CHERUB: Fitting in...

Ooh, two updates in one day... I must be bored...

Chapter 11

I woke up early on the first day of basic training. I stretched, quickly getting up and looking out of the window into the pitch black night. Glancing at the clock, I sighed. It was two AM, plenty of time to get everything ready before getting down to the compound . I went over to my desk, having seen a small pile of clothing there, which I guessed were for basic training. I took one look at the clothes, and shook my head. They were torn and muddy, as if no one had bothered to clean them after their previous owners.

I rolled my eyes, but soon set to work, washing the clothes in the sink in the bathroom attached to my room. I would have gone down to the washing rooms, but I didn't want to wake everyone up at this time in the morning.

I contented myself with getting the mud and a few of the stains out of the clothes before wringing them out, taking note of the number on the back. Number eleven. Fair enough. I searched through the drawers of my desk, taking out a needle and thread, starting to repair most of the rips. I glanced at the clock as I worked. Half past three. I still had time to grab a quick snack before running to the compound.

The clothes were nearly dry by the time I had finished my light breakfast of a small bowl of cereal and a glass of water. I had hung them over the radiator while I ate. I now ran a critical eye over my work. As much as I wanted to take my own clothes, I had guessed that they wouldn't give me these unless I was supposed to wear them. The black thread that I had used to repair all the rips stood out against the light blue shirt, but I dismissed that. Light blue wasn't a colour that I tended to use, and I had opted for the extra strong thread, going by the reports on basic training from everyone else.

I glanced at the clock again. Ten past four. I should be getting a move on if I didn't want to turn up late. I threw on the clothes, ignoring the fact that they were slightly damp, grabbed my cloak and the small bag that I had packed with the bare things that I thought I would need. I glanced at the clock once more before leaving. I had half an hour to get to the fenced in compound before training started, and I was slightly worried. Yes, I wanted to get through basic training, but I was slightly apprehensive. I shook my head mentally at myself. I had been through ten years with the assassin guild. That should have prepared me for this.

I arrived outside the compound with five minutes to spare. I glanced at the others that were waiting. The twins, Callum and Connor were there, along with Kerry and, my heart sank when I saw this, Melanie. I had been avoiding that girl ever since the little 'accident', mainly to save both our necks from getting into trouble again. My hand strayed subconsciously to the half-healed scar on my neck, taking a deep breath. I would get through this. I swore an oath to myself that I would not let petty arguments get between myself and the completion of this course.

At exactly five o'clock, the gates into the compound were opened by the three training instructors. One of them was Norman Large. He gave me a slight nod, as if acknowledging my presence there. The second instructor, I guessed, was a woman, even though she was built like a mountain, and probably resembled one more than she resembled a woman in fact. I suppressed a shudder. She reminded me of Master Mammoth, one of the instructors from the Guild. Not one to be crossed... The other instructor there was another man, who was clearly muscular, but not built like a mountain. I took a deep breath as they led us into the compound and closed the gates after us. Well, I was here now. I was in basic training. I looked around the group of us there and realised something. There were supposed to be twelve of us there (I had read with a hopeless feeling of despair that Melanie was number twelve), but there were only eleven of us. Where was James?

James turned up later, in all his magnificence (I think you can sense the sarcasm behind that one). Large had taken a sadistic pleasure in making us wait for him. We had to crouch on the balls of our feet with our hands on our heads. My calf muscles were screaming at me to stand up, and it took all of my willpower not to move. I kept my eyes closed, forcing my mind to think of something else, to ignore the pain. I could hear my fellow trainees occasionally shifting their weight, trying to lessen the suffering. I knew that this was only the beginning of the torture that Large was going to put us through, and I tried to prepare myself mentally. This was going to one long 100 days...

James didn't just take a few minutes to arrive. He took hours. My mind had already turned to thoughts of what I was going to do to him as soon as I cleared basic training. It actually helped to take my mind of my loudly complaining muscles. I glared at him as he shook my hand, as Large had told him to do to all of the trainees. I could almost feel him squirming with embarrassment. Good.

I stood to attention as Large started his introductory speech. Her heart sank even further as he announced the pairs they were working in. I'm paired up with MELANIE?! Of all the people... I was brought out of my thoughts by Large's bellowing command to 'get our butts out there on the combat course'. I mentally pulled a face, jogging outside, ignoring my partner as she started to run alongside me.

I looked at the first obstacle as it loomed in the distance, the height obstacle. I glanced at Melanie. She suddenly looked pale. I grabbed the rope, meaning to climb up, but Melanie was looking at it, her face giving the impression that she was going to be sick.

"Don't tell me you're scared of heights," I said, to her.

"Don't tell them, they think I got over my fear." Melanie squeaked back. I rolled my eyes.

"Ok, seeing as we're partners now, let's put our differences aside for now. In 100 days, we go back to avoiding each other. Deal?"

"Ok..." She didn't sound at all pleased.

"Right, now let's climb!"

Only 99 more days to go...