I was dead tired with all the workouts I've done under all instructors this whole week. Add the barely countable sleep, I really felt sick. Like I won't be able to do the ten mile run with ten kg weight on my back tomorrow. I can see myself fainting in near future.

"What's wrong?"
Neil asked me concerned.

"Nothing, Sir. I mean nothing, Neil."
Damnit!

"You are not well. Stop lying. Show me your work cycle book."
I handed over my diary to him hesitantly and he went went through all the pages.

"That's all you've slept?"
He asked surprised.

I nodded a yes.
"That's inhuman! Why didn't you tell me before?"

"I didn't tell you even now."
I said and immediately regretted.
He is a CTO, not my buddy that I'm talking back to him so casually.

"I'm sor-"
"Shut up. You will not go for PT tomorrow."

"I can't skip that, Neil. Only if Major Norman gives me some other task, I'm allowed to skip. Otherwise I have to report to all the instructors of the camp everyday."
And all of them screw me hot.
There's not even a single one of those mo**erfuckers who goes easy on me.

"You'll not go PT tomorrow. Instead, you'll go to Med Care. I'll ensure that."
These two words rose my heartbeats.

"No Neil, please! I am ready to faint during the run and then go to med care. But no checkups please. They'll frame me as a weakling and I can not afford to get that stamped on my face."
"I didn't ask you anything. I told you what's going to happen tomorrow."
He said writing the time and 'permitted to sleep' and signed off.

"I've been there thinking the same. I was wrong. And so are you. Sleep tight."
He said softly and left.

God what is he going to do tomorrow?

-----------------------------------------------

"But sir-"
Norman was standing and so was I but it was just me who was shivering on the inside.

What exactly did Neil do that Norman is holding the phone so tightly that he might break it.
May be he's waiting for the Commander to cut the call and then break his phone.

Whatever breaks today, I hope it's not me. I'm not in a state to get mended.

"Yes sir."

Yes sir what?
Yes sir I'll screw him more?
Yes sir I'll kick him out of CCTC?
Yes sir I'll bring him to your office?
Yes sir I'll break his bones and make him sign?
Yes sir what?!

"Right sir. I'll send him rightaway."

I'll send him? Where?
God where am I going now?
Which hell?

Norman kept his receiver down and looked at me with fire in his eyes.
"What did you tell him?"
Tell whom?

"The Commander? Nothing sir. I didn't even meet-"
"Then how the hell did he come to know about your sleeping hours?"
He blasted on me.

Shit!
Neil went and told this to the commander?!
Is he out of his mind?

"I.. I don't know, sir."
I lied as innocently as I can.

"I'll see to it later. For now, go and report at the med care. You'll get further instructions there."
What?!

"Yes sir."
I say as I salute him and turn around.

Did Neil do all this?
He really turned each of his words true.

I entered the med care to find an officer there.
Major Richard Marks.

I saluted him and he smiled at me.
"How much did you sweat today?"

"Today has not yet started, sir."
I say much to my own surprise.

He laughed at my reply.
"The diary, please."
His tone was straight but respectful and healing. His figure emitted such positivity, I regretted not coming here earlier because of the stigma.

I handed those papers of hell to him.
He entered the date and time and signed with 'reported at Med Care. Adviced rest'.
Then he turned the pages back and once he was through, he looked up at me with wide eyes.

"How are you still walking?"
The tone of surprise was obvious.

"I'm trying my best, sir."
This time I gave him a straight answer.
Thank god for it, because I think I've lost control over my tongue.

"Go to that bed, untie your shoes and lie down. I'll be there to check your vitals in a minute."
He pointed towards the last bed.

I walked like a zombie in that direction.
Like a robot fed with instructions, I took off my shoes and socks and lied down.

I tried hard to keep my eyes open for those sixty seconds that I was supposed to wait for him.
I drifted off to a slumber while I heard Marks speaking to someone "You were right! He would have gone into hypo had you not... Yea he'll be out only after... Poor boy, didn't even..."
His voice kept muffling till it became a continuous hum and played as a lullaby for me.

I was out.

-----------------------------------------------

Green..
Why are these green curtains around me?
Where am I?
What happened?

