"Another M.E.?!"
Blundell exclaimed.

"Didn't we go for one just yesterday?"
Nelson asked dramatically rolling his eyes.

"Last Friday. That was one week ago."
I replied chuckling.

"One week? It's one week already?! How's that possible?"
Blundell was overreacting now.

"It's possible when you get drunk every night for six days straight and end up sane on the day we're supposed to go for the next Map Exercise."
I tried to keep my voice humourless.

My answer made Neil and Kelly crack while they check each bag for the third time.

"I think that's enough. You guys have counted everything thrice! You're freaking me out now."
Marks told Kelly.

"Last time we missed one compass. Just one. And we walked hungry and thirsry for six hours extra. I'm sure you don't want to go through it again, right Marks?"
Neil replied angrily on Kelly's behalf.

It's funny how things have turned out.
We can call each other by just our names whenever we want, and nobody minds.
Look at Neil scolding his senior using just his name.

Well Marks deserved it anyways. He was jiggling with the compass right before we left for our ME and forgot to keep it back.
Result - Charles was so angry that he refused to help us get back to our location making us realise the importance of that small thing. We had to walk eight miles extra with more than ten kgs on each of our backs with all food and water exhausted because we couldn't decide the correct direction. After getting back, Neil and Kelly were appointed to ensure that all items as per list are present in each of our bags before we leave for the next ME. No wonder they were doing their best to escape Charles's wrath should anything go missing again.

Marks was the villain that night and paid for our drinks for the whole week as a punishment.

"Alright Neil, Sorry. Go check it again. But I'll wait outside till you finish."
He replied with his hands raised in surrender.

I chuckled and Neil passed that glare to me.
I shook my shoulders in a 'I didn't do anything' motion.

Both of them went back to their work and I gave the papers in my hand a last read.
It was the task we were supposed to do tonight. Like a mini mission - just to reach the location, mark our arrival and come back to point zero.

Yeah sounds easy.
Except that we need a full eight hour sleep and three meals combined after coming back.
It's an exhausting exercise - requiring both brain and body.
With each passing minute and step, the direction to our destination changes. It doesn't take away just our time, but energy as well. The lectures are too boring to survive awake till the end and learn the art while sitting on our asses. That's why this weekly hands-on training to learn the art of following map on ground.

Did I ever mention that Charles is a bitch?
Because if I didn't, here's the reason why - he is the fucking brain behind us going for this ME every week for six sessions atleast.
And bastard chooses the most cloudy, stormy and humid locations to make it worse for us.

I get his point- we should be perfect and confident instead of walking around like zombies in the park. But there's a limit to getting on the nerves of fucking eight humans all at once!

Deep breaths, Dwight.

"Alright. I think I cracked this one."
I announce and everyone sobered up hurdling around me.

"We can't go by the pole star this time. It's a cloudy sky. We just stick with the north of our compasses and use degress that I communicate over our walkie talkies. We go out in the same teams as we went last time. I'll keep explaining the coding while we walk so that none of us lose focus and feel tired. Everyone fine with it?"

"You're a life saver, James. I'm glad we got you."
Marks spoke patting my bag.

"Pleasure."
I reply when I saw everyone looking at me respectfully.

Neil nodded at me and we all got to our feet ready to go out again.
Charles this better be the last ME or I'm going to fucking smother you in your sleep.

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

"Hey that was easy!"
"And quick!"
"And it made total sense! Why don't you take those ME lectures?"
"Yeah they sound too boring! You seem to have better sense of directions and geography."

I heard my men talking into the earpiece while we almost walked back to point Zero.

"You mean to say that I should walk upto the guy who has been teaching this science for over fifteen years and tell him that he's doing a shitty job and that he should just fuck off? Sounds like a very safe thing to do. Thanks, but I'll pass."
I reply testing the waters with Neil.
I just swore deliberately and there's no way he missed it.

"I saw what you did there, James."
Damn right he did!
"I'll let this one slide because you saved the night for all of us. But don't pull this stunt again, it'll bite you harder. For everyone else, tonight's drinks on me."

"Thank you milord!"
I replied and everyone laughed.

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

"Why are you looking at me like that? You're making me uncomfortable!"
Neil said awkwardly.

"Are you that handsome?"
I asked him and he choked on his beer.

"Huh? Are you sick?"
Neil disgusted and I laughed loudly.

"I've been noticing this during our evening runs. Girls turn back to get another glimpse at you whenever you cross them. Either you're too handsome, or you have a tail that I never noticed. Can you turn around?"
"Shut up James!"
He shouted making me laugh even more.

"Why are you yelling?"
Marks entered just in time and Neil made an 'Ah great' face.

"He thinks I'm making cheap remarks on him."
I said sipping my beer.

"Cheap? Well you can, if you're jealous of all the female attention he gets."
Marks said coming and sitting right across me.

"That's just great! Now there's two of you!"
Neil said annoyed but clearly blushing.

"You want me to call more?"
Marks asked and I couldn't stop my laughter.

"For god's sake, No! And so what if I have their attention? It's not that I'm asking for it or calling everyone to look at me!"
Neil sat with a thump on the chair next to us.

"Yeah. Poor guy, carrying a burden of this beauty."
Marks scoffed taking a sip of his brandy.

"I'm in no mood to discuss anyone's beauty. Mine, his, yours, anybody else's - no one's. Can we discuss about something important?"
He asked begging us to be serious.

"Like what? Women who ogle you?"
I teased him.

"God, no!"
He got up annoyed again.

"Why not? You're young. Girls have eyes on you. Why don't you go out with someone? It will help with your cockiness a bit."
Marks said and I sat with my breath hitched.

"I don't need a girl to help me with anything. Now since you guys are in a mood to discuss nothing but garbage, I'll excuse myself."
Neil picked up his drink with clenched teeth and stormed out.

"Poor boy. Missing out on a beautiful feeling."
Marks said taking another sip.

"Well you seem to know about it in detail, huh? You and Sarah are going on too well - is that why?"
I asked him grabbing my mug of beer and he just swoop his shoulders down at the mention of his girlfriend's name.

"Yeah. I never knew we'd click so good. She understands me so well it's overwhelming. I've never felt so special before. Sarah lights up my mood in an instant! Trust me James, women bring magic in lives of other people. I just hope Neil lets one improve his life."
He sighed.

I couldn't help but notice the wide smile on his face when he talked about Sarah.
Love really changes you for good.

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

NEIL!
My man!
😁😁😁
Yeah I switched teams! 😂

Sometimes I want to put up the pictures of these men the way I see them in my head. All stupid and dramatic hulks. That would be so 🔥

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

But who feels love in the air?
Well I definitely do, so you guys should too. 😉😉

Vote and COMMENT your feelings!