Thank God even the wonder twins couldn't keep up that kind of fever pace forever. Eventually they started to take brakes every so often. But even at their tiredest, they remained bright and optimistic. Cadet Carter was also grateful they hadn't insisted upon skipping lunch. They accepted pretty easily the idea that food was fuel, but they still wasted no time inhaling their MREs, cutting lunch period as short as possible and expecting Cadet Carter to follow suit, trying to appeal to his nonexistent desire to meet the established team goals. They seemed oblivious to the fact that he didn't want to go and was actively trying to sabotage the possibility at every opportunity.
"Lets assess our goals" "What's the depth?" "Twenty-three inches" "That leaves eleven inches and one hour left" "Even our best hour's performance so far wouldn't clear eleven inches" "We'll still do our best!" "That's what goals are for!"
Cadet Carter breathed a silent sigh of relief. It was all but certain now that he'd be spared until tomorrow. Thank goodness too.... He'd been kicking himself all day for the progress he'd made on his own this morning. If that had been what put them over the top... He'd have quite literally dug his own grave.
Now he was able to focus on the possibility of a long term solution. He'd been pouring over everything he knew about his situation, probing every aspect of this boot-camp and its magic, and the most promising thing he remembered, the one thing he night actually be able to use to escape, happened on the first night. Cadet Stone was able to actually leave the house. Sir found him outside, and by Cadet Stone's own account he had left through the window! The possibility was getting to his head, he was getting giddy with excitement, but he had to focus.
Cadet Stone had found other vulnerabilities in the boot-camp as well, like the time he cavorted in the nude around the common area, but to his knowledge Sir had always done something to keep those exploits from working a second time... He had to hope that Sir wasn't as proactive in patching that first little vulnerability, but hope wasn't enough. If he was going to trust his future to this plan he wanted to be sure. He would have to try to open the window before bed and see if it could still be used as a way out. After that, he'd have to trust that he'd be able to move around as freely as Cadet Stone had.
Additionally, there's the matter of getting caught. The singular hitch in Cadet Stone's escape attempt.
His mistake was waiting too long to leave the house. Lights out is at 21:00, but Sir wasn't supposed to return from his police duties until sometime after 23:00 hours, if he remembered correctly. "I imagine we fall asleep pretty fast considering how hard we work." Cadet Carter surmised. "If Cadet Stone had left at 21:30 he might have made it"... Sir would be getting home late again tonight so he really did have a chance to pull this off.
Another thing to consider is staying awake. He assumed Cadet Stone had the benefit of loafing off the entire day so staying up past 21:00 probably came naturally. He'd need to try to conserve his own energy for the rest of the night to be sure he didn't accidentally fall asleep with the others. Though, with his fear and adrenaline being at the levels they were, he felt like he wouldn't sleep a wink.
-------
Cadets Stevens and Stone had continued their blistering work ethic right up to the end of the day. The cadets had completed their obstacle construction task including their own self-imposed upgrades and enhancements, and had left the entire site clean as can be. Besides some patchy unevenness in their improvised sod work, the obstacle looked like it had been there for ages. They were overjoyed by their accomplishment and dreamed of the day they would earn the privilege to run the obstacle course for the first time, as a TEAM!
Back in the barracks, Cadet Carter was again in his underwear trying his best to get his uniform spotless once more. The other two had already completed the task, partly because they had been extra neat and conscientious in their digging and also because they had become such dedicated cleaners. They seemed to have developed their own little tricks and shortcuts to complete the task in a more organized and efficient manner...
"Check this out..." Cadet Stone said presenting the face of one of his boots to Cadet Stevens. The Lacing had been redone in some kind of intricate weave. "It's called 'Spider Web Lacing'"
"Wow! That's fantastic, but it's not regulation." Cadet Stevens chided gently.
"Oh, I know. It's just for fun. I'll put it back to regulation standard before I put them away. I know lots of decorative lacing styles. I can teach you some and we can race each other to see who can lace the fastest, for fun!"
