’re out in the field in front of everyone else. Don’t talk back, don’t refuse, and don’t argue. You do what I say and do the drill to the best of your abilities. No questions asked. I don’t want to hear a peep out of you; you fall in line instead of standing out from the crowd.”
“I promise,” I said with a smile of thanks. He sighed and rolled his eyes. “Yes, sir,” he said, pointing his head at the hair dryer to tell me to keep going.
I looked at him a few times in the mirror. He looked like he was deep in thought and probably full of regrets. He turned away while I got dressed after I was done with my hair.
He asked with interest, “You can get back without being seen?”
“Sir, yes sir.” He let me see a small smile on his lips, which made my heart race.
I made him happy.
He asked, “You don’t want to tell me how?” but I didn’t want to tell him that because I knew he would stop it right away.
“Um… sir, no sir?” He laughed, and I felt like I was jumping up and down and clapping my hands inside. His laugh was so sexy.
“You go first, and Riley?” I turned back to him and said, “You tell no one about this.” I just nodded in response.
It’s time to be the model soldier, or at least try.
I want to say that I’m getting used to getting up early, but I’m not. Being out on the pitch at five in the morning has to be a worse crime than most of these criminals even did. But today was different; I was on my best behaviour.
I can’t say for sure how long that will last, but I’m going to give it my all.
“We’re splitting up into smaller groups today, going into the woods, and building a raft. It has to be strong enough to hold four people, and you’ll be testing it out on the lake. Check your groups with Private Nolan,” Mason said with the least amount of interest.
So far today I’ve been good enough to not get in trouble. It hasn’t been that hard, which is surprising. I just stay out of his sight.
Amber shouted with joy, “You’re with me, Riley!” Just a few minutes later, two male recruits named Seth and Jake came over to talk to us.
Jake made me feel better right away. He laughed at everything and was easy to talk to. On the other hand, Seth made me think of a hillbilly serial killer, which made me very wary.
Jake was one of those guys who always had a silly smile on his face. I guess people would have called him the class clown in high school. He could have been ugly, but boot camp made even the nerdiest people look good. All of this exercise shapes our bodies into what a bodybuilder would love.
Seth, on the other hand, looked darker. His eyes were empty and showed no compassion, like a psychopath. He was quiet and kept to himself, but the few things he said seemed well thought out and were said in a sly way.
Jake pointed to some heavy logs on the ground and said, “We’ll pick these up and put them together.”
“I think they might sink. Won’t they be too heavy?” I tried to lift one, but I couldn’t even get it halfway off the ground. Jake made fun of me.
“The worst that could happen is that we all go for a swim. Boats are heavy and they float, so it’s all about spreading the weight out on the surface so the water is heavier than the raft.”
He picked up the log and threw it over his shoulder. I walked right behind him, worried that he might drop it and hurt himself, but to be honest, he looked like he was carrying it easily.
Seth also took one and came with us to the river, but Amber didn’t even try to help.
“Okay, fine, but I don’t want to swim, so you better be right.” He dropped the log and smiled a big, naughty smile. I slowly backed away from him, knowing what he wanted.
“Jake, no.” I laughed and ran away.
He chased me, but I hid behind a tree and looked out from the side. He stood in front of the tree, trying to figure out which way I would run next.
Then I ran to the left, and he jumped on me and tickled me by the waist. I was laughing so hard that I couldn’t breathe and tears were streaming down my face.
“Maybe I should throw you in the lake,” he said. “You don’t want to go for a swim, huh?”
“Jake, what are you up to?”
Jake stopped and let me go, standing at attention. I looked at Mason and then back at Jake. I decided it was best to stand up straight as well.
“Talk,” Mason said.
I bent my back and let the warm water flow down my body as I dipped my head back into it. Then I took the conditioner and did the same thing again.
“Riley!” he said in protest. “Get out of the shower right now or I’ll come in and drag you out myself.”
I leaned my head back to get rid of all the conditioner. It smelt like lavender and made me think of my grandma’s garden in the early spring when all the flowers were in bloom. The soapy bubbles surrounded my body and gathered under my feet. It gave my skin a slight shine.
“Riley!”
I picked up the shower gel and squirted a good amount into my hand. Then I slowly moved my fingers over my body, rubbing my skin in circles.
“I swear to God, Riley, I’m calling the commander back.”
I turned off the water and stood under the shower until my body had absorbed every last drop. I twisted my hair in my hands and waited for the flow of drops to slow down. After that, I opened the door, reached for my own towel, and wrapped it around my body.
“I’m sorry, did you say something? I couldn’t hear you over the shower water.” I blinked at him like I didn’t know what he was talking about.
