Heaven in Hell

YOU WANT EASY?

OFFICER SIDDHARTH MISHRA

Next two hours reminded me of my training days in the academy. Screwed over the whole day by the instructors and nights spent being oriented by seniors. You could never decide which was worse and when will you be able to sleep! Humour becomes your oxygen and adrenaline is your blood-bank.

We did nothing unexpected. It was just more push-ups, crunches and suicides combined with a great dose of oral training and regular pouring of ice cold water with AC on full blast and windows facing the ocean open. But my limbs were shaking and my eyes droopy. I concentrated on getting to the next thing, the thought of how to survive a year with this no longer practical.

Another 30 minutes later, Agent Prescott decided to dismiss us for it is after all a relaxing Sunday, but not before ensuring that our blood pressure never returned back to normal. "The person we will be training under is Chief Darhk, a soon to be ex-US Navy Seal Instructor. US Navy Seals don't tell you their first name. But each instructor gets a name assigned to them. His was 'Hades'. Never speak to him using that name, otherwise Hades would seem like a cadet learning how to be hard-ass instructor in hell world compared to him. I am not allowed to tell you this much information also, but you should prepare accordingly. If he finds out that you know his name or what he is capable of, chances of survival are almost none. So, act accordingly.

Continue this extra preparation till next Sunday, then take rest. Next whole week, punish Kyra and Ashwin extra in front of others. Give them enough reason to quit. Arjun can continue with you here at nights and on next Sunday, make it hell enough for him to quit. Meanwhile, I'll get you re-assigned and out of here in another month. Officer Roshesh, your end of posting is coming next week. I'll get you re-assigned and Officer Siddharth can join. Ensure that nobody contacts one another. This has to seem unrelated."

--

ONE WEEK LATER:

OFFICER ROSHESH VAZA

0800 HOURS

As pre-decided, Sid took Kyra and Ashwin to task, pointing the littlest of mistakes and adding unfair amounts of exercises one after another till they had to be taken to the infirmary every day. Giving them an hour to re-hydrate and rest, Sid would barge in there and continue working on their lower bodies, uncaring of the IV in their arms. Flutter kicks and leg drops became his two favourite words. The whole class was made to join them outside the infirmary or under the beds. It quickly became clear to the whole class that this is not stopping until they quit.

On Wednesday, when Kyra couldn't perform flutter kicks in the infirmary, the class got extended another two hours. The grunts of the cadets could be heard from my office with the shouts of Sid. Unable to take it any longer, Kyra quit that night and the class was dismissed right after.

Seeing that Ashwin had pushed on with the physicals, Sid decided to break him with the 'cold and starved' approach. Ashwin walked to the infirmary with mild or moderate hypothermia the whole week. When the doctors would say mild hypothermia, Sid ensured that physical activity was the treatment followed. Poor guy was loaded with layers of clothing and did everything from push-ups to spot jog until all his layers were soaked in sweat or he was barely conscious. If it was moderate hypothermia and he happened to be conscious, he joined Kyra's treatment of flutter kicks and leg drops with IV, extra clothing and warm blankets covering him from his head to his waist. By Friday, he had quit too.

It was decided that I would be the task master for Arjun. After all, he did get us 3 extra hours of plank so that he could sit comfortably.

When Sid was riding Kyra and Arjun in the infirmary, I would visit to check up on the class and Arjun, being the only head of the class not yet on a bed, I had every right to watch him like a hawk. Instead of starting with the treatment right away, I decided to just build pressure. The whole week, during the day, I would point out Arjun's mistakes and keep count. When it was night time, Arjun being the only person left, got a special treat of two-on-one session. At night, none of his mistakes of the day were mentioned. Those sessions were to increase the stamina and continued in the same way as before. However, come next day, I would continue with the count on and on until today.

Today, Arjun gets to feel the pain of Kyra and Ashwin.

Yesterday night, just when the cadets thought about some peaceful Sunday time, I had announced for them to be present at 0400 hours on the ground. One could hear the moans and groans of not even getting the regular sleep despite their stoic faces and closed mouths.

What they didn't prepare for was a day of standing in attention only. In these four hours, every time I see a twitch or a movement of the slightest in any one of them, Arjun here, bears the brunt of it. From the moment he reached the ground, he has not stopped sweating for a moment. When the class does well, he alternates between running with weights and doing push-ups. If anybody moves, he alternates between crunches at their feet and rolls up and down the line of his class.

The whole class is staring straight ahead in pity with no idea when they will be released. Deciding to let the class have some breakfast and continue only with Arjun, I dismiss them for the day. You could see the hopelessness in the eyes of few. Rumour has it that the trio is made to quit due to their prank of Officer Siddharth. I want to laugh at that prospect. If the academy did that, we would never be here. Pranksters get punished. If you quit, it is your doing, not the person punishing you. Each day, you push and you suffer until they decide to let you go. It won't be easy. If you want easy, don't join UI.

--

By evening, Arjun was begging to quit. After a few more reps of push-ups and suicides, I let him go and decided to meet Sid for one last training. Come morning, I have to report to my fake posting in some jungle with no network.

Today is the last night that goes till the morning before we take it easy. Easy or rest, as per Agent Prescott's definition, means not straining extra hard during extra hours. It does not mean sitting on my ass all day. At the bare minimum, our daily runs and workouts have to continue.