The Kids

The Kids getting Older

A Chapter by Matty Bosox

Enjoy

....Alright each one

of you gets one of these beautiful swords, lightweight, indestuctible, and very lethal in the right hands...(He grabs each one and tosses one at a time to each of the kids...Arayna tries to grab the blade and causes a huge laceration across her hand as the blade drops...Arayna stands at attention trying to hold in the pain as blood drips from her hand to the floor and Roberts slowly walks up to her and shakes his head in dissapointment) Your on a roll today Arayna....I obviously can't punish you for something you punished yourself with...You will stand there and let it bleed until I am done talking (Getting in her face) and if I hear one little whimper it'll be one-handers with the cut...(Arayna just stands at attention with a blank expression as Roberts walks up and down the center of the bunks) Now...As I was saying...These are your new toys as Arayna just displayed they are extremely sharp and very deadly....Now I must say it has been awe inspiring to watch you six use those .50 cals as beautifully as conducting a symphony orchestra...I can't wait to unlock your close range combat skills with these babies...That being said, these swords, like your guns, will never leave your side...They will be an extension of you...You will take them everywhere with you...If I ever see any of you without it on your possession for even one second it will be 400 push-ups...That just reminded me, in all this excitement I almost forgot about our daily morning 200...(Roberts just knods his head and all six drop to the ground and start doing push-ups...Roberts walks over to Arayna whose hand is still bleeding terribly as she painfully keeps up with her companions doing her push-ups in a puddle of blood...Roberts kneels and whispers to her) If you start feeling feint you tell me...understand...

Arayna: (Continuing her regiment with a look of determination) Yes Sir!!!!!

(As hard as Roberts was on the kids they took it in stride and became even harder inside...Susan Mansfield was very impressed with the reports that Roberts would send her...No signs of emotional problems...Everything the six soldiers did was a command..Roberts would even go to great lengths in the next couple years as they matured, to push the boundries...try and anger them...try and make them jealous, insecure, or insignificant..It never worked...The young heroes passed with flying colors....Up until their 17th birthday when they would be set on the ultimate test, to rise up and face the world, the six would endure the same extreme excercises...200 push-ups along with 300 sit-ups as soon as they awoke....After that, target and gun practice....Then they would run laps around the underground tunnels....Followed by extreme sword and close combat training with some of the finest martial arts and weapons instructors Mansfield could find....Finally the day had come for the six to take the ultimate leap and face the world...Never having seen the sun, feeling the wind on their faces, the rain falling from the skies....For some it would be exciting for others, the most terrifying thing in their lives...Its been a quick 17 years and a proud General Roberts, hair a bit more grey, skin a bit more weathered, watches his students eat their last meal in what he nicknamed "The Devils Hole"...In another 4 hours they would face the scariest test and take the elevator ride...)

Roberts: (With his arms crossed and watching his students eat with a smile on his face) Can I have eveybodies attention please....(They all quickly stop eating and stand at attention, Arayna's fork she was using drops to the ground)

Arayna: (Looking around and quickly dropping to do push-ups) Sorry sir!!!!

Roberts: (Laughing) Arayna, get up dear...(Arayna pauses, looking up at Roberts with a shocked look....He extends his arm to help her up) Come on...(Helping her up) Don't you guys know...this is it!!! Last day of school!!! Today we impress the hell outta those suit wearing a******s...I must say (Playfully rubbing Winter's head) you guys turned out (Patting Faze on the shoulder) to make me doubt myself...That is a hard thing to do...

Mason: We will not let you down Sir...

Roberts: (Smiling as he grabs Mason by the shoulders) I don't doubt that for one second Mason...But there is one thing that I want you guys to know...I hate making you go up there...I don't care what amount of punishment they made me put you through down here there is stuff you kids really don't need to know about....

Winter: Sorry to interupt Sir but haven't we seen all the videos about the death, the loss, the drugs, the sex, all of that stuff....(Looking at her teammates with confidence) I know I am ready...

Roberts: (Patting Winter on the arm) I'm glad to see most of you are so eager to impress...Winter, Mason, you two have been my best students...Not that I am judging any of you...but I must say if I had to recruit a leader it would be one of you two...

