CHAPTER THREE

'Sir, yes sir,' They all parroted. Dante ground her teeth audibly as Mr Large strolled up and down the centre of the dormitory. She was fully prepared to switch off during any upcoming speeches, but then Mr Large stopped in front of her.

'Now, sweet-cheeks,' Mr Large said, rolling back and forth on his heels. 'I've heard an awful lot about you, dear.'

'Have you really, sir?' Dante said, fighting to get the sigh out of her voice. She had seen care workers like this before. They could make you life hell or heaven, it just depended which side you got stacked onto.

'That sounded like back chat. Did that sound like back chat to you, Smith?' Mr Large barked suddenly, his face only half an inch from Dantes. He continued without waiting for an answer from his helper. 'You know what happens to back chatters in Basic training, number four?'

'No sir' Dante said with a feeling she was about to find out what. She could see the other six recruits glancing at her from the end of their beds.

'They don't get dinner. In fact, they don't get breakfast tomorrow, either. Neither does any else.' Large finished with a sick grin. Dante just nodded, making a mental note to apologise to the team later. That's what they were now. A team.

The next days passed in a blur of sweat, heat and cold showers. The team did the best they could to help each other out, but it was obvious that they were only doing it because they might need help later. Each meal was eaten, in silence. Each training exercise was completed, in silence. Each brief moment between bed and sleep was conducted, in silence.

The penultimate day was coming to an end. Tomorrow was the one hundredth and last day of basic training. Ten had dwindled to nine, then to seven. Dante felt sorry for them. She, unlike the others, didn't feel the fatigue and ache in her bones; but now as they looked on at the huge packs they were to carry across the desert, she was glad she was different.

'Each one of you lovely urchins has one pack to carry, one hundred miles and one day. You will start at one o'clock tomorrow morning with one cantina of water. If you do not get to the final base your whole one hundred days will account for one big fat nothing.' Mr Large said as a goodnight and flicked off the light in their temporary base.

Dante waited for thirty seconds to be sure he had gone before she spoke in a whisper 'Guys, we need a plan.' There was a whisper of movement and a ripping sound, before a dull lantern was alight in the middle of the room. There was a scramble as everyone sat in a circle around it.

'Those backpacks look pretty big. . .' Dante mumbled. Everyone knew what she meant. Dante could carry two of those until she passed out without every feeling the need to put them down.

'They should be manageable. The shoulder straps look well padded.' Said a boy, number two.

Dante nodded, 'I'll take any extra weight if it gets to much. Just don't let me pass out.' It wasn't all about her safety – It was an unpleasantly curious feeling when you body shut itself down for no apparent reason. It left her feeling sluggish when she came around.

'Thanks' a girl, Gloria, smiled in the dim lamplight. Unbeknown to Large, Gloria had twisted her ankle the other day, and hadn't been able to take much at all. Dante nodded curtly. It was unfair that Gloria should quit this far in.

'Now, we've only got one Cantina each. I reckon we should drink as much as possible before we get headed, and try and go as far as we can at night-' said number eight.

'That's another problem – we don't want to have to take many layers off if it gets to hot in the sunlight. Maybe we should take some of the scarfs, then we can tie them around our waists . . .' the ideas flew around and around.

'Shh!' Dante said suddenly. Nobody breathed as Mr Larges camp bed squeaked from through the wall. Then there was silence. 'O-Kay' Dante breathed. 'We should catch some sleep else we'll all be sleepwalking there.'

It was like a promise of chocolate after homework. It was like a warm fire in the snow. It was like a saviour – and Dante could see it. It was still far across the desert, and time was ticking away, but she could see it.

'Yes!' She cheered. 'Oh god, it's there, come on guys!' Dante said, wrapping Gloria's arm around her shoulder. Nobody said anything, but there were a few smiles amid the panting. Left foot. Right foot. Left foot; Right foot. Left foot, right foot. Left, Right, Left right. She was running now. Everyone was running. Running towards the Blue concrete building that looked so cool against the burning sand.

'We're here!' She called as she set Gloria on a bed. Mr Large came out of an adjoining room.

'What? All of you?' Mr Large almost moaned in disappointment.

'Yes. All of us, sir.' Dante grinned. 'One team, one pack per person, one empty cantina per person and . . .'Dante looked at her watch, 'one hour to spare.'

'Fine. You've all passed basic training.' They had done it. Mr Large just nodded to the water coolers and left them. Dante began to move towards them, and she felt a sluggish reluctance in her legs. One step and she looked down, only to find her self curling and collapsed onto the cool stone floor.

Hey guys. Sorry it's been soooo long in updating, but I've had comp. troubles. Plus I didn't know who to put one hundred days of boredom onto paper. =S I hope it wasn't that bad, I know I skipped the whole middle chunk out, but I thought it would get repetitive. Please REVIEW because you love me XD

Thanks, all coments welcome!