Path to Secrecy

The Rage

"Aralana."

It was important to get rid of the voices blasting through to my ears, the rustling sound of bed sheets affirmative in bringing partial serenity and peace in my mind.

Get up!"

I waved off the fluttered touch against my arm and rolled over, an unfamiliar squeaking sound piercing through to my ears again. My eyelids twitched as I continued to regain consciousness, lack of energy and motivation. If only I could sleep, just for, maybe a couple of-"

"Wake up, for God's sake!"

I sprung upright in bed, blinking away sleepiness and lethargy. An unusual sticky feeling coated my upper body and I grimaced, looking down, pulling the sweat soaked jumper from my skin that I'd worn last night. Stripping it off, it fell onto my lap in a bundle. Only then had I realised where I was.

In the barracks.

Watching people race against the sunrise.

Dressing up in an army uniform.

Oh shit.

I clambered out of bed, no adrenaline helping me to stand. I fell to my knees and shook my head, continuously blinking away the sudden arrival of drowsiness. God, note to self, never consider hitting the sheets after twelve and expecting a sunny awakening.

"Ara, come on, it's almost time to hit the fields."

I nodded absently, standing onto my feet like a toddler learning to walk for the first time. Placing a hand on my lower back, I grunted as several crack relieved my aching spine. I almost laughing at how I resolved from a toddler to a torn old fart. Azalea moved fast, tucking her pants into her boots, before lacing it up. Rahul and Angus were nowhere to be seen and I gulped at the thought of last night's chain of events. Whipping my hair into a bun without a hair-tie in support, I stared down at my bare legs and searched for my missing trousers, only to have something thrown at my head.

"Whoa what the-?!" I tugged the material off my head and sighed when I found it to be my missing pants. Hopping into them, I stripped off the white tank top I'd worn underneath, leaving me in a sports bra. Grabbing the service shirt from my duffle, I threw it on before my boots and made a quick dash out of the barracks and down to the bathrooms. The sun was still making a slow presence, generous amounts of sunlight beaming over the rapid river.

Slapping on a strip of toothpaste on my toothbrush, I did quick work of scrubbing my teeth, spitting several times to quicken my pace. Tossing handfuls of water on to my face, I stared at my reflection in the mirror. My blue orbs were bright and furious from the lack of sleep. Traces of red veins connecting to the pupil of my eyeballs, added extra effect to my noticeable lack of sleep, but it wasn't something that would deter me from quitting. No that was far from it. I had enough will power to exterminate every notion ready to fail my success. All I had hoped for was it to go as it was. Not stuff up at the time of my productive flow. I wiped my face with my service shirt and yanked open the door, strolling past cadets and up to the barracks.

I was making quick works of jogging back while securing my hair with the hair-tie around my wrist when I caught the smirk of someone. Hiding my own smile, I jutted my chin, acknowledging Angus who worked at pushing the rolls of haystack to the corner of the fields. He winked at me, effortlessly doing his duty as I shook my head and jogged off, a smile finally kissing my lips.

"Have you seen my cap?"

I looked up just as I walked into the barracks, Azalea arching a brow at me with her hands on her hips and her eyes searching each corner. "No?" I responded in monotone.