"That would be awesome!" Cadet Stevens exclaimed "Hurry up Cadet Carter, so you can join in."
Cadet Carter rolled his eyes in exasperation over his deranged companions. "This is so demented" he grumbled to himself silently... "You guys go ahead and start; I'll join in later." He responded trying to sound mildly interested while he continued to brush dirt out of his pants.
"I can show you a better technique." Cadet Stevens offered "Try moving the brush like this." He moved the brush in small circles and then forcibly torqued the brush handle causing the bristles to flick dirt away more effectively.
"You wouldn't mind doing it for me, would you?" Cadet Carter said temptingly
"I couldn't do that. You've got to put in the effort if you want to see the benefits." came Cadet Stevens' clichéd refrain.
------
At last Cadet Carter had completed his uniform cleaning task. Somehow comparing it to the other cadet's uniforms, his just didn't seem to drape as well on the hanger, but he couldn't really figure out why. Regardless, being finally released from the bodily control that had kept him buffing and shining he was finally free to move around the barracks.
He couldn't wait any longer, he needed to know if he could use the window or not. He tried to wander over to it without drawing too much suspicion and gently tried to lift it open but it wouldn't budge. "It's locked" he observed and quickly tried to undo the latch to make a second attempt. This time it worked! The window slipped open easily; he had to expend conscious effort to contain an involuntary outburst of joy. He really could have a chance. Not wanting to leave anything to chance, he stuck his upper body outside into the evening breeze. Looking out onto the roof he could see a safe and easy path to follow down to the ground. This was going to be a snap.
"Whatcha doin' there Cadet?" Cadet Stone inquired; perhaps probingly
"Nothing. I was just letting in a little fresh air, you know. It's getting a little randy in here." Cadet Carter replied as casually as he could. It wasn't the entire truth but there was more than a kernel of truth in it.
"Sorry" Cadet Stone said standing there in his underwear with a dopey grin, bringing his hands up behind his head. "We did a lot of sweating today".
"I'm not sorry." Cadet Stevens exclaimed, bounding into Cadet Stone for a wrestling take down. "If you don't break a sweat, you're not working hard enough!"
The two rolled around on the ground enjoying a bit of sport. Cadet Stevens grabbed Cadet Carter by the ankle forcefully pulling him into the throng saying "Come on Cadet. Join in. We've earned a chance to let loose a little before shower time."
Initially reluctant, Cadet Carter decided to go along with the activity and ended up really enjoying the moment. He hadn't been immune to the effects of this place. He was probably still being effected by whatever the stone had forced upon him, it just seemed to take longer for the changes to develop within him. Just a few days ago he'd never have wrestled in his underwear, not with anybody. He wouldn't even have entertained the thought. He hated being exposed, let alone being touched. Perhaps the changes weren't all bad. He'd certainly gained confidence. Would he have thought so positively about this kind of change to his personality a few days ago? He didn't know anymore.
While the other two were busy showering and getting ready for bed. Cadet Carter set about putting his plan into motion. He didn't want to escape without any clothes but the lockers were noisy. It would be too risky to open his locker after lights out, so he'd need to stash his clothes somewhere safe. Unfortunately there weren't a lot of good hiding places in the barracks. They didn't have any sheets or blankets on the cots, they didn't have pillows either, and you could see everything under the cots all the way to the wall. The only option he could think of was to leave the clothes just outside the window. Checking to make sure the coast was clear he quietly stuffed his grey running shoes with his mesh shorts and tank top, discretely setting them outside on the sloped roof, toes down so that they wouldn't roll away... Then he closed the window, leaving it unlocked so he could open it again extra quietly once the others were asleep.
"Come on Cadet. Shower time!" he heard from one of the shower stalls, uncertain who was speaking... "Yeah, you know a third of that man stink is yours!" The anonymous comment was punctuated by a duet of friendly laughter.
Cadet Carter quickly grabbed a clean pair of boxer briefs and headed for the showers "I know; I'm on my way"...
