Day 68 (The National Service Journal)

Day 68 of The National Service Journal is a day of significance, as Aimée's emotions reach their lowest point, and after this day, things take a turn for the better.

The events that happen in Aimée's story are the nightmare featuring Ani Suring, Kanang Langkoi and Daedalus Beaulieu and his minions; the two major brawls in the dining hall and in the dormitories, as well as Dolores' capture.

Story

The National Service Journal

I had a bad dream...

…and I don’t want to talk about it. Ever.

Disunity in Camp Point-Neuf... again

Sylvain, Albert, Térence, Didier, Naufal and Michael were seated at the Bravo boys’ half, as usual, whilst I joined Sybil, Mira and the Bravo girls for the first half of today’s dinner, and later, I went to the Alpha table to chat with Leah, Alyzée and her group of friends. We were served the usual slop again: fried fish, with a great deal of oil, rice (which seemed to have curdled – again), and vegetable stew. For some reason, I didn’t mind the veggie stew. I spoke about a lot of things – what we went through in Character Building class, Bravo’s preparations for previous competitions (now that they’re over, anyway), and the like. Just fifteen minutes before dinner break ended, I spent a few moments with Monica and her bunch of friends at the Delta table.

At 8:30 Naufal was summoned to the rostrum, as usual. Senior Bard – yes, the big, burly trainer who really means business – and Senior Théophile were on duty. I really felt pity for Senior Théophile back there – I knew it was that time of the month and she worked hard this morning to clear up the hall after what the Mortmains had done the previous night.

What sparked the whole furore in the hall just now was that someone – a male trainee – just left his dish in the basin and did not wash it. And when it was 8:30 and some of the Delta and Charlie boys were still dawdling, Senior Théophile couldn’t take it anymore and…… she really began to scream. Whilst many of us, even Naufal, were moved out of concern for her, some of the boys were giggling… and this prompted Senior Bard to barge in. Then, six of the boys who dawdled, all of Leonine descent, started to retaliate, thinking that the trainers were only scolding them and not all the trainees who came in late… The people next to them made passing remarks, the six Leonines made passing remarks… and before I even knew it, what started as a heated verbal conversation became a hand-to-hand fight complete with plastic bottles and shoes for weapons. Everyone was jumping on them, trying to get them to stop, but it seemed like they were whacking the boys, rather than breaking them apart. Me being the only girl of half-Viellon descent, I could only stand and watch.

Poor Naufal! He tried to push the people aside, but he came out with cuts and bruises on his face… and he was PISSED. Extremely pissed. Senior Théophile put her anger aside and rushed to him with a glass of cold water. It only took Senior Bard to stand on the Alpha table and start yelling…

“STOP THIS NONSENSE AT ONCE! I AM CALLING THE COPS!”

The chaos died down. The female trainees were immediately sent off to the quarters, whilst the male trainees (save for Naufal) were held on detention in the hall. The cops arrived twenty minutes later and were dispatched to keep watch over several areas of the camp.

And you thought the chaos ended there? No.
Back in the quarters, the Leonine trainees were enraged over what had happened, and they felt for the six people who retaliated… and thus, another brawl ensued in The Open Space. Girls were grabbing buckets of water and splashing it on each other in a rather hostile manner, pulling each other’s hair, tearing each other’s clothes… To my horror, I discovered that even Alix – yes, Alix, the Head Girl, was involved in the brawl!

Sybil, Mira and I stayed in room 5A and closed all the windows. Senior Théophile was brought to her quarters to take a rest, whilst Seniors Titty and Ai called the cops in. I didn’t know what was going on… By then, I had started to write in this journal. And half an hour later, Senior Théophile (who seemed to have regained her composure) called Seniors Ai and Ref into 5A… and they all dragged Dolores out of the room.

Ten minutes after the lights at the quarters were turned off, Sybil got up from bed and woke me up.

“Aimée!”
“Ah…… Petra eo?”
“Senior Ref just left me a message. Dolores has been taken to the Disciplinary Committee.”
“But how did you get your phone?”
“They allowed me to have it for tonight’s events. I didn’t record just now’s conflict – I’m not the least bit interested – but I have to go now, and bear witness in front of the army personnel and the police.”
“Wait a minute…”

I jumped up with a fright.

“You’re going to bear witness against Dolores in front of the Disciplinary Committee?”
“Yes. The trainers have a feeling that it isn’t the six trainees who are responsible for all this crap, it’s Dolores. And Sparrow. And whoever else in her bunch of disturbed souls. Now, I must change, and be off.”
“But what time are you going to make it back?”
“Who knows? One thing’s for sure, though: we won’t be waking up as early as we did in the beginning of our stint, so I couldn’t care less if I come later than 1. I can defend myself. Don’t worry.” “I’m counting on you.”
“I thank you. Pray for me.”
“I will.”
“Kenavo dit, Sybil.”

Sybil changed into her combat attire as per Senior Ref’s instructions and ran downstairs. I curled up on my bed and went back to sleep. But before I did so, I muttered a prayer, hoping that Sybil’s voice would be heard and the right thing would be done.

I wondered what Llyr and the other trainers were up to. Were they still at their quarters? I wished they saw this.