Chapter 4: Progress

The cold wind whistled through the small brick structure the initiates used for shelter in the nights. It was cold and many initiates would struggle to find sleep if they weren't so fatigued after their rigorous training. Sarah Lyons however, couldn't sleep for a different reason.

Sarah felt off, something was just gnawing at her and no matter how many times she tried to close her eyes, they would just open again. Sarah found solace on a bench in the courtyard as she breathed in the frosty air. Sentries adorned the Citadels high walls but the bailey courtyard was empty, deserted, dead.

Sarah enjoyed the comforting silence it offered, it gave her time to think and clear her head. She was able to focus on more pressing matters like the training of her section of initiates and how to deliver Gunny's teachings in the most efficient way possible.

The thoughts on what to do scrambled over each other inside her head, fighting to emerge victorious and be the chosen path that she would take. Sarah's though process was extremely complicated which is why the silence was a good addition...until she heard the sound of a stone hitting something.

Sarah's combat instincts took over and she immediately jumped up off the bench and turned to where the noise came from. The seconds felt like hours as she waited and sure enough, the sound came again. Sarah slowly approached to where it was coming from, ready for anything.

Despite searchlights being placed on the upper balconies of the Citadel, the Bailey was in total darkness. Any number of unpleasentries could be watching her as she stumbled around aimlessly in the dark. She just prayed her finely tuned senses would lead her to the source of the noise soon.

Depending on her auditory sensor, her ears, Sarah honed onto where the vague sound came from and slowly advanced through the darkness that surrounded her on all sides.

As she continued forward, the sound become louder and more frequent; it became clear that it was stone hitting stone. As she got closer, the darkness became more visible and so did the boot, then the leg and eventually the person they belonged too. Sarah saw the last person she ever expected to see, yet it made total sense that she would see him out of all people.

Initiate Matthew Winter was sitting on a pile of rubble, throwing smaller chunks of it down onto the larger pieces. His right knee was up under his chin with his right arm draped over it while his left leg hung idly off the brick mound, slowly swinging back and forth while his left hand gently tossed small chunks of rubble onto the already desecrated ground. An AER9 Laser Rifle lay in between his legs as he read the pages over and over again. His arm only ceasing to throw something when he turned a page.

Sarah felt her mind relax as she processed the man before her as a fellow initiate and not a threat, well, not a threat like she initially pictured. The darkness and his black hair made it hard to see the facial features but Sarah knew it wouldn't be anybody else. The seconds passed as Sarah watched him not take his eyes away from the book. She was about to wonder if he knew she was there when:

-"Can't sleep either?" Matt muttered, still focused on the book.

-"My mind is...occupied" Sarah replied, not moving a muscle. "How'd you know I was here, you haven't taken your face off that book?" She asked.

-"True, but I don't need my eyes to hear you breathing"

Sarah felt her face redden as she realised how clumsy she had been and forgot to check her breathing. Something as simple as that should automatically be controlled whenever in a stealthy environment. She scorned herself internally as she looked at the floor, desperate to avoid Matt's gaze, should he look up from the book between his legs.

-"Why are you reading that book now, shouldn't you have read it before Gunny's lesson?" Sarah was desperately trying to turn the focus off of herself.

-"I did, yesterday, seven times; since our lesson was postponed, I figured a little revision wouldn't hurt and since that building is colder than a witches tit, I wasn't gonna get some sleep any time soon"

-"But...aren't you tired from all the training like everyone else?" Sarah asked as she moved slightly forward without realising.

-"Aren't you?" Matt said in response as he looked up and turned to the left to face Sarah who stopped dead in her tracks.

-"I, uh, Training isn't so hard for me, I'm used to it by now" She said in a quick reply. Matt's gaze seemed to stare right into her soul. Those could blue eyes looking right through her and yet, his facial expression seemed totally normal...he was just...looking at her, like he'd look at anyone else.

-"There's your answer, you don't find training so tiring, and neither do I" Matt replied as he slid himself down off the rubble, book in hand and found himself face to face with Sarah Lyons for the first time.

Sarah had to admit she was confused; every other initiate wastelander always had a stupid grin on their face whenever they talked to a member of the brotherhood but Matt, Matt just stared at her like she was another person and not some shining knight who would ride in and save the day. No one had ever looked at her like that before.

Matt coughed to bring Sarah back into reality; she didn't realise she'd zoned out while on her train of thought.

-"I bet you think you're something special, don't you!" Sarah responded with unnecessary hostility.