Arayna: (Putting her head down) I know I could never be a leader of anything...

Winter: Damn right about that (Laughing) unless its being a screw-up...

Roberts: (Kicking the back of Winter's chair) And I thought I wouldn't have to do this to anybody this morning....

Winter: (Sighing as she quickly drops to the ground) How many???

Roberts: (Playfully tugging on Arayna's ear and whispering to her) How many hun??

Arayna: (Giving Winter an angry stare as Winter just gives her a cocky smirk) Go easy Sir...

Roberts: (Shrugging his shoulders in suprise) Ok then, gimme a quick 100 (Whispering to Arayna) Your all leaders to me sweety...(She smiles as Roberts walks out of the room) You guys make me proud today...Remember no fear!!!

Sage: (Looking over at Summer as she sits and stares at her food with a sad look) Hey, sexy, (Giving Summer a big smile as he gets up and sits next to her) whats your problem???

Summer: (Pointing up and rolling her eyes) I don't wanna talk right now Sage...

Sage: (Looking up and shaking his head) Ya know Summer, I really don't think its gonna be that bad up there..

Summer: (Tears rolling down her eyes as she pushes Sage away and storms into the bathroom) Just leave me alone Sage!!!

Mason: (Laughing as he talks and eats with Arayna and Faze, suddenly Summer catches his eye as she runs into the bathroom and he looks at Sage with bad intentions) What the hell was that?!?!

Sage: (Shrugging his shoulders in shock) I don't know, I asked her what was wrong and she just darted...

Mason: (Looking down as he continues to eat and shaking his head and getting up, going after her) I know exactly whats wrong...Don't worry I got this...

Faze: (Using a napkin to wipe around his mouth as he smiles) Go get her cowboy...

Arayna: (Smiling at Faze and shaking her head) Cowboy????

Faze: (Playfully putting Arayna in a headlock) Shut up clutzo..

Mason: (Slowly opening the door to the bathroom) Everybody not decent better get so quick...(Jokingly)

Summer: (Sitting with her legs up across the counter, wiping the tears from her eyes) Leave me alone Mason...please...

Mason: (Jumping up and sitting beside her by the sink, smacking her leg) Now you know me...I can't leave my best girl alone when she is looking like this...

Summer: (Trying to push him away) Come on Mason, seriously...get out there and "lead"

Mason: (Smirking as she smiles slightly) There she is...hey don't be jealous the big General thinks I'm the best of the best...Although it is true..

Summer: (Clapping sarcastically) Theres that typical Mason cocky attitude we all know and love...You just remember who kicked your a*s in our last sparring session...

Mason: Well, you know I have to let you win...Let ya feel good about yourself every now and then...

Summer: (Rolling her eyes) Oh brother...

Mason: (Smiling as he wipes the tears off her cheeks) Come on, seriously, I've never seen you like this...I don't think any of us ever....cried....

Summer: Well thanks..and your right...I don't know..it just kinda started...and no its not very fun...I just...I don't know Mason...I'm scared alright...For the first time in my whole life I know what it feels like to be scared of something....

Mason: I'll be honest hun, I think we all are....I mean when you really think about it we have never left this hole...But try to think about it in a good way...

Summer: Yeah...Like what...

Mason: Well...remember that movie he used to ALWAYS make us watch...it was called Earth...

Summer: (Laughing) Oh my god, you just brought back some great memories there....We watched that movie like seven times a day...

Mason: Just imagine that in real life though Summer....How amazing and beautiful it can be up there...Personally I'm sick of the color grey...

Summer: (Shaking her head with a big smile) I don't know how you do it Mason...You are gonna make a great leader...You always find something good about every situation...

Mason: (Playfully slapping her back and jumping down off the counter) Alright then chicky lets go back out there and get ready for the world...What ya say??

Summer: (Rolling her eyes and rubbing them with a smile) Alright (Slowly rolling down off the counter and onto her feet) lets go do this...

Mason: (Putting his arm around her shoulder as they walk out of the bathroom) So you would really choose me over Miss perfect as a leader...

Summer: (Playfully punching his arm) Of course not...are you kidding...Winter is waybetter than you...(They both laugh)