He looked like he was possessed; his veins popped out of his forearms because he was holding his fists so tightly. I really thought he was going to hit me at any moment, and I don’t think he would have stopped there. Maybe murder.
He was now fully dressed, with Nike sweats and a plain T-shirt on. I combed my hair in front of the mirror, ignoring his glare.
“Are you f*****g serious?” he yelled. I looked back at him in the mirror. His face was very red, but I’m not sure if it was because he was angry or because we had just been naked and showering together.
“For once,” I said with a sigh, “can’t you just act like a nice guy?” His eyebrows shot up in surprise, and then his eyes softened.
“Tomorrow I’ll do your extra laps and push-ups. Whatever you think is fair punishment. Just let me take a shower, change, and dry my hair.” He looked into my eyes, and I waited for him to let me go on.
“I could lose my rank for this,” he finally said, sounding unsure of himself. Then he nodded, which meant he had made up his mind. “Under one condition.”
I patiently waited for him to go on.
“You always show me the most respect, especially when we’re out in the field in front of everyone else. Don’t talk back, don’t refuse, and don’t argue. You do what I say and do the drill to the best of your abilities. No questions asked. I don’t want to hear a peep out of you; you fall in line instead of standing out from the crowd.”
“I promise,” I said with a smile of thanks. He sighed and rolled his eyes. “Yes, sir,” he said, pointing his head at the hair dryer to tell me to keep going.
I looked at him a few times in the mirror. He looked like he was deep in thought and probably full of regrets. He turned away while I got dressed after I was done with my hair.
He asked with interest, “You can get back without being seen?”
“Sir, yes sir.” He let me see a small smile on his lips, which made my heart race.
I made him happy.
He asked, “You don’t want to tell me how?” but I didn’t want to tell him that because I knew he would stop it right away.
“Um… sir, no sir?” He laughed, and I felt like I was jumping up and down and clapping my hands inside. His laugh was so sexy.
“You go first, and Riley?” I turned back to him and said, “You tell no one about this.” I just nodded in response.
It’s time to be the model soldier, or at least try.
I want to say that I’m getting used to getting up early, but I’m not. Being out on the pitch at five in the morning has to be a worse crime than most of these criminals even did. But today was different; I was on my best behaviour.
I can’t say for sure how long that will last, but I’m going to give it my all.
“We’re splitting up into smaller groups today, going into the woods, and building a raft. It has to be strong enough to hold four people, and you’ll be testing it out on the lake. Check your groups with Private Nolan,” Mason said with the least amount of interest.
So far today I’ve been good enough to not get in trouble. It hasn’t been that hard, which is surprising. I just stay out of his sight.
Amber shouted with joy, “You’re with me, Riley!” Just a few minutes later, two male recruits named Seth and Jake came over to talk to us.
Jake made me feel better right away. He laughed at everything and was easy to talk to. On the other hand, Seth made me think of a hillbilly serial killer, which made me very wary.
Jake was one of those guys who always had a silly smile on his face. I guess people would have called him the class clown in high school. He could have been ugly, but boot camp made even the nerdiest people look good. All of this exercise shapes our bodies into what a bodybuilder would love.
Seth, on the other hand, looked darker. His eyes were empty and showed no compassion, like a psychopath. He was quiet and kept to himself, but the few things he said seemed well thought out and were said in a sly way.
Jake pointed to some heavy logs on the ground and said, “We’ll pick these up and put them together.”
“I think they might sink. Won’t they be too heavy?” I tried to lift one, but I couldn’t even get it halfway off the ground. Jake made fun of me.
“The worst that could happen is that we all go for a swim. Boats are heavy and they float, so it’s all about spreading the weight out on the surface so the water is heavier than the raft.”
He picked up the log and threw it over his shoulder. I walked right behind him, worried that he might drop it and hurt himself, but to be honest, he looked like he was carrying it easily.
Seth also took one and came with us to the river, but Amber didn’t even try to help.
“Okay, fine, but I don’t want to swim, so you better be right.” He dropped the log and smiled a big, naughty smile. I slowly backed away from him, knowing what he wanted.
“Jake, no.” I laughed and ran away.
He chased me, but I hid behind a tree and looked out from the side. He stood in front of the tree, trying to figure out which way I would run next.
Then I ran to the left, and he jumped on me and tickled me by the waist. I was laughing so hard that I couldn’t breathe and tears were streaming down my face.
“Maybe I should throw you in the lake,” he said. “You don’t want to go for a swim, huh?”
“Jake, what are you up to?”
Jake stopped and let me go, standing at attention. I looked at Mason and then back at Jake. I decided it was best to stand up straight as well.
“Talk,” Mason said.