I looked around and found an i.v. line up my vein in my left hand.

Oh damn.
I was at med care and I passed out.

"You're up! How are you feeling now?"
Marks came into my view and I nodded a pleasant yes.

"I feel much better. Thank you sir. How long was I out for?"
"Six hours and forty three minutes to be exact."
He laughed while I laid frozen.

"Six? But I'm only allowed two hours in one go. Shit! Remove this, sir. I need to report to Major Norman. This is a disaster!"
I moved around in a rush.

"Stop. Stay still."
His commanding voice held me back.

"What did he tell you before leaving?"
"Report at med care. Further instructions will be given there."

"So you did exactly as you were ordered. And what instruction did I give you?"
"Go and lie down."
Shit. He never told me to sleep off.
Fuck I'm dead.

"You look like you've seen a ghost."
He laughed at me.

"I really wish I did, than this happening to me, sir. Major Norman is going to -"
"Do nothing. You were following his orders only, weren't you?"

"But you never told me to sleep off. That too for more than two hours!"
"That means you didn't hear me completely. Or may be you were out cold before I told you to sleep like a donkey."
He laughed and I scoffed at myself.

"I really did sleep like one."
"Your body needed that. I'm impressed you kept your machinery working despite next to zero rest."

"I had no other option, sir."
"You could have reported ill."
He said politely.

"I can't. I won't. Sorry if I offended you, sir, but I can't."
"I understand that. But if this is how you're going to live, you'll pay me such visits more frequently."
He laughed lightly.

"When can I get this out?"
I pointed at the i.v. line.

"Soon." he said as he picked up his phone.
"He's awake, sir.... Right sir."

That was the jerk Norman! And he has told Marks to kick my ass and send me to him.

"Lie down for another ten minutes."
Marks said stopping the wheels in my brain with a screech.

"Ten minutes? Are you sure, sir?"
He sounded so confident with the time.

"Absolutely. Don't worry, you are under my observation right now."
He said jingling my diary in his hand.

Thank god all this is accounted. Though I still don't know how Norman is going to make me pay for so much rest.

"Up and shining!"
That was definitely Neil.
He looked happier than me for me getting six fucking hours of sleep.

"Thanks to you, Neil."
He looked at me with raised eyebrows signalling me to correct myself. While I used my pea sized brain to understand what I did wrong, Richard looked at both of us and said just one word.

"Neil?"
Shit!
Shit shit shit!

"... sir. Neil sir."
I completed my statement and Neil smiled barely enough to let me know that I'm in for a ride.

"Why was he not given even ten hours rest in six days?"
Richard asked him.

"Sir, they want him out. Any how. Simple."
"But that's inhuman!"
Richard looked at me with pity.

"We'll get a solution soon."
Neil smirked.
Oh god what is he going to do now?

"What solution, sir?"
I asked him hesitatingly.

"Commander's solution. He'll be here any moment."
Neil said looking at his watch.

"What?! Why is he coming here?"
I jumped up.

"To see your state. Your senior called him up and asked him to come see you himself."
Richard told me pointing at Neil who showed me his teeth proudly.

"Me?! Coming to see me? What have you done! Sir!"
I asked Neil.
What on earth is he thinking?

Major Richard left the room realising that it's almost time.

Did I do a wrong thing in trusting him?
What if he's in their team, trying to kick me out by proving that I'm weak?
Oh god have I trusted the wrong person here?

"Stop shouting at me and most of all, stop doubting me. I'm here for your good."
Neil said with clenched jaw. His smile was long gone.
He looked hurt as if he heard my thoughts.

I was feeling guilty but I didn't know what to make of all this.

"Good afternoon, sir."
I heard Richard's voice from outside.

"Don't you have a mouth? What if you had fallen somewhere and broken your bones? You're scared of us breaking them, so you're trying to do this to yourself, huh?"
Suddenly Neil started blasting on me with his voice through the roof.

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Mmm.. What was that?? 👀

And my poor boy went through so much that he passed out! How cruel!

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PS- Have you guys checked my Instagram page? I'm having fun hosting the questionnaires! Go check it out if you haven't yet.
Username - justdream431

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