Day 5

After the accident with Private, we both got up making breakfast for us four. The young penguin even managed to distrack me from my worries and fears for a while. At 0500 hours, Rico and Kowalski got up and joined us on the table. We had a quiet breakfast, Private didn´t say any word about what had happened before. After we had eaten our fishes, I decided to go topside to grab some fresh air.

I took a deep breath of the cool morning breeze and felt it streaming through my body. But I also felt that the sleep deprivation was already draining my energy. "It´s still the best, no one knows about this..." I thought to myself and we started our training as usual.

But I was even too exhausted to keep up with the other guys. After 50 Push ups my flippers just couldn´t handle my weight anymore and I fell down on my belly, panting. Unfortunately the others noticed immediatly. "Skipper, are you okay?" Kowalski asked curious and stepped closer.

"I-I´m fine. I just havn´t slept last night. But I´m totally alright" I told him and continued our workout. After the zoo had opened, we decided to make a great stuntshow for the humans. It was even more exhausting than the training this morning. Soon I was totally out of breath and I had to sit down for a moment to recover.

"Skipper you really seem a bit under the weather today? Are you sick?" Kowalski asked again, this time more worried. "How many times do I have to tell you that I´m alright, Kowalski?" I responded with an angry tone in my voice, which I didn´t even intended to bring on. The scientist stepped back with a slightly confused expression. "Okay, okay, no further questions" he exclaimed.

I shighed quietly, angry at my own behaviour. "Sorry, guys. Maybe I´m just in a bad mood today. So, what about taking the rest of the day off?" I asked and bright smiling faces were looking back at me. "Yay, I´ll get some snowcones!" Private chirped cheerfully. Rico and Kowalski wanted to join him and all three were staring back at me. "Aren´t you coming with us, Skipper?" Private asked.

"Uh, no. I don´t feel like eating anything for the moment, Private. But you three go ahead and have fun, okay?" I said and my friends turned to go with slight worried expressions on their faces. I heard them whispering something to each other, but I didn´t understand.

Tired I made my way back down to the HQ. Suddenly I heard some steps behind me, but when I turned around, no one was there. "Calm your nerves, Skipper!" I mumbled to myself. Suddenly I felt an urgend desire to take another look at this tape again. The feeling was so strong, that I couldn´t resist. I was like, someone was entering my mind and telling my body what to do no. I couldn´t control it anymore.

So I made my way to Kowaskis lab, turning around after almost every step. Still I had the feeling, that someone was standing right behind my back. I almost felt a cold breath on the back on my neck, causing my feathers to ruffle again.

Standing right in front of the wall, my flipper made it´s way to the loose brick itself. I took the video tape and stared at it for a few seconds. "Why are you doing this to me?" I asked. A numb feeling took over my body suddenly and my flippers inserted the tape into the VHS.

So I had to watch this stuff again. Like the last time, every cell of my body was focused on the screen. Even more weird feelings and thoughts invaded my mind, I couldn´t turn it off. Suddenly I heard some voices from outside. "No, they´re coming back!" I gasped and forced my body to make a move. But it didn´t work at the first try.

"No one should see this!" I grunted and finally managed to move my flippers again. Now anger filled my heard and I cound´t think clearly anymore. With brutal force I pulled the tape out of the recorder and threw it against the wall. I saw it shattering and all the pieces falling to the ground. A sting in my heart caused me to gasp again and I felt, that I´ve done something wrong.

Exhausted I tried to keep myself on my feet, but I failed. The door has been opened and the other guys saw me, supporting myself on the shelf. "Skipper!" I heard Private screaming horrified and all three were instantly by my side. "Skipper, what is it? Talk to me!" Kowalski said, trying to help me some how.

After a few seconds I had control over my body again, but I felt that I´ve put someone´s wrath on me. But first I really had to rest, since my body felt like it couldn´t stay awake any longer. "Kowalski, I need your help..." I whispered in a hoarse voice. "What shall I do, Skipper?" he asked, worried. "I need you to give me some anesthetic. I can´t sleep anymore. I haven´t for days" I mumbled and he stared at me. puzzled. "But Skipper, this isn´t a replacement for a real sleep. It´s not healthy!" he responded shocked.

"I thought you would say that, so you leave me no choice. I order you to give me the medicine. Just put me down, man!" I barked. All three were staring back at me, like they would think, that I totally lost my mind. But Kowalski didn´t dare to disobey. "Alright Skipper. It´s your choice. Go to your bunk and I´ll get the drugs" he shighed. I felt some relieve suddenly, finally I will be able to get some sleep. Stunned I walked back to the main room. "Skipper, you know that this is not a great idea. Actually it´s quite dangerous" Private mumbled, utterly worried.

"I don´t care, Private. I need to sleep, otherwise I´ll collapse soon or something even worse, soldier. You need to understand me" I said, trying to calm him a little. When I laid down on my bunk, I saw Kowalski slowly walking towards me. He had a syringe in his flippers, with quite long needle. As much as I hated to get a shot, I had no other choice, I supposed.

"Okay, Skipper. I´ll give you the smallest dose I can give. You know, that you maybe never wake up again. I actually don´t know what could happen, if you are allergic to the drug. But it´s your choice. I´ll start when you´re ready" Kowalski said. So I made myself comfortable on my pillow and took a deep breath. "Ready" I whispered and felt how the needle had been thrust into my flipper veins.

I clenched my eyes when I felt the pain, but it was over soon. It worked quickly and my vision began to blurr. "Good night, Skipper" I heard Privates worried voice and felt he covered my body with my blanket. "Good night, men" I whispered back and yawned. All of the sudden, everything around me faded into black and I finally fell asleep.

I was so glad at first, but soon I heard a voice, that made my feathers ruffle from fear. " You can not escape me..." a girl´s voices sounded in my head and I knew, that I´m going to experience another nightmare...