-----
All the arrangements were made and he'd finished getting ready for bed. His platoon mates were sitting cross legged in bed enjoying a bit of socialization before turning in for the night. Cadet Carter switched off the main room light and navigated himself over to his cot, seeing by way of the dim reading lights his platoon mates had ignited. He rolled onto the cot, hopefully for the last time, greeted by the familiar aches of the day's labors. To his relief he wasn't feeling the slightest bit tired. He was running on pure adrenaline. His fight or flight response was primed for flight, and he just boarded for takeoff.
He turned on his own reading light and watched his platoon mates chat energetically about their plans for tomorrow. It seems Cadet Stevens had gotten an advanced peak at the next day's activities and they'd found the prospect of new projects extremely engaging... Cadet Carter knew they were a couple of goobers now but he liked to see them so happy.
"And of course Cadet Carter's hair cut!" "Absolutely, that should be first on the list!" "We'll have to mention it to Sir in the morning." "What time does the Sargent's shop open?" "Must be pretty early" "Oh yeah, the Sarge wouldn't sleep in"
And... Dread.
"I don't know what I'm going to do if this doesn't work" Cadet Carter thought to himself, feeling like a man bound for the electric chair. "This may be my last chance."
Just then, as had happened every night before, the boys were compelled to shut off their reading lights just after shouting:
"Lights Out!"
----
Cadet Carter waited for his eyes to adjust to the darkness. He hoped there would be enough light to find his way, but he was pretty familiar with his surroundings and he was determined to attempt the escape either way. He also kept an ear out for signs of sleeping cadets... He didn’t want to wait too long and risk falling asleep himself, so after a good few minutes of quiet breathing and apparent inactivity. Cadet Carter gently rose himself up from his cot, pausing momentarily to gauge the room once more before moving silently to the window. He waited there for a few minutes, wanting to give his platoon mates another chance to fall deeper into sleep.
Satisfied he had waited long enough he slid the window open and stepped outside. It was slightly chilly out… He had noticed that his body was running warmer these days. Maybe the new layer of muscle he’d grown was putting out more heat than it used to, but the air was crisp on his shirtless torso. Crouching through the window he planted his bare feet on the cool shingles, then turned and lowered the window silently.
He was out! He tried not to let the excitement get to him. He still had a long way to go, but he was actually AWOL. It shouldn’t be possible, but there he was. He collected up his clothes, not wanting to risk falling he carried them to the end of the roof and climbed down the adjacent oak tree. Two big steps, a swing, and a triumphant dismount later and he was safe on the ground.
Happily and for the last time, he donned his PT uniform. Disappointed he had forgotten to take a pair of socks. Still, he was happy to let it go. The insides of his shoes were pleasantly soft and slippery and if a lack of socks was the worst thing that went wrong during this jailbreak, he’d be more than satisfied.
He started running down the driveway, praying the property gate was open and that Sir didn’t get back early. He knew it was a couple miles to the gate, but he wasn’t sure how big around the property was. His house had been a few blocks to the right of the boot-camp before the compound expanded in all directions. He’d have to fallow the perimeter until he found something he recognized….
…The effortless rhythm of his running must have put him on autopilot for a while. The next thing he knew he was back in his neighborhood. He had made it home! Darting around the corner he ran as fast as he could to his front door. He thoughtlessly tried to let himself in but the door didn’t budge. Knocking, he could hear someone coming to the door.
“Mom!” he exclaimed as the door swung open revealing Mrs.Carter dressed in paint stained overalls. She was always painting around the house. She liked to change up the walls with different colors and textures.
He pushed forward wrapping his arms around her tenderly.
“Oh my!” She exclaimed accepting the Cadet into a long firm embrace, “What are you doing home?”
“I couldn’t stay there anymore, Mom. They were trying to change me. I was so afraid; they were going to take me… It doesn’t matter I just had to come home.” He said pleading for understanding.
