‘Everyone line up by the wall! Come on!’ calls the instructor after 2 minutes of failing to reassure Scar and catch Jimmy and Joel up on everything that’s been happening. Apparently Bdubs left last night in a panic and hasn’t returned. Scar thinks he’s moved out to live with his friend Etho.  And it’s also partially my fault. Scar doesn’t have time to elaborate before we begin everyone’s least favourite activity in the entire Watcher army - exercise. And at the start, the dreaded warm-up.

‘I’m sure everything’s ok. Bdubs wouldn’t abandon you,’

‘HEY! No talking!’ The instructor’s yell silences Jimmy. ‘Everyone, run to the other wall and back! Go!’

We obey.

‘And again!’

‘And heel flicks!’

‘What the heck are heel flicks?!’ Scar whispers, trying to join the rest of us. Or, being behind the rest of us, for not just that exercise, but all the activities until we’re onto the dreaded shuttle runs.

‘You can always message him if you’re worried,’ I hear Joel suggest as I start my first run with Jimmy. Scar’s still muttering, worried, to him, when we finish, clearly not catching the instruction to ‘run slowly on this one!’ and sprints across the room. Jimmy turns to me.

‘You… don’t think Bdubs has actually abandoned Scar, right?’

‘He wouldn’t. They seemed pretty close when I came around. Though that was before… everything. But I’m sure everything’s ok. I'm sure.'

‘Yes! I’m first!’ Scar, out of breath, says as he gets back.

‘Wasn’t that the slow one?’

‘The what one?’

‘Scar… did you not go to the initial Fighter testing instruction classes?’ Jimmy mutters. ‘They explain how all the warm ups work there.’

‘I was promoted 2 days ago!’

‘It’s alright, Scar. Just go slower on your next 2,’ I suggest, grimacing internally. Another reason Scar shouldn’t have been promoted. We only survived the flight yesterday with me calling instructions constantly. Scar never even learnt how to co-pilot. Or what all the signals mean. Or anything he needs to be a Fighter. On Scar’s second shuttle-run, he ends up exhausted. After his third and final one, he can't breathe.

‘Scar, do you have your water on you?’

‘Lost- lost it,’ Scar replies between heavy pants. ‘Day 2, or 3…’

‘Why didn't you tell anyone?!’

‘I didn't think I’d need it that much! I didn't realise training was this much worse for Fighters!'

'Scar...'

‘HEY! You, you, you.’ We turn attention as the instructor points to us. ‘All of you three. Names and number?’

‘Grian Xelqua. GX_001.’

‘Jimmy Solidarity. JS_344.’

‘Scar Goodtimes… SG…’ Scar pauses. ‘SG something. 184? 185?’ Scar’s face turns red.

‘Mr Goodtimes. Are you a Hawk Fighter?’

‘Yes Mr Instructor Sir.’

‘Then act like one. 2 laps. Now.’

‘Now?!’

‘Any more answering back and it’ll be three. GO.’

Scar, still exhausted, starts jogging around the area.

‘Fighter Grian, Fighter Jimmy, one lap each. And in different directions so you can't talk to each other. Go.’

We obey. I watch Scar struggling to run from the other side of the hall. Jimmy’s caught up with him, but the instructor yells for him to just continue. Me and Jimmy finish. The other Fighters are just watching, enjoying the break they’re getting, as Scar stumbles his way into his second lap.

‘They’re gonna bloody kill him.’ Joel hisses under his breath. I can’t reply, just focused on Scar struggling around the room. He can't speak when he gets back, barely standinf. Still, the instructor doesn't care or notice. He just gives a command to ‘run to the other wall and back!’ We do. Including Scar. Until, just as the rest of us are running back, he collapses.

‘Scar!’ Instructor be damned, I sprint over to him. He’s lying on the ground, struggling to breathe, in tears. ‘Holy shit, Scar…’

He can’t reply, just sobbing in between very shallow breaths. The instructor’s watching us.

‘Come on, buddy. You’ve gotta get up and finish.’

‘No…’ He mumbles. The instructor’s coming over. ‘No… I… I…’

‘You, back to the wall. You, again, keep running.’

‘He can’t run, sir!’ I protest.

‘He’ll run to the wall and back like everyone else.’

‘He’s exhausted! He’s not ready for this, sir!’

‘Well Captain Elex must have promoted him for some reason… get up, you stupid Hawk, and run to the wall and back. Or, you can run to Captain Elex’s office instead.' Scar tries to stand. I help him up, pretending him leaning on me isn't that uncomfortable. The instructor glares at me. 'Alone, Fighter Grian.'

‘Sir, can I ask a question?’ An idea comes to mind. The instructor narrows his eyes. ‘What’s the Hawk slogan again.’

‘Why is that relevant?’

‘Isn’t the slogan ‘Honour, Allegiance, Work, Knowledge and Strength? Shouldn’t I show allegiance to my fellow Hawk Fighter and help him with his run?’

The instructor is left speechless. Scar’s still leaning on me as I stand there, refusing to let my friend be bullied anymore.

‘Come on, Scar. You can lean on me.’ I walk away, then fall into a gentle jog that Scar can manage. We cross the hall, and then back again, to the others, past the incredulous instructor, to continue the rest of the warm up.

Scar’s still thanking me when we leave the Hawk base at the end of the day. I don't mention the extra laps I was given after the training for my ‘unacceptable insolence’.

‘And then you quoted the Hawk slogan to that stinking trainer… and you helped me finish my run. I can't believe it. Thank you. So much.’

‘It’s nothing. Everyone hates that instructor.’ My attention drifts to a commotion across the street. ‘What's going on over there?’

‘Oh goodness… They look like Lions. Are they dragging someone along?!’

‘Scar! HEY SCAR!’ I turn to Scar as the attacked guy calls his name. He's covered in blood, struggling to escape. ‘YOU. YOU DID THIS. YOU- I...'

'QUIET!' One of the Lions hits him with the butt of his gun. The guy goes limp.

‘Beef.’ Scar turns pale. ‘That’s Etho’s roommate. They…’

He breaks into a run. I follow behind. We cross districts, until we reach District 3. Then road 8. And I remember this address. I gave it to Elex.

We reach a house with the door torn open. Scar doesn't hesitate before running in. I’m still behind him. I’ve not caught up before I hear a terrible scream.

‘SCAR?!’

I enter the room and freeze at the sight of not one but two dead bodies. One I don't recognise, their white hair red with blood. And the other Scar hugs close as he sobs and sobs.

Bdubs.

:))