Fifty Pushups Miss ☑️

Ch03 Bitter Pill

I opened my eyes and woke up with a startle. I looked around to find some light.
This is happening for the first time. Never did I wake up before sunrise. Where is the light?

Switching off the alarm in darkness I rushed towards the only window I knew in my room, opened it and froze.
Froze- not just by looking at the empty dimly lit grounds and roads, but because of the chilly wind that touched my face.
Then, reality hit me. This freezing cold, and that Major Killer. Not a good sign, not good at all!
But I've got to face it.

Well I had kept 15 minutes to myself for getting ready, so I started.
Reaching the ground just in time, I saw that big shadow. I can identify him from a distance now. Killer.
I came close facing his back. "good morning". I tried to sound cheerful.

He turned his face a little and said "not so good for you."
Looks like there are two constants in his life- That stick and this anger. First one he hates like his ex, second one he loves like his life.

"I'm sorry?" giving him a chance to correct or explain himself. "you will be, in some time".
Why didn't I see that coming?

Lifting his stick and pointing towards the ground right in front of us- "This is where you start."

Taking a brief pause before continuing, "On my count, you'll start running. Complete one round and stop at the same point where you started. You will be running with all the strength you have got to finish the lap, because if I'm not satisfied with your performance, you'll be running next round with a 5kg backpack. "
huh?

"Get ready. Go!"
I took off like I was running for my life. I was letting his words sink in.
He wanted me to run like a tiger. Even if I beat the tiger, he'll not be 'satisfied'.

But let's give it a try. c'mon girl. Your dad fought and killed so many enemies, you can at least run this one round.

"That's the slowest start I have ever seen. If you see me walking away, consider your next round to be harder."
Oh here it is. I was guessing why hasn't he said something yet. Alright.

Almost there, almost there. Hang on major Killer. Don't just move yet.
I was breathing so loudly, my mouth was dry and my lungs burnt.

Finally! and with that finish, I fell on the ground in front of him. With absolutely zero strength to get up, I looked up to him to find that straight face looking at the stop watch.
He never told me what my timing was. But it was something that ruined my future mornings.

"Good."
What, is he impressed? wow!
Wait. But that can't be him.

"You didn't disappoint me by such a poor timing. You are worse than what I had initially thought"
Bingo. Hey wait. That means he's not satisfied, is he?

Where is he going. What is kept there? Is he really getting that backpack?

He's never kidding man!
With that, he threw that bag towards me, I could catch it just in time, because I was expecting it.

"Time for second round. Run at your favourite speed. I'll go take a walk till then, since you are going to take forever."
Now that was rude. Again. I was having hard time getting used to his rude comments. They were driving me to prove him wrong.

I got up and started. After half a round, I started feeling what's on my back. It felt 50 kgs, and not 5. I tried to trace him, he wasn't there. He really went? Who knows.

I looked at my feet while running so that I'm not scared looking at the distance left. I looked up when I was about to die, and found him standing at that point again. I was close.

Almost there, almost there...
I fell again near his feet, gasping for air. After I got my senses back, started to take off the backpack. "Who told you to take it off?"
"I can't run with this thing on my back. It feels like fif.."
"Like fifty kgs?"

"yes! exactly!"
"Good. Then you'll be running one more round with this bag."
"Are you crazy? I'm not a donkey."
His face went red on anger. He offered me a hand, and said "give me the bag".
I handed it over to him reluctantly while still sitting on the ground.

"Crunches"
oh damn him. "But I was telling the truth. It hurts bad"
"Look, young lady. I have no problem doubling the number of your crunches."

Whispering to myself- I hate you, I got in position to start, just then- "all the soldiers here, we're not donkeys. We are humans trained to be strong. I ran 10 rounds of this ground with 2 such bags on, the first day I stepped on this ground. And I never felt like a donkey."
After he was done speaking, I remembered I was supposed to do something. I started without a delay.

(He ran 10 rounds? First day? Someone was so cruel as to make him do that? wait. Nick told me Col James trained him cruelly for 3 years. Is that how his training started?)
"This one doesn't count, because I didn't hear you. "
I tried to count louder "eighteen, nineteen, ugh twenty".

I took a few moments to get my breathing near normal, got up, held my hand while looking at his little less angry face. He handed me that 50 kg weight. I put it on my back.
"Can I get some water after I finish this round?"

A very little smile appreared at the corner of his lips as if it was a sign of some victory. Then he straightened his face back and said "If you reach here alive, I'll think about it".

Third round was really killing me. I thought I'll never be able to make it. Somehow I reached. This time I was gasping for my dear life. My mouth so dry I couldn't even ask for water.
"Get up."

Can he give me a moment to return back to life please?
I stood up using all four limbs.
he held out his hand "the bag".
I gladly took it off and gave it to him.
He hung it over his shoulder as if it was his pet.

"If you don't do any stretching before and after running, you get cramps."
"You didn't tell me that point before!"

"You will have to earn all these points. With those two rounds with the bag you earned this. Moreover, you are from an army background, you should've known this. Anyways. Do as I am doing."
Such a dog. He's a mad Killer.

I followed him in a few of the stretching he did himself. Others that he couldn't do because of his broken leg, he explained me. He corrected me in almost everything I did. Like a pro.
That was how my first training day began.

Throughout the day he screwed me badly, both by his rude comments and painful exercises. Mostly he made me run one round followed by a set of simple yet heavy exercises. A few more sets of 20 crunches to calm my temper down were there.

Sun was about to set and I was drained. I could not keep my eyes open and my mind straight.
He sensed it and before I could say it, he said himself "you're about to die, aren't you?"
"yes sir, yes".

Looking at his wrist watch "but there are literally hours of training remaining for the day"
HOURS? I can't stand a single minute!
"I can.." oh shit. About to break his rule!

" I what? come again!"
" I.. I.. can.. only request you, please stop for today. I don't have so much of stamina to work for hours. Please!"

"Stamina builds only when you move out of your comfort zone. Remember this. But I guess you have had enough for the day. Alright"
Oh holy God. Thanks for being so kind.

"Finish your last task and you can go"
Last task? What?
50 pushups!

"pushups?" I ask innocently.
A single nod was all it took to break my spine into pieces.
I never thought I could hate pushups ever. But right now, it's the worst thing on earth.

I lost count of how many times I fell tonight. The only thing that mattered was that damned number 50.

I was hugging mother Earth when he said "Get used to this. Tomorrow morning. Same place same time. If you come early, you can do stretching. If you reach after me, start running without any wait ."

He turned and started walking away. I heard another scary thing that night. "Cramps are not an excuse. Don't try and miss tomorrow."
With that he left.

I came to my room and fell on my bed. Being so sweaty didn't matter. I wanted to get absorbed into the mattress.

It was dark and peaceful when I heard loud thumps on my door. "Jane get up!!"

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