Training The Ensign

TTE: 10

Chapter Ten: Salute

"I'm talking to you, Mendoza."

Allistaire fixed the cap he's wearing while Jaxtin, on the other hand, looked at us with a weird face.

"Sir aye Sir," I said, saying yes. I'm fine now, Allistaire. Thanks to you.

"Good. Now go back in line."

Pagkatapos no'n ay tinalikuran niya 'ko. Sungit! Kunwari ka pa, nagaalala ka rin naman.

Walang choice na bumalik kami ni Jaxtin sa pila. We're now going to play a game. Well, they say it's a game but is there really a game during Approval Day? It's always a challenge.

"Hahatiin namin kayo into five groups. The game would be paunahan makatapos. You see these ping pong balls, right? Dadapa kayo sa sahig ng gym at hihipan niyo ang pingpong balls paikot hanggang sa makarating sa next player ng grupo niyo."

So technically, we're gonna be sweepers. Sana ayon nalang ang sinabi nila. Pinaganda pa nila pakinggan.

"Bibilang kami ng one to five, ha."

"Two," bilang sa'kin ng Corps Adjutant. They are now starting to count one by one to form our groups.

Pumila ako sa mga kasamahan kong number two rin ang bilang. "Wait for the signal before starting," the Commandant said. We have to win or atleast not lose because the group that will lose will have another freaking challenge.

"Go!"

It's a good thing that I'm in the middle of the line. Hindi ako mape-pressure bilisan dahil hindi ako ang unang sumabak sa challenge.

"Bilisan mo!"

"Ang bagal mo gumapang!"

"Hoy, bilis naman!"

"Ang init!"

I can feel the pain of the players just by looking at them. The ground's hot because of the shining sun. Alas dos palang kasi. Tapos ang iba'y may sugat pa dahil sa mga pinagawa kanina. Oh, and my knee still hurt so how the hell should I crawl?

Busy ako sa pagiisip ng paraan kung paano ako gagapang ng bigla akong kalabitin ng isang babaeng officer. Ang Vice Corps Commander.

"Mendoza?"

"Ma'am Mendoza, Ma'am," I answered.

"Hmm... How old are you?" She asked.

"Ma'am fourteen, Ma'am."

"Do you join pageants or something?" Ba't biglaan naman yata ang mga tanungan ni Ma'am Poliyo?

"Ma'am aye Ma'am." Yes, I said. I sometimes join eco- pageants at Mom's work and join sport pageants at school.

"Hmmm. Kaya pala." With that, she left. Kaya pala? Weird ng mga tao dito, ha.

When it was finally my turn to crawl. I did my best to not slide my right knee on the ground to avoid hurting myself even more. Ang init nga ng sahig! Ba't kasi dito kami sa hindi covered court na gym, e.

Hinipan ko ng buong lakas ang ping pong ball. Ang likot niya. Mukha na 'kong uod na gumagapang rito, God! We're not allowed to touch the ping pong ball, too. That's why it's so hard.

"Go, Ri!" I heard a classmate shout.

"Bagal, Mendoza!" E kung ikaw kaya rito!? Sino ba 'yon, ha!

I sighed heavily when I finished blowing the ping pong ball towards the other side of the gym. My knees hurt so I decided to go near the medics to wash it.