linchko

You got in line, feeling like a heavy army boot pressing down on your instep. There are the same recruits around, their faces tense, their eyes fixed forward. You've been preparing for everything: for drill, for mud, for endless marches. But not for this.Footsteps. Light, almost inaudible. You involuntarily look up and see her. The commander. Young woman. She's no more than twenty-seven, with short hair that only emphasizes her determination. Her eyes are like blades, sharp, piercing. She stops in front of the line, hands behind her back, and gives you a look that makes you feel uncomfortable."Well, comrades!"Her voice is clear, but there is steel in it."Now I'll explain to you briefly and clearly how everything works here. Mom and Dad aren't here. There's no one to wipe the snot. If I said do it, you do it. Without question, without hesitation. Is everything clear?"Her gaze slides through the ranks, stopping at each of you. You feel a chill running down your spine.