“I understand.” She said softly pulling back to look her frightened boy in his eyes “But that’s why we sent you to boot-camp in the first place. If you stick with the program, it’ll make you a better person.” She said lovingly.
Tears began to well up in his eyes. “I won’t be me any more mom. They want me to be a machine. Don’t you love me? Aren’t you afraid you’ll lose me? Lose who I am…?”
Without replying she gently guided the boy inside and announced to the household “Cadet Carter is home!”
Before he could even see who was coming he knew it was his brother Jeremy by the rumble in the floor alone. The older boy bounded down the stairs in sheer excitement at seeing his little brother after so long.
“Cadet Carter!” He shouted “You’re back! Graduated boot-camp with honors already, huh?”
“Not exactly” He said holding his hand behind his head bashfully. “I just had to come home early.”
“Well you’re Looking swole little bro. Imagine what you’d look like if you finished training… You should come work with me installing fencing this summer. You can make $17 an hour you know.” He said proudly and enticingly “Put those guns to work for a profit!”
Cadet Carter laughed appreciatively. It was good to be home…
“Does Dad know you’re back? How did he take the news?” His brother inquired, turning serious.
“I’m concerned about that too.” His mother admitted soberly.
“Why would Dad care” Cadet Carter wondered, “He wasn’t interested in the armed forces or military stuff. He was a nerd, and a bit of a pacifist.”
He saw the puff of cigar smoke before anything else. A 6’4” hairy, barrel chested man stomped into the foyer covered in nothing but giant combat boots and a pair of khaki pants littered with pockets.
“Hi Dad” He said, surprised by his awareness of who this person was. The man looked nothing like his father. The Officer must have used the stone on his father to get him enlisted in the boot-camp, he surmised.
“What the hell are you doing here? And what’s with the shaggy hair? You look like a damn fool” He growled; peppering the ground carelessly with his cigar ash.
“I wanted to come home.” He admitted “The boot-camp was changing me. They wanted me to be another person.”
“So do I!” He bellowed “That’s why I sent you there in the first place.”
“What is this?” his Dad continued, gesturing imprecisely in the Cadet’s general direction with his stogie. “Where is the respect, where is the proper military bearing? What are they teaching you at that boot-camp?”
The Cadet didn’t know what to say. He wasn’t about to defend the camp’s curriculum and he didn’t want to play soldier anymore.
“That’s not for me Dad. I want my old life back.” He said as bravely as he could.
“You mean you’re not man enough to handle it.” He said, belching for punctuation. “You wanted to come home because you’d prefer to be a little boy… I understand.”
“That’s not it, Dad. It’s just not for me.”
“SAY YOU’RE NOT MAN ENOUGH!” His dad shouted sending the Cadet’s heart rate through the roof.
“Dad, I – “
“SAY IT.” He repeated forcefully. “If you’re going to come crawling back here you’ve gotta admit your defeat. Admit you’re not man enough, you’d prefer to stay a little boy!”
Not sure what to do, and exhausted from this whole ordeal… If the cost of going coming home was surrender, he was ready.
“I’m not man enough.” He said
“And?” his father prompted
“I’m not man enough and I want to stay a little boy!” he said raising his voice in frustration.
“Get out of my sight.” His Dad groaned.
“Dad -”
“GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!”
Cadet Carter ran upstairs nearing the point of tears. Even after all he went through to escape that place he couldn’t really come home. The Officer had changed his Dad into a wild militant stranger. His life would never be the same. At least he’d be able to keep his personality. At least he was free.
He found his room much the way he’d left it. He was so tired. He just wanted to go to bed. He hadn’t stayed up this late in a long time. He stripped off his shirt, ready to change out of the PT clothes, the last reminder of his ordeal, when he caught his reflection in the mirror. His muscles were gone. “I guess that’s the prices of freedom” he said to himself. “Good riddance…” He was surprised what a difference it made to his appearance. He looked sickly and impotent. Instinctively he hunched over trying to cloister and hide himself away when suddenly he noticed his brother in the doorway.
