Run, Sweat, Push-ups...the past three weeks had consisted of those three words. Every day, every hour, every second, the mind was consumed by these three "tasks". The men of Alpha company, if they weren't running, sweating or doing push-ups, they were thinking about it, and usually within a few minutes they'd be partaking in it. Alpha Company was a part of the marines training company, in charge of turning boys into men. Unfortunately for the recruits, Alpha Company also was infamous for one instructor, Redlask.
Recruit Potter, was physically in shape, and breezed through the five am PT (physical training) sessions. However the memorization, the little sleep, the regulation, all of it got had gotten to him by week three:
"POTTER! Recite your general orders!" Redlask spat in his face, using a deep tone that bore into his soul.
"SIR, um, First general order is, um...." Potter meekly answered, awaiting the barrage that was sure to follow the stutter.
He knew he could recite the orders by heart, in fact he had memorized them by the beginning of week one, however Redlask always made him stumble all over himself. Redlask with his chiseled chin, the nose straight off a Grecian statue, rich brown eyes, and then the amazing ass which showed through the sharp standard green drill instructor pants. The smokey-the-bear hat over-shadowed his face, until he lifted it right in front of you, bringing his usual full fury with it. It was especially difficult in the mornings, standing at attention in his white briefs. Potter feared the day when Redlask would pick him for the morning burn. The dual morning wood and Redlask's intense voice made Potter on numerous occasions feel the bulge beginning to grow.
"That's it Potter! Tonight, fire duty! Two shifts! I'll make sure you use the extra time to learn your general orders," Redlask yelled, somehow louder than the first time.
"SIR yes Sir," Potter could only reply.
Fire duty was one of Redlask's favorite punishments, that and the Pit. Potter had felt the burn of both. Fire duty was dull, boring, and often impossible to accomplish with dozing off. Someone had to sit up at 2 o'clock am, losing precious sleep while just watching the others contently sleeping. The next day always dragged on as it became even harder to stay awake and alert.