Novel Ideas 5

Sorry they are so few and far between. It seems I am having a hard time redefining myself as a writer first and an educator second.  The classroom still calls to me sometimes, but no more waiting the next installment is here. If you are enjoying this, please let me know with a quick comment.

“Hey, have some respect for the dead here,” Bobby moaned from his bunk as he turned over and covered his head with his pillow.

“Sorry,” Ward had awakened ready for the day.  He slid on a pair of shorts and a tee shirt.  He walked over to the door then stopped, “Hey, come join us.  I think this has helped with the meditation routines.”

“And smell that hippy dippy stuff so early in the morning,” and he snorted, “Not this man.”  Ward chuckled and left.  Bobby was becoming a friend, a good friend, even though their backgrounds were polar opposites.  Bobby’s family was normal, if there was such a thing, and they were higher up on the pay scale than most people.  He had volunteered for this unit once they approached him because of love of Country.  Ward had stumbled into this because he did alone, and he did it well.  Both signed up to do good though, and both were A-types that had to be the best in their field.

“Morning,” Ward said as he sat down.  He took a deep cleansing breath and exhaled.  For the next five minutes they sat in dead silence.  Ward was getting used to that with Jack and he was enjoying their talks.

“Today will test us,” were the first words Jack said.  Ward sat quietly, “People like us have a lot of baggage that will break free today and haunt us, test us.”

“Okay,” Ward didn’t open his eyes, he just kept breathing, “Why us more than others.”

“Our histories, our families.  Similar in some ways, both tainted by violence and pain,” at this Ward opened his eyes, “In any case people who don’t mind never seeing their past again.”

“What did you say you did before this?”  He knew he could trust Jack.  Knew he was a good man, a friend.  Maybe part of this training was also to build friends, connections, people you trusted, and people that were closer than family.

“CIA.  Done trainings like this before,” Jack took a deep breath, “Just remember that even though we don’t have many if any connections to our past, it can still hurt us.”  Ward didn’t know how good that advice was seven hours had past in the dark room.

“Damn it Ward!  I told you boy to clean that mess out there!” he felt himself flung across the room and knocked nearly unconscious.  Ward could remember that day like it was right now.  He had meditated so long that the craziness was now getting loose.  Being in this room and in the dark for so long was bringing up bad, no horrifying, memories as Jack had promised. The baseball bat repeatedly hit his father’s hand as he walked toward him.  The man’s face was pure evil and he looked happy to beat the crap out of him once again.  As the bat reached it’s apex Ward put his hands up and waited for the blow to hit.  When the blow never reached him he put his hands down understanding his hell that he had to go through before he would get out of here.