Deep In The Jungle

"Out, out, out!" barks the CO, "on the double, soldier" as you scrambled out of the transport that had stopped in the middle of nowhere. "You got your Basic Kit and your gear, I'll see you back in camp in a week's time, soldier! Try not to get killed!" and as fast as he had dropped you, your CO was gone.

"This is it," you thought, as you take a quick look at your surrounding. You are at a clearing of 50 feet and the sun is starting to show beyond the tree tops. You check your watch, it is 0600. Beyond the clearing, spreading in all directions, are trees. Thick tropical trees that seem to crowd out the sun. This ain't no basic training, you think as you shift your gear on your shoulder. "This is deep s&(*%, you're in deep s*&^%, soldier!" as a wave of panic swept over you and you hurled.

Glad that no one could see you as you threw up, you wiped your mouth with the back of your hand as you threw your gear onto the ground and you followed suit, sitting on the grass still wet with dew. "Ok, think, soldier, what were the instructions?" You dig out your Basic Kit and flip to Ps9. "What did the CO say... v10.. "know him will trust in him, he has never forsaken those who seek." Hmm... you gaze unseeingly at the trees as you thought about that.. "know him will trust in him, he never forgets those who seek."

Time seemed to stop as your thoughts drifted back to the first day you made your way to basic training camp, and the first time you met the CO. You have never seen anyone like him; tough as nails as he challenged you to finish the course, to suck it up and study your Basic Kit even when you're tired and sleepy, but when you faltered at the 6 foot wall, he showed you the trick to get over it, each time. He was patient that way. He challenged you, stretched you, encouraged and taught you all you knew. "He taught me all I knew, I gotta trust him," you tell yourself as you suddenly discovered that it's already 0800.

Scrambling to your feet, you berated yourself for wasting time daydreaming. As you shoulder your gear, you gave yourself a little smile because you have discovered the way out, sorta. "I gotta trust the CO, he didn't put me here if he didn't know I could get outta here." Your eyes again swept over the trees surrounding the clearing and this time, you could just about make out the outline of a path in between the trees. "This is it, soldier, time to put what you learnt to the test," as you tuck the Basic Kit into the front pocket of your jacket and started heading towards the path.