18 year old Kurt Weller sat and waited at the Valley Forge Military Academy faculty building waiting his turn for the annual advisor meeting. Compared to the rest of the campus, the Johnson Hall where all the faculty offices were was so quite. So, he didn't mind the wait. He decided to pull his note book and read. It's almost 3PM which also meant that the loud fire training class in the grounds near by will make it sound like the entire school is at war.
The junior cadets trained how to use fire arms and heavy weaponry in the grounds below at the 3PM. Even though the bullets were blanks the noise was real. It is hard to miss the beginning and the end of class because it temporarily make the entire school sounds like they are at war. He heard about it the first day he started attending Valley Forge but regardless of his knowledge it was nearly impossible not to panic on the first day he heard the fire drill. Now its has almost become something he expect like a ringing of a clock bell. He got further inside the building and sat at an outside bench by colonel Cater's office hoping that the second floor bench would be less louder than the near the entrance to the building.
3:15 PM sharp the fire began reverberating the campus grounds. He pretended not to hear it though it was hard to miss the scared face that popped from Colonel's office window. It was a little girl. He was sure he did not imagined her. Then he heard a sudden rambling as if she was trying to hide. He was sure the little head that popped out was not another cadet. Clearly, a cadet would have known about the fire drill plus she seemed much too small to be a cadet . He decided to try knocking on the door.
"Hey, its cadet Weller. Is anybody there?"
"If you are scared about all the noise, don't be. They are practicing and it'll go away soon"
But all he could hear was very heavy breathing. Kurt had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach.
"Don't be scared. I'm right here with you. Don't be scared" but there was no answer. It's though now he could clearly hear the little girl's heavy breathing. Kurt turned the door knob. It wasn't locked.
"Hey... I'm gonna come inside to help you." Kurt turned the knob and opened the door to the Colonel Cater's office. The small dimly lit office room was cluttered with stacks of paper. a desk, couch and a book shelf. He could see a partially drawn painting and crayons laying on the desk.
There was a little girl hiding underneath the desk her loose dark curls were scattered around her face. Her eyes lit like a hazel green fire. She was breathing heavily.
"Hey.. I'm Kurt. Don't be scared of the noise. It's gonna be over soon"
Her little eyes clicked with his. There was so much her eyes said. It wasn't just the noise she seemed to be afraid of. It seems she is afraid of the whole world. Kurt stretched his hand toward the little girl.
"I'm here with you. You are safe." He grasp her hand and pulled in toward his chest.
"Just keep breathing. You are so brave"
He could feel the panic that engulf her face slowly but surly disappearing.
Then all of a sudden out of no where the door slam open and a tall dark skinned woman appeared at the door step.
Kurt Weller rose to his feet in an instance.
"Sorry ma'am I just saw that she was scared and I wanted to make sure she is okay" he blurted out.
"Enough. You are dismissed cadet."
He has never seen the woman before, but the name badge hung on her chest read "S. Cater"
"you are dismissed cadet"
He hurried out of the Colonel's office too afraid to turn back to check whether the little girl was okay. Though he was almost sure he heard the Colonel is talking to the girl.
"Remi what are you doing under the table"