-"Excuse me?" Matt said as his face formed into one of disgust"

-"Out in the night brooding, not feeling tired from physically demanding training and not seeming impressed when you look at us"

Matt stared Sarah down before firing back:

-"I'm not tired because I'm used to shit like this, I'm not impressed because I've done more as a child that any of you ever have. You didn't grow up without walls or numbers to protect you, you didn't need to hunt and scavenge for food and I bet you never went three days without water because you let a 4 year old girl have the last bottle instead of yourself. Don't talk down to me Sarah Lyons because everything you'll end up doing, I've already done and I was far younger than you!" They were inches away from each other as Matt leaned in closer. "You moved to the wasteland and I grew up in it. You've been sheltered from the cruel realities almost all your life whereas I've been living on the fringe, never knowing which day would be my last. So before you start thinking you know anything about me, realise I grew up in this hellhole and you've yet to experience it. Sure, you know what's out there but knothing like I do!"

Silence followed as Matt stared strong eyed at Sarah, refusing to back down. Sarah seemed humiliated because she knew he was right. Her eyes had been opened as she realised the local conscripts grew up in the wasteland and didn't live this long by hiding. She felt ashamed as to how close minded she had been. Realise more things about the local conscripts, do your homework. Sarah noted mentally.

-"You're right, I never thought...I'm sorry"

-"It's fine, I shouldn't have expected you hermits to understand anyway, well now you do. Don't be so quick to count us wasters out, we've been here longer than you" Matt's tone was less hostile now, a complete personality change.

-"So, are you the Senior Initiate in your section?" Sarah asked, changing the topic yet again.

-"I didn't even know there was one of those" Matt replied as he eased off her, taking a more relaxed stance.

-"Gunny appoints a Senior Initiate to each section to ensure someone can keep control of them whenever he's not around. They're like his go to person when he needs to know something from the group but hasn't been able to be there. Like for example, he's been training you guys for the past couple of days so our Senior Initiate is responsible for looking after us, making sure we get taught what Gunny wants and stick to our timetable. It's a bit of responsibility to help ease them into leadership. It's usually someone Gunny can see having a bright future in the brotherhood"

-"Lemme guess, you're the Senior Initiate of your group?" Mat asked as he folded his arms into a relaxed stance.

-"Yeah, I guess you noticed" Sarah said, letting out a meek little smile. "Don't think it was given to me or anything just because I'm the Elder's daughter!" She protested imeidietly.

-" I wouldn't think that for a second; You were the first thing I noticed. You've had to work hard to prove yourself for two reasons: you're the Elder's daughter, like you said and because you're a girl. You wanna show everyone you're able to get somewhere on your own merits, that's what caught my eye on my first day"

Sarah was taken aback by what Matt had just said.

-"You're the first person to finally see what I've been struggling with my whole life...I don't know what to say"

-"Don't say anything, just don't stop fighting" And with those words and a smile, Matt took his leave and made his way to the initiate building.

Sarah didn't know how to feel, Matt had not only been the first person to see her problem, but also the first person to openly understand it. Maybe I was wrong about him?! Sarah thought to herself as she thought about everything he said in those past few minutes, he was a really dedicated soldier and the only other person Sarah had seen put that much commitment in was herself. She had been so quick to judge him and why?! Stupidity, Jelousy, who knew for sure. All that she had learned from their chat was this initiate was a lot more open minded that she's originally percived. Maybe he was special...

The morning was cold and wet; the post-apocalyptic rain was like ice on the skin of the initiates as they were knee deep in radio-active muck outside The Citadels main walls.

Gunny had them working in small units of four as they carried heavy objects as fast as they could around The Citadel. It was hard work and the shitty weather didn't make it any easier. The claps of thunder and the water pounding away at the ground were masked by Gunny's bellowing words as he competed with the weather to be the loudest.

Matt, Johnny, Robinson and their fourth addition, Tank, were carrying a cargo net filled with six large boulders around the outer perimeter of The Citadel. Each group had some form of heavy object that was that they had to lug around and the fact that Matt's group had a massive as fuck black dude with them didn't make it any easier.

Tank was exactly what his name said. Standing at 7 feet tall, his dark skin caked in shit, just like every other initiate had caught Matt's eye and was making stellar progress with his training. His big build was little help in the task as the group of initiates struggled to keep moving.

-"Come you barrels of monkey spunk, don't let a bit of bad weather slow you down. What if this was an injured brother of yours and his life depended on you getting him somewhere safe. Would you moan and complain, or would you carry his heavy ass and keep him alive? Now keep moving!" Gunny screamed at his charges as they carried on moving.

He had to admit, there was a drastic improvement in their attitude over the past week. His initiates had been trying a lot harder in most tasks and their performances showed it. A week ago, Gunny would have expected them to give up once they fell over in the mud but they all kept getting back up. They were a hell of a lot more determined.

