By Leo Sal

In a well, lit warehouse basement,10 soldiers, all dressed in green camouflage clothing, were standing completely still in a straight line, shoulder to shoulder. A man with a red beret was in facing them demonstrating survival techniques and maneuvers.


Joe, one of the 10 recruits, voluntarily walked out of the line-up and began to question the usefulness of these techniques.

"This is bull and you know it!" The man said with a cocky smirk on his face." Your just trying to bore us to death so we'll be like you." He continued.

The commander stopped what he was doing a marched over to the young man, his footsteps echoing through the area. He stared at Joe for what seemed like an eternity. Finally he said

"Does this mean YOU can survive ANYTHING." He stressed.

"Yeah, I can survive ANYTHING." Joe responded, taunting the commander." What's wrong? Jealous?" He mocked

"Very well." And with that the commander continued with his instruction, as if the confrontation never happened.

"Walk away! You know you can't be me! You know it!"

The commander continued, apparently ignoring the arrogant boasts from Joe. He then walked under a large iron hook.

The commander then lowered himself to the ground, as if he was picking up a dropped item. He wrapped a thin, barely visible wire around his finger and hopped to his feet. The wire quickly followed and guided the wire towards Joe's feet. He pulled some more and the wire was lifted off the ground and almost automatically wrapped itself around Joe's neck.

The commander leaped vertically, quickly wrapping some of the wire around the hook. Upon landing, he jerked