Paradise Lost

Chapter 3

George and Rigo were joined at the hip when I was very young. So, this didn't really surprise me. I know Rigo would have worried a lot when he saw my name appear on the list of new recruits being trained for the frontlines. Then again, we both knew that my name would have appeared eventually. The army is a strange way for me and my brothers to escape what our father does to us when we are home. I think the whole extended time away from home this job brings is a huge bonus. Our mother is devastated that it must be this way. She cried when Rigo left for the first time and then again when Kyle left for the first time. She is probably crying over me right now. She could even tell our father that I have died or something to justify the tears. Not that mother really needs any reason, she's living through hell right now.

I managed to fall asleep not long after I had eaten my rations. Dylan was the one to wake me up this time, normally Jorel does it. It has been I don't know how long since the time I fell asleep to the time I woke up though. "We are here now Danny," he tells me. As I wake up more I can see people getting off the train. They are going to prepare us to get off by each carriage and then get us to start training by making us march for the first time for most up towards the camp. "I wonder if Rigo will be at the station," I tell Dylan and Jorel. I hope that I get to see Rigo again as soon as possible. "Knowing Rigo, he will definitely be here waiting for you," Jorel tells me. Then he hugs me as gently as he possibly can as the other people around us make their way towards the door that was now open. We got some strange looks, but I ignored them.

We waited until everyone in our carriage had got off before we walked towards the door. This was so I could get off with some help and not get stared at so much because they will be focusing on the orders that they are being given. I am not steady on my feet, sitting down for two days hasn't helped my symptoms. No one was looking at us though. Rigo was waiting as we expected at the station quite close to the middle of the train. He was in a car, but he got out as soon as he saw George. He walked over to me and hugged me carefully. "Danny I have missed you so much," Rigo tells me. I hugged him back with as much strength as I had. I am so glad that I can see him again. "I missed you too Rigo," I tell him.

I could tell just by looking at him that he was very worried about me. Rigo takes me to the car that he drove here in and that I first saw him in before he saw me. "I am going to look after you while you are here Daniel. I promised mother that I would as soon as she had told me that she knew you had signed up," he tells me. I knew mother would be making Rigo promise too. Rigo helps me get into the car. I have been told by George that I was deemed unfit to walk to camp after the fainting incident in case it happened again. None of the officers around us question this, I probably look like shit right now anyways. The order came from a high-ranking officer after discussions with me yesterday on the state of my health, I wasn't the only one who fainted either as there were multiple cars around. No one can refuse the order if it comes from someone with a higher rank than you.

I wince as I sit down on the semi comfy leather seat of the back of the car. I tried to make as little noise as possible but Rigo had already seen my discomfort. It was impossible to hide it from Rigo anyways, to him I have always been an open book and he could tell whenever I needed him whether it be for physical or emotional support. He always does it in a subtle way too. He never demands that he should help me. He always asks if he can help me relax or tend to any wounds that I might have. It is just the way he goes about things. Never once forces it, I am always accepting his help anyways. "On a scale of one to ten, how bad is the pain right now?" Rigo asks me.

Currently there are no other people in the car with us, it is just me and my older brother. "About a nine right now. It is the worst that I have felt for a long time," I tell him. I felt safe being honest with my brother. He puts his hand on my shoulder. "At least you are here now, and everything will be fine soon," he tells me. I am going to recover from my injuries and our father will not be able to hurt me for a long time to come. "I know, but he had the intentions to kill me that evening Rigo. Only I saw the pure rage in his eyes," I tell him. I was keeping the tears at bay for now, Rigo doesn't need to deal with me being a cry baby. I will cry if I need to later when I have some privacy. Rigo is going to panic because I mentioned how angry father was.