-"Matt, we're only half way and we've been at this for too long, I feel like my arms are gonna fall out of their sockets" Johnny said as he struggled to maintain his grip on the net.

-"Yeah man, I feel like the floor is made outta jelly" Robinson chirped in.

-"Come on guys we can do this, we've done one half so we just need to do the same thing again. I have faith in you guys, in all of us" Matt replied in an effort to keep the spirits of his group up.

-"Matt's right boys, we just need to redo what we've just done. We've done it once, we can do it again" Tank's voice was low and husky to match his appearance yet it was quiet and soft in its own weird way.

Each group had been performing the same; it was a test of mental strength as well as physical. They were all struggling to carry the heavy load but they were all still doing it. They all wanted to stop and get into the dry but none of them had. Gunny was pleased with this and wanted to see them all complete the task.

The four groups had continued in the order they had started; no one had overtaken the group in front of them. It wasn't a test of speed, it was more about character.

The first two groups had gone the full 360 and were back at The Citadel gates. Matt's hair clung to his face in the rain and along with the water, greatly impaired his vision. Struggling to see, they were all acting on instinct and trusting each other to guide themselves. When not talking, the only other sounds that could be heard was them panting loudly and madly.

-"Come on now Winter, the finish line is a gnat's cock away, don't give up now you sorry sack of shit!" Gunny screamed. "You boys are doing well, don't let yourselves down now!"

It was true, they were no farther than a couple of yards away from Gunny and the other worn out initiates from the first two groups.

The rain was hammering down heavy and the ground was becoming even more slippery. Matt could hear his friends gasping for breath as they drew ever more closer to their goal.

-"Come on lads, dig deep, one last push and we won't have to carry this shit ever again!" Johnny called out as the group screamed in acknowledgement and started to run the final ten or so metres to the end of their brutal training course.

Just like that it was over; the four men dropped the net and fell to the floor. The harsh weather, mixed with the overbearing weight had taken its toll on not just them, but all the initiates.

Matt regained his footing and his breath after what seemed like forever and leant against the edge of The Citadel. He looked at each of his four friends and they all laughed. It was finally over.

-"I have to say, you bastards gave a hell of a lot just now and I'm proud of each and every one of you. Catch a breath, god knows you've earned it. As soon as the final group get here, we can move on.

Minutes passed before the fourth and final group of initiates was spotted ascending the final slope, just about 50 metres away from the finish. All the initiates were cheering them on and screaming a manor of positivity at them. It brought a smile to Matt's face...and then it happened.

Halfway up the slope, the man on the group's right slipped in the mud and dropped his section of the net. The contence consisted of various parts of rubble from The Citadel's walls and it had all landed on the initiate's body.

Without thinking, Matt jumped up and ran to their aid; he assisted the other initiates in pulling the rubble off their brother and then picked him up in a fireman's carry. His left leg was bust open and his arm looked no better, he wouldn't be able to carry on.

Without waiting for an invitation, Johnny and Tank ran over to help the remaining three initiates carry their net to the finish line. The rocky contence had been sprawled all over the betraying floor. The tretrious weather had messed them up bad but with Tank and Johnny's help, they quickly collected themselves and headed to the finish.

This was the most intense moment in Matt's life; the only thing going through his mind was getting his brother to Gunny and the rest of the initiates. Blood dripped down from the man's bleeding skull and onto Matt's own head. It felt warm in comparison to the small monsoon they had spent the better part of an hour in. Struggling to find his footing, Matt made his way forward as fast as he could. Whatever strength he had left in his body was all going on carrying his fellow initiate.

For the second time, Matt crossed the finish line only this time, it was with a body, not debris. His lungs were screaming at him as he finally set the wounded initiate down against the framework of The Citadel door. The initiates crowded around Matt and their fellow brother before Gunny made his way passed them all.

-"That was some balls shit, Winter, thanks to you this maggot will be able to see the sun again"

Matt couldn't find words to say, the only thing that escaped his mouth were raspy noises as he struggled for breath. He was knackered, the training exercise had certainly taken its toll on him and combined with the weather, Matt felt exhausted. He tried to stand but fatigue engulfed him, causing him to slip and fall back down on the muddy ground. As the rain crashed all around him, Gunny realised two people would be taken to the medical wing today.

A/N:-Ok, I have to admit, this chapter felt a little empty. I feel like I could have done a much better job but I just can't seem to find the words. I'll come back to it when my mind is much more relaxed. The point I'm trying to get across with the second half of the chapter is that the initiates are learning and developing their skills. There's still a long way to go but it's a start.

Again, Review, Follow/Fave and leave any positive pointers you can to help me improve. Awayyyyyy