Rosemary was the last to walk up. She looks down at her black flats, feeling wobbly. Behind her there were only the empty pews in the silence of the church. Her hands traced the casket looking down at Bertha's body. "I'm to give half my wage to your family," she whispered. "The best way to honor you is to take care of your family so until all the children are 18, I'm going to take care of all their expenses, and I'll make sure it's in writing." Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a small, round white stone. Kissing it, she placed it in the casket. "I remember when the goddess was talked about in my hometown. Each person who goes to the great beyond must pass by the moon. I hope you made it past and saw the glory of the moon and into the bosoms of the goddess."
Rebecca's eyes traced Rosemary who took a seat in the pew in front. "This concludes our service today for this beautiful soul. Put your hands together." She bowed. "May we all walk in the goddess's love." Grabbing a pendant on her chest, she bowed and lifted her head towards the large statue behind her, kneeling in reverence.
June 15, Summer 1545
Flora Marksmanship Academy
0800
Abby walks into the room with her morning coffee as Luna followed behind her tripping and spilling a little coffee on the floor.
"I'm sorry," Luna whispered as she put her handkerchief down to soak up the coffee.
"It's the most beautiful ladies in the room," Cody says, winking at Abby and giving her a kiss.
"Nice to see you too Cody," Abby avows, and she took a seat behind him.
"You think he would get the hint," Luna whispered as she leaned over to Abby's right ear. "I don't think he is going to give up."
"He's scaling an impossible wall," Abby says loud enough for Rosemary to hear behind them.
"Most men are blockheads," Rosemary giggles as she went through her medical care supplies, making sure she had bandages and gauze for today's events.
"Not all of us are blockheads," Ian avers, piping up from another side of the room, sipping his tea. "I drink Chai every morning. That is a beverage of gentlemen, and ladies used to flock to me in college."
"I don't think foreign women will think your charms are sexy," Marcus chuckles, putting two toothpicks into his mouth and biting them nervously. "All that matters is that you can perform in the bedroom, and nothing else. If not, those women are going to pay you no mind, my brother."
"Marcus, I'm going to pray for you," Rebecca says, looking down at her table and scribbling something. "All those women in the frivolous nature of the wind will send you to an early grave. If it's fast and easy don't go for that woman," Rebecca states. She twirled her long brunette hair, setting her blue eyes on Marcus as if trying to calm the raging ocean of emotions around him.
Marcus caressed his afro trying to find a witty comment, but his lips fell silent. "Can't argue with that, chap. I do live in the fast lane, but who knows, maybe one day I may settle down. But I can't help the chase to go smack as many butts as possible."
Luna turned to the left staring at Marcus's chocolate skin. She put her wrist over her mouth, coughing loudly. "Marcus," she says as she squeaks up. "If you continue to go on your path of frivolity you could end up getting a disease and cutting your life short. I have some calculations here if you want to take a look."
Rosemary's cheeks flared as she covered her mouth slamming her fist on the table. "You did not just do that," she giggled, pointing at Marcus. "Make sure you wrap it up, man."
Marcus put his head down as he put his arms out, gesturing towards his body with his index fingers. "I can take it. Keep on giving it to me."
Monica was leaving, at the front of the room by the chalkboard shaking her head with a large smile on her face.
"You did walk into it," Abby states, a large smile plastered over her face.
"It's all right man," Cody says smacking him on the back. "If you dish it out make sure you can take it my friend."
Marcus lifted up his head slightly. "He's right…Doesn't mean I can't protect myself from the blows," he says. "Direct everything towards my Afro. Let it just soak up the pain."
"You put up a big front Marcus, but you know what? I have a nickname for you," Rosemary says, as she winked at him. "I want to call you tender. Because no matter how much you try to put on a front, you're a big softy."
"You guys are a bunch of clowns and I'm so happy to see you smile," Monica says as she took a piece of chalk from the holder beside her. "As you know, today is capture the flag and then we're halfway through our months training before we will be sent on our first mission. Today we'll be going out to capture the flag which is the first of our two major exercises."
"That sounds amazing and all, but what about Derek? Did they hang him or electrocute him to death?" Rosemary's eyes were filled with fury as she leaned forward from across the room, staring at her superior.
"What about that ignorant fool?" Ian added, as he twirled his index finger on the desk and then tapped it three times awaiting an answer.
Monica put her hands down as if trying to calm a wild herd of children. "I haven't received any extra news from the internal investigation from Col. Rayfield. Rest assured they are exploring every route before rendering judgment on him. He will pay, from what I was told."
"I want to just kill him by firing squad." Cody states as he put his hands up. He shot with his hands portraying a rifle in action. Let's just be done with him. He's a horrible human to our society. He is a menace. He's a whack job. Just wrap him on a pole and let a few revolvers do their work and call it a day."
"I understand all y'all's anger and you are justified," Monica states. "But we also had to get ready for the exercise here in the next few hours where we're to be watched by all the upper leadership. If we don't perform, we'll be sent back to the regular army without a marksman. We can't blow it." Exhalating, her eyes met everyone in the classroom. She turned around and drew a large square with the flight posts on top. We're at a disadvantage because we have eight squad members now, but on that battlefield you will often face unfair situations. I'm going to assign each of you a task based off my review of your training so far with firearms and your intellectual prowess."
"I like the sound of the intellectual prowess in this," Ian says, taking his index fingers and rubbing them on his chin. "Tell me Monica, what do you think about me?"