Billy nodded seeming satisfied with my response. “I’ve decided to join the military, they need all the men that they can get now plus this would give me the extra training and fitness that I need to survive in this harsh new world.” He told us proudly, puffing out his chest.
The last bit seemed as though he was reading from a script, maybe they were the Lieutenants. words and not Billy’s. Didn’t matter though because what he was saying was correct. Those skills would help him to survive should anything happen to this place.
Billy had given me an idea. He and Will started to talk about Nia and her health. I finished my food and collected the three bowls, taking them back to the hatch. Kandace was no longer in sight, so I thanked the tall thin woman who had now taken over.
Instead of going back to the table I made my way to the notice board, there were many things on here. Weapons training times, available jobs, missing people posters could be put on the board at the back of the room now as this one was getting too full.
I made a note of the survival training days and times. I wanted to be able to care for myself and my friends should we ever find ourselves alone in the world again.
Survival training was a mixture of little skills. Building camp fires, how to build a shelter out of items you can find outside, a little weapons training and more. I’d see the captain and see if a few of us could attend the next session.
“George I’m headed out, I have rounds. I’ll meet up with you all later” Billy called out. I gave a small wave and retraced my steps back to the table.
“You headed back to see Nia?” I asked Will, already knowing what the answer would be.
“Yeah, I’m going to have a shower first” he leaned back in his chair, yawned and gave a huge stretch. He had dark circles under his eyes.
This last week had taken a lot out of all of us. I knew that Will and Adam felt the loss of my family deeply. I should talk to them and thank them for being there and for taking care of…well for doing what needed to be done. I just wasn’t ready.
I nodded, we were allowed to use the showers but sparingly. The water was only luke warm but it was soooo good.
“Ok, I have a few things I need to get done also.” I didn’t tell him about the training sessions, I’m sure he already knew but I wanted to ask the Captain if he could fit us in first.
I left the canteen just after him and headed to the rooms they were currently using for classrooms. Until the other compound was ready, the schooling area was located in the corridor adjacent to the canteen.
I arrived in the corridor quickly and followed the joyful sound of children’s laughter.
Chapter 5
I stood outside the first room that I came to. The door to the classroom was closed. I watched the teacher talk to the children through the glass window in the top of the door. I couldn’t hear what he said to them but the little people seemed to love it. It tugged at my heart strings to watch their little faces light up at something their teacher had said.
I began to get all choked up, before I started crying again I knocked at the door. The teacher came to the door “Can I help you?” his voice was deep but remarkably gentle.
He had chocolate brown skin and his eyes were Jade. His jet-black hair was shaved closely to his head and he had on a pair of combat trousers and navy t shirt. He wore a guarded expression on his face. After all, it was his job to protect our future generation and he didn’t know me.
“Yeah, I was looking for the library room, please?” my eyes flickered to the curious little faces back in the room.
“Oh, its two doors down on the left” he pointed down the corridor. I nodded my thanks and started to walk that way, I heard the classroom door close, once again leaving me alone.
The library room was no more than a few shelves of tattered books that people had brought from home with them or that the soldiers had found. Books were not a high priority but they would come in handy for the children.
I had a good look through the paperbacks and choose a few books of different genres that I thought Nia may like, anything to help her with her boredom. It might convince her to stay a little while longer in the hospital wing if she had something to distract her.
I signed out the books on a little pad that had been left there and exited the room, closing the door softly behind me.
I could hear loud excited voices from the classroom opposite the library and peeked in. These were older children, I’d say from the ages of 10-13. At the age of 14 the captain felt that they were old enough to train with the adults.
The teacher had them doing fitness in this classroom, they were playing some sort of indoor obstacle course. All of the tables and chairs had been stacked neatly around the walls of the room giving them plenty of room to run and jump about.
I laughed at the teacher showing them
