Floorboards creaked on every step taken on a short block of stairs which were loud and clear. When the door’s handle turned down and unlocked the gateway into their retreat, it swished upon in an instant and a gust broke through. Channeling down the highway, the forest winds drew the sink of heat out, past the streak of mild sunlight from the summer star still high in the evening that sanitized the air lest the foulness poison the wilderness. A pair of cadets came through and held their breaths as they entered, noticing the first damned thing. The smell. There was a second when their minds had been distracted by the thick mist condensing above their heads from the sweat and heat of bodies congregated in that single chamber like an ancient sauna. A fog was lifted high into the ceiling constructed of arched timber, where it was spacious and unused, except to gather the exhausted air and steam that failed to escape quick enough through the narrow but many funnels and vents. Currents circulated like its own atmosphere that was fueled by the burning lanterns that helped not to clear the smell. Wax pooled from under the candle sticks as smoke and scents fed into the everlasting cycle. The two did not know what to make of it, nor was there anything that could be compared to the chaos that was there. It was a box of cadets, of at least fifty or so, given the few empty bunks scattered here and there. But anymore would fell the walls from the noise without a care of disturbing anyone nearby. Everyone gathered there in gangs, large and small, sat on beds or tables and chairs, laying on the floor sometimes. Whether they were playing with luck on hands of cards or working their heads on chess, gambling beside friends, the cadets seemed at home. Looking around, one who had just joined the fray was struck in awe, though another cared less for the commotion, continuing his way towards their nightly retreat.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk4p1ZvzYIr
“Finally…a hard roof over our heads.” Arminius sighed, removing a cap from his head whose hair was wet from his own sweat.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkdAlPeS7Ev
Julien followed on, “I didn’t think you hated it that much…”91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7VXyEksy6j
A hand which was unpleasantly humid landed on his head. Although he tried to escape, Julien had nowhere else to flee, and could only allow himself to be subject to a torturous rubbing. His own hair had not a single strand that was wet and like his skin which had not sweat, there were no signs of heat, not that he could feel it either.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNgPqcY2jWT
Unbothered by the odd coldness of his friend, Arminius messied his hair. “I didn’t like it or dislike it,” said he, who stopped when Julien managed to evade his hand. “It’s just having a home to come back to.” With a smile, he tried to contain his mischief of annoying him any longer.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAI7who6RU3
Toward the end to their short walk to a corner they had chosen for its quietness, the pair had returned to find it pillaged by voices and populated by strangers. Paused before a squabbling party, they raised an eyebrow and watched from afar. Among the newest lot who had invaded their lands, one stood terribly riled, with his hands slamming on a table on each word he uttered, who could not contain his violence against the furniture. Another heard but never listened, sat by the table with his face yet to be seen. As an understanding cadet, a third came and tried to break up their arguing voices, wedging himself between as their sole mediator. A role that his friends were unwanting to take up. A smaller cadet, even shorter than Julien, stayed himself away from trouble, uncaring and staring up at the board of his bunk, boredly. Then, there was a giant, like mounts were his legs, leaning against the wall with his eyes closed in meditation to retrieve his wasted energy from hearing their infinite dispute. A fight was to break out and whoever was rowdy enough to pick a fight on their first day, it was as expected. An infamous character humiliated at induction .91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ96pQyMA7Oa
“I’m tellin’ ya, I wasn’t da one at fault!” Calenzo backed his own ground with a fist over his chest, believing in himself who was always right in his own narrow mind.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoyVQRUOtZ5
A familiar voice responded, blowing air into the fire that came from a supply of a familiar attitude, “Still managed to get your ass kicked out.”91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMuiW2ar4ou
“C’mon now, there’s no need for any of this.” The mediating cadet, although he did want to see a fight, was rather unwanting to deal with its aftermath.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKc9wXMXHIG
With two cadets idle, ignoring the ongoings, Julien tried to too. But Arminius could not. As he made his way to his bunk, unbuttoning his jacket near the bottom bed, he peeked around a cadet’s back for a better view, wanting to listen into the conversation. One of the warring factions noticed their newest addition to their corner of hell, and to Arminius’s surprise, an old friendly face lit up in excitement and a downpour of joy. It became no matter of his’ to embarrass Calenzo any longer and spun a quarter of a way around on his chair and leaned back to see if he really was.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvCUlTGQBsO
“Oh hey, Arminius,” He called out, as if they had seen each other just yesterday. “Whatcha doin’ here?”91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCB3GiV6eJT
Flinching, Arminius was sure. His ears were unblocked and there was no doubt that it was him. Turning his head that nearly gave himself whiplash, he found whose voice it was that he had not heard since last autumn as he undid his last button and tossed his jacket onto his bed. It came from a longtime friend who had retained his famously immature grin of a troublemaker.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWobs4mbka3