“Hey Cadet Carter - “ His brother began but stopped upon noticing the boy fumbling for a shirt. He’d picked up the nearest option which was the PT tank top, but he wanted something with sleeves! He didn’t want anyone to see him like this again. Frantically he tried to hide himself knowing he was still being watched and, giving up, exclaimed “Not now Jeremy. I need some time alone.” He turned back a moment later and his brother was gone.
He got himself dressed in his old pajamas and crossed the hall to the bathroom. Catching his reflection in the mirror again he started to think he looked even smaller than he had when he started boot-camp. Maybe he didn’t realize how much he’d grown there, but now that his boot-camp gains were gone, he looked 15 again. He started to brush his teeth and felt a weird resistance. There was something on his tooth. He spit out the toothpaste from his mouth and used his finger like a hook to pull his cheek away from his face. On one of his top teeth he found a little metal bracket. “BrAces? ” he asked himself out loud, his voice cracking embarrassingly. He probed the foreign object with his finger. It was glued tight to his tooth. He noticed another appear a moment later, and a metal band around one of his molars. Then more and more of the little metal pieces appeared one after the other, one on each tooth. It was fascinating and frightening to watch. Suddenly he felt an uncomfortable pressure against all of his teeth all at once. A pair of thin, stiff metal wires had embedded themselves inside the braces connecting the them together. *POP*, *POP* *POP* *POP* A sudden rubbery popping sensation accompanied the appearance of dozens of small rubber bands capping off each one of his brand new braces. He gazed in awe at the result. He was wearing a set of braces like the set he had when he was 13.
Focusing back on his face he recognized himself. He was YOUNGER! His hair was still military but his face was starting to look like a kid. “What’s happening?!” he said out loud, actually hoping for an answer. “Is the stone doing this to me? Is it a safeguard against Cadets abandoning their post?!” He needed to get help fast.
“Mom” He shouted running through the house “MooOm!” He tried again, his voice cracking
“What is it sweety?” His mom said, not seeming to notice any problem.
“Look at me. I’m ThirtEen.” He said clearing his throat, unable to control his voice.
“Yes in a few months deer. Are you excited to be a teenager?” She asked
“I am a teenager!” He protested, shocked by the childish voice that came out of his mouth that he hadn’t heard in so long.
“I… I’m a kid.” He said clutching his throat then rubbing his teeth finding no trace of the braces.
“Of course you are sweetie. You’re by big boy.” His mom said in what seemed like a patronizing tone. “And soon you’ll be my little boy. Isn’t that what you wanted?”
“NO!” he shouted running back to his room finding toys and pictures and stuffed animals he’d long ago discarded. The desk mirror was a thick spaceship themed affair he hadn’t seen in ages. He looked himself over again finding he couldn’t be more then 9 or 10. His mom came to his door looking at him expectantly. “I thought you wanted to come home, and be a kid again sweetie.”
“You don’t understand mom. There’s this magic rock, it turned me into a Cadet, and it’s making me a kid now because I ran away.”
“Go on.” She said unfazed by the information
“I don’t know. I don’t know what to do. If I go back I’ll be a mindless drone, if I stay I’ll be stuck as a little kid. I don’t want to be a kid. I don’t want to be a man, I want be me!”
“I want to be Cadet Carter!” He screamed.
“You’ll always be Cadet Carter” She chided kneeling down to hold his hand “My little soldier boy.” She added with a smile.
Cadet Carter stumbled backwards upon feeling painful pressure under his feet. Catching himself from falling he looked down finding a tiny Cadet’s uniform had materialized on him with a nametag that said “ Little Carter”.
“Mom!” he shouted tugging at the uniform and feeling helpless. It wouldn’t come off.
“Don’t wrinkle your good suit.” His mother said sharply swatting his hands away. “You need to look your best for pictures.”
