Eyepatch, unlike Silver's assumption, ate his morning meal without any troubles. Officer Bridgestone kept his promise and made an exception for Eyepatch after he spent the longest time under the swamp which he did by quite the margin. No other student could have dreamt of coming close.
Bronze and the others- while Eyepatch ate breakfast at the cafeteria- sat on the grass and listened, or at least tried to listen to Officer Bridgestone's lecture.
The blue light had appeared some time ago and disappeared along with the swamp, leaving behind the grass on the field just like before.
It baffled Bronze, Silver and most of their co-students for a long time. It made no sense. Where did the swamp go? How was the grass looking the exact same as before? Bea's foot marks from skidding to a stop were even still there. Did the grass disappear when the swamp appeared, and if not, why was the field not dirty and stinky from the submersion with the swamp? Their heads were filled with lots of unanswered questions.
They spent a seemingly long time of painful listening and compulsory memorization, coupled with hunger and grumbling stomachs. Brigdestone glared at them all each time someone's stomach grumbled.
It even began to feel targeted at a point, when the rumblings only sounded when he was about to make a good point, or took a dramatic pause during his speech.
Bronze's stomach followed the trend and rumbled. The problem was his was so loud and thunderous, Officer Bridgestone's face reddened. This couldn't go on.
"Control that f*cking thunder-pot or I will shut it down for good. DO you understand me?" Officer Bridgestone yelled angrily, his eyes blazing in Bronze's direction. He was so pissed.
"Yes sir." Bronze replied. Yelling his response to hide his embarrassment. HE had never gotten hungry to the point of his tummy rumbling before. He had no idea his body would protest so loudly.
"You know what, I am f*cking tired of you spoilt lots. A little hunger and your bodies are crying for mama's milk. So f*cking embarrassing! So f*cking disappointing! I dare not imagine what would happen if you were taken to war. Dismissed." Officer Bridgestone said with a wave of his hand and walked away, mumbling something under his breath.
Just as the Students slowly stood up, Bridgestone turned around and yelled at them;
"You lot are now numbered fifty-two. Some f*cking crybaby could not take it and quit. She will forever be reduced to petty works with very little potential, unless she gets married to someone capable of mitigating the effects of her poor decision-making and weak-heartedness. I sincerely hope you lot will not be like her. And before I forget, you better do your best and work hard. Adapt quickly and be smart and strong. Else, you will lose your little privileges faster than you can pull down your pants for a watery dump."
"Ew!" Someone exclaimed.
Silver laughed without moving his lips.
"Staying as part of the privileged few increases your chances of promotions, gives your families better living options and opportunities in the government, and privileges that would otherwise be unavailable for you. There are chances that some of those you've left behind will join you within the next week. And they must not perform better than you lot at anything. If not, you are f*cked! DO you understand me?"
"Yes, Sir."
"Good response. You have a full hour to rest after which you will go through your shooting exercises at noon and hand-to-hand combat in the evening. There will be no breaks in-between high-sun and sunset, so you better make full use of this one hour given to your f*cking selves. Do you understand?"
"Yes Sir!"
Officer Bridgestone said nothing more. He just stood there and t his time to stare at each of them as they stood quietly and slightly uncomfortably. Their postures were alright, not much sign of fatigue. He observed. They definitely stank though. He could smell them from where he stood.
He turned around and while walking away, he yelled, "Dismissed. Take a f*cking shower and change your uniforms."
Bronze immediately began running out of he field.
"Hey!" Wood yelled. "Where are you running off to?"
"Cafeteria will soon close!" Was all Bronze said as he sped off into the distance, off the field, through the gates and out of sight.
"F*ck! That's true." Wood said and made to run to the cafeteria. Perhaps he could get a bite or two before he was ushered out of the place.
The cafeteria always followed strict rules and was closely supervised to avoid the students using it as a cover for any rules they broke. There was also always the risk of the meals, foodstuffs, ingredients, utensils, being poisoned by spies or even the heavily-screened workers. After all, there were all sorts of special gifts and powers.
Before he could move two steps, whoosh!
He heard a whooshing sound and felt a gust of wind hit him from behind.
"Damn!" Someone said from behind. It was long-haired Brady James who had exclaimed.
"Let's go!" Dream said and ran after Wood who hadn't let the whooshing sound distract him. The others ran behind as well, all running at top speed. They knew it was imperative for them to eat breakfast as there would be no lunch and they dared not be certain they would be allowed or able to eat dinner. So, ran they did. Overtaking one another and moving as fast as they could to get to the cafeteria.
On their way to the cafeteria, they had to run past the dorm. Coincidentally, they saw Eyepatch walking slowly into the building.
"Lucky bastard." More than a few of the fifty-one that saw him muttered, not daring to stop their fast-moving legs. Momentum was important if they wanted to avoid feeling fatigued.
Eyepatch might have heard them, or maybe not, but he simply smiled and waved at them as they ran past, warranting another series of curses that were louder this time.
Bronze and Bea arrived at the cafeteria around the same time, only to discover that it was already closed. There was a small sign outside the door.
"Till Evening time." Bronze read out loud. His voice shook. He grabbed his stomach. It grumbled again. This time, it was louder.
Bea looked at him in fear. She looked like she wanted to say something, but seeing Bronze's flushed, embarrassed face, she changed her mind.
She sighed and turned around. It would be in her best interest to just go to bed and preserve her energy.
She and Bronze heard the hurrying feet before they saw the owners of those feet.
Bronze sighed upon seeing them coming with such urgency.
"They are closed. We're too late." He yelled.
They slowed down. Wood fell to his knees.
"It says till evening time." Silver suddenly spoke from behind Bea, making her jump. "Get the f*ck up the floor, go to your rooms, have a good scrub, take a nap and preserve as much of your energy as you can. I better not miss dinner because of any of you motherf*ckers."
With that said, he walked past them without any regards for them. The others followed him with their eyes.
"Who the freaking hell is that?" Dream asked.
"Silver!"