Barbed Lives ☑️

18. Abs-orb

"Your core is practically zero, sir."
Instructor Charles tells me as Neil joins in.

"I'm sorry?"
To say that I was offended was an understatement.
I spent hours and hours working on my core. He can't call it zero at any cost.

"What?"
Neil asked a little surprised.

"You don't think so?"
Charles asked me with a pinch of challenge.

"No. Very much not."
I replied defensively.

"Why do you say so, Instructor?"
Neil asked him curiously.

"His plank timings are good for a cadet, not a class-I. One strong punch, and he's done for. He can't hold himself long, won't survive a clutching-to-a-tree camouflage for more than a few minutes."
Charles explained in detail while I gulped down dryly.

How can he underestimate me that casually?
I'm the best passing out cadet of my batch. I have to be something to earn that right?

Or may be he is right.
There's no point being an asshole keeping pride above truth.
He has seen hundred thousand men and his assessment about my stamina can't be wrong.

"You heard him?"
Neil asked me.

"Yes sir."
That I'm going to get fucked hard and fucked long.

He had a cold look on his face by now.
"My team is very small, James. You saw how one gets entry in the form of Kelly. You're lucky you didn't have to prove your worth to get in. But since I've decided to take you in, you have to clear some standards I've laid out for everyone in my team - including myself. And first requirement is to be fit enough not to be a danger to other team members. If you are in a state that Instructor says, you have a lot to work on. You don't have an option, I'll make you do that."
"Yes sir."
I say taking another gulp.

"Instructor Charles, special focus on his core. One hour extra everyday till he reaches your standards. I want him fit for my people."
Damnit!

"Trial officer, 5kg dumbbells."
And my fucking starts right now.

The hundred different types of crunches, plank sets and pull ups in that one hour had me weeping at the end of the day, everyday.
I've never felt this fragile, even in Academy.

I thought I was physically fit enough to blend in. Apparently not.

My German viva happened with me hanging upside down and pulling up crunches for every question asked.
For every mistake, I was supposed to hold up till Neil was sure my abs have engraved the correction. After a gruesome session with Charles, this is something I pray nobody has to go through.

With a promise of similar vivas coming up without any notice, my next two random tasks were first - Learn French and second - mug up all important history events with dates both ways.

I was given ten days time and I swear I wanted to back out then and there.
A whole fucking new language in fucking ten days with Neil on my ass and Charles on my abs! With another viva of World map lingering over any day any hour!
I was better off with Norman!

"Your book for Politics and French has been issued in your name. Collect it from the library."
Neil said untying my pale feet while I had the hardest time holding my weight with my hands keeping my cramped abs contracted.

"Yes, Neil."
I gritted my teeth but agreed to it nonetheless.

************************

"Up. Up. We're not done."
Charles, kindly go Fuck yourself.

I was glad I didn't have to wish that out loud.
Because it wasn't me who wasn't getting up quick. This time it was Neil.

He has been doing 20 Pushup+20 high knees+ 20 quick crunches for past ten minutes at godspeed. I wonder if his core is made of copper because he didn't stop even once.