She inspected the boy’s hair with a disappointed sneer. “This won’t do at all. It’s time to get you sorted out”
“But Mom -” He was cut off by his mom dragging him around by the arm. He was disoriented for a moment, finding himself outside a large building. There was no sign. Just a spinning red and blue swirled pole.
“NO!” He shouted in his thin petulant voice “I’m not gonna get a haircut!”
“Ooooh yes you are” She commanded dragging him into the shop by the arm “I’m not putting down $24.99 for a set of 8x10 glossies with your hair looking like that, mister!”
The pair was immediately met by a tall man. His face was round and cheery with a comical mustache that defied gravity. Cadet Carter thought he looked like if the Pringle’s man were alive.
“What can I do for you?” Came the mans voice. “I’m Sargent Barber.”
“Well” His mom started, drawing in a deep breath “We like to keep him tidy but it seems like every week we need to get him trimmed. He’s having pictures taken this afternoon and we need him to be photo ready.”
“I see.” He said knowingly “Let me have a look.”
The man picked Cadet Carter up and plopped him down into a tiny empty barber’s chair for children, grabbed his chin and turned his head from side to side. “Yes…” He said thoughtfully. “I see your problem.”
“What is it Sargent Barber?” She asked worriedly
“Well..." he began slowly as though he were trying to find the right words. " The hair will always grow back if you allow him to stay as a real boy…“ He said shrugging
“Is there anything you can do?” She asked hopefully.
“I think I have just the thing he needs” The barber said reaching into his pocket and pulling out a magic stone.
“That’s it Mom, That’s the stone I told you about” Cadet Carter shouted in alarm, his eyes bugging out.
“Just hold still” The barber said dropping the stone into a glass of liquid and pouring the contents over the boy’s head.
“No!” He screamed as the liquid covered him coating his entire body. His uniform fused to his skin, his boots became one with his feet. He began to feel stiff and his joints were bulging out. He could see wood grain begin to appear on his skin and on his uniform. His bulging joints grew seams revealing intricate wooden articulation points. He looked into the mirror and saw his face was that of a wooden puppet with painted on hair. His eyelids were thick and simplistic. He reached his hands up to touch his cheeks but he couldn’t feel anything. His jaw fell open and he collapsed in his chair, a limp lifeless doll.
“This is when the boys get a little difficult to manage” The man said with a laugh, picking up the puppet boy’s wooden head and placing it gently into a vice at the top of the chair. He tightened the vice and began to erase the boy’s painted on hair line with a piece of fine sand paper. “Just takes a bit of elbow grease” The man said “But it’s worth it, believe me. One and done.”
“Sounds perfect” His mother’s vacuous, sing-song voice came from the other side of the room
Cadet Carter could see his painted hair fading away, exposing the raw wood underneath which the man waxed and buffed to a gleam. Soon he was sporting the painted puppet equivalent of a high and tight cut. And it would last a lifetime.
Then the man held a wooden cross dotted with strings over the little puppet boy. Each string attached itself permanently to his appendages breathing life into him and allowing the vice to be loosened. The man pulled the puppet up by the wooden cross, presenting the swaying effigy to his mother and placing him at her side. When the man let go of the wooden cross it hung suspended in the air.
Cadet Carter took a few steps, not knowing if it was by his doing or the strings'. He looked up at the strings and cross asking in a frightened childish voice "What's that?" his jaw bobbed in sync with his words and he could hear his voice but he wasn't sure where it was coming from.
"Oh, that's nothing to worry about." The barber responded reassuringly "Best to ignore it..."
“What do you think?” He asked the woman grinning evily
“Picture Perfect” She said creepily gazing into the puppet boy's eyes and cupping the side of his face with her hand
“Do you take personal checks?”
“Of course”…
-------------------------------
“Good Morning Cadets!” Came the Officer’s booming voice. “Fall In!”
Cadet Carter Bolted out of his cot without knowing what was going on. His body held him at attention in the familiar barracks he thought he’d left behind.
Then the truth dawned on him painfully.
He had never escaped at all.
Somehow despite his best efforts, he had fallen asleep…