Rebel

Chapter Thirty Seven

    "...Strength, loyalty, integrity, respect, intelligence, courage, obedience, compassion. These are only a few of the attributes that a true hunter of Sanctuary should have. In order to be taken seriously in the field, you have to master all of these values and more. For the next few days we will be working tirelessly to earn our trust and respect. Once we have your undying loyalty, then we will start training you at your weapon and combat skills. We take trust very seriously..."

I yawned and shifted my weight to the other foot. I was standing in a straight line of people whose backs were straight as rulers and whose eyes were pinned on the back wall. I didn't know how they'd stood there perfectly still for so long. I was slouching and looking around and I was dying.

"Miss Cordell."

I sighed and wearily glanced up to see my "combat instructor" staring down her nose at me. Her arms were pinned behind her back and her lips were pressed into a thin line.

"Er... yes?"

Somehow, her lips managed to press tighter together. "Tell me, whose permission must an apprentice seek before they are allowed to begin target practice?"

I blinked up at her, racking my brain. How on earth was I supposed to know this? "Um... her trainer?"

My instructor just glared at me for a moment. I glared back at her because I didn't know what else to do. "That is false. The apprentice is to seek her commanding officer's approval at the end of every stage. I recommend you listen from now on if you have any hope of succeeding in Sanctuary."

I stared up at her. "I have no hope of succeeding anywhere, let alone this strict dump of a place. You call yourselves the rebellion and yet you set so many rules that I have to watch when I blink."

"That's 20 burpees and an hour of writing lines for talking back." My instructor spat, "Now shut your mouth and listen." With that, she turned on her heel and began lecturing us on loyalty and trust.

Despite her warnings, I didn't listen. For the rest of the class I just stared at the wall and wished I was anywhere other than where I was. Why did I have to be at this stupid "rebellion?" Why did Morsie have to be evil and want to take over the world? And why the heck can't I find a home?! I'm cursed!

Finally, I was snapped out of my thoughts when the instructor yelled, "Dismissed!"

"Finally." I muttered, tuning towards the door.

"Cordell!" I heard the instructor call, "You stay."

I huffed and stopped walking. Some random kid snickered at me as he walked past me. I glared at him, and forced myself to turn around and face my instructor. She was standing at the front of the room with her arms crossed and her lips down turned. It wasn't long before the room cleared, and soon it was me and her.

"Do you know why I made you stay after, Cordell?" my instructor asked, eyeing me with a distasteful look.

"Maybe because you have way too high of standards." I muttered.

"Speak up!"

I sighed, "I'm not sure, Ma'am." I said, looking at her warily.

"I kept you here because you have potential." She said, stepping towards me and looking down like I was prey that she was going to play with before eating, "And you are putting it to waste. Do you have any idea how valuable your ability is? With power such as yours, we could defeat Cathleen Morsie. All it takes is your focus."

"Uh huh." I said, scratching the back of my head, "Now can I go get some food? I usually eat dinner around this time, and I bet my friends are waiting."

"Is this all some kind of joke to you?"

"It is. I'm glad you noticed."

The instructor's face turned red as a tomato, and for a moment I thought she was gonna slap me, but then she turned around and slowly counted down from ten. I sat there watching her, trying not to chuckle, but I quickly made a serious face when she turned back around.

"Listen kid," the instructor said slowly, as if trying to get her words to sink in, "The rebellion is the last hope the world has. Whether or not you focus during training could be the difference between success and defeat."