Heaven in Hell

FIRST DAY

DAY 1- SECRET LOCATION
0300 HOURS
OFFICER SIDDHARTH MISHRA:

Instead of my daily quick run at 0400 hours across the academy pit, I take the longest and the most taxing route of the academy going up and down the hills, through the low tide waves, reaching the patch of the wet sand, then across the desert kind sand pit ending with the run through the thick forest dodging tree roots and low hanging branches. Completely out of breath and tired, I jog the rest of the way to my barrack.

With my body completely exhausted, sitting on the dreaded chair to complete the paperwork doesn’t seem that daunting a task. After a quick shower, I get to work on the brief files of each cadet making notes on the possible areas of improvement and rut they would need to be put through to match our standards.

Before I was halfway through the files, a brief knock on the door has me back on my feet running to answer the door with my eyes still glued to the file of Arjun Nanavati. Before I could raise my eyes or curse Roshesh, my best-buddy and the ex-director of this facility, for not taking adequate rest resulting in me being the ‘director’ and doing the stupid paperwork, I am greeted by a strong blow to my head.

0400 HOURS
OFFICER ROSHESH VAZA:

Wiping my sweaty forehead, I drag my tired body for a run along the beach. The sound of crashing waves and feel of the chilly air on my pumping body feels heaven after being stuck with the damned paperwork. I chuckle at the memory of Siddharth having to hug the chair and the papers after being named as the ‘director’ of the academy. The man hates the existence of chair and papers and since I was the reason for him having to hug them both, he has been behaving like a rabid dog snarling, grumbling and biting my head off for being stupid. But I could not have been more happier now. He agrees that James Bond movies are so inaccurate.

On my way back, I take the route through the grinder so that I can see the new class. Officer Siddharth, looking more of a businessman than a mean instructor due to his fair skin, 6ft 2inches height and lean body, would already have worked the class into sweating mess. However, instead of being greeted with groans and grunts, I find the new cadets sitting on their butts, chatting as if this is a college campus.

I check my watch to see that it is indeed past the scheduled time. Siddharth is never late nor forgetful. Dismissing the thought of his whereabouts, I decide to take over the class for the moment and introduce them to the world of military where you do not behave like you are in a garden or sit on your butts holding hands and chatting.

0510 HOURS
OFFICER SIDDHARTH MISHRA:

I wake up with a dull headache. Why?
Realizing what happened, I mutter a string of choice words. If this is some shit surprise exercise, I’m definitely and deeply in trouble. After moving a bit, I realize I'm thrown in the puddle of mud, blindfolded with my hands tied and sinking by the minute. Ignoring the pounding head drum, I stand up. I get my hands in front, thanks to my training, pull the knot with my mouth and remove my blindfold.

But it seems I was too late to wake up from my sleep. Instead of boarding my mean instructor train, where I get to screw people, I’ll probably be boarding the teach screwhead a lesson for life train. In hopes of reducing this lesson, I salute Officer Roshesh who was standing there with a tight jaw, laser-cut glare and 20 cadets- some nervous, some terrified, some pleased and other stoic.

Walking besides me, he hisses in my ear, “You are so screwed. I’ll have to report this and to ensure that I’m not the one taking it in the teeth, I’m offering you up to whoever wants to ride you to hell and back.”

With that he marched off. Releasing my breath, I mentally thanked him for not firing me. I’m probably going to be in the worst rut and on the receiving end of severe slogging for months to come but atleast I have a chance to make it back. I will willingly walk through fire barefooted if it meant that I could take it back.

With that, I look at the morons who woke up a demon. Not even a soul can enter this academy without being invited and Roshesh would not play something like this. It leaves out these bastards.

With a stoic expression, I spoke, "I'm Officer Siddharth Mishra. Call me anything other than Officer Siddharth, Sir or Instructor before me or behind my back or in your non-existent head and you will realize that you are standing on the life's worst hell. And before we begin which one of you morons played this prank?"

No one came forward.

I continued, "So a man with no balls huh! 50 rounds of the grinder, NOW! If you stop, you re-start till you complete 50 in a go. Welcome to the toughest training and congratulations for being the first batch to have the roughest start. Usually we give you a week to adjust before turning up the heat but because you have practically announced that you are rough and tough, you get 50 just for breakfast."

After 20 rounds, half of them were about to faint. I knew they could never make it to 50 but I wanted the culprit out by hook or by crook.

"We have just completed 20. Come on, where did your machismo run? Unless, anybody's willing to take the blame, you are running 50 even if the whole day passes doing it."

In the middle of 21st round, a cadet fell. He got up and started running again. Good spirit but that won't help him today.

I barked, "Count from 1."

Two cadets fainted after 34. When others wanted to help, I shouted:
"Rule No. 2 of training- Never Faint. If you are not strong enough to fight for your consciousness, how can we expect you to fight for others?" But alas, i can’t really let them be. I signalled for the medics to take a look and help them.

In the middle of 36th round, a guy with average built spoke, "Officer Mishra, I played the prank."

I immediately turned around to see that it was Arjun Nanavati. I held up my hand signaling a stop. All stood in a horizontal line in front of me with Arjun a step ahead in line in attention.

"LAST WARNING, ARJUN- ANYTHING OTHER THAN OFFICER SIDDHARTH, SIR OR INSTRUCTOR and you will be sorry. At ease, cadets except YOU. Run down to the chow hall, have your breakfast and assemble back here within 30 minutes."

Before I could retreat, another male spoke, "Sir, I helped him." I turned to see Arjun shaking his head at Ashwin Sahni. At the same time, Kyra Irani added, "I was a part of this too, sir." Wonderful!

“How?”

Arjun, "I am a late comer. So I decided to know the consequences of that first hand, sir"

Kyra “I was checking out the academy when I saw you lying on the floor unconscious so I tied you up. I was just curious as to how fast can you get out of a rope."

Ashwin, "I just thought to take a pre-revenge for our would-be stay in the gutter water."

“If I was not in trouble, I would have cancelled all your meals. You will not be joining your class for meals. Now, drop and push. Arjun, keep count. It should not be less than 1000 by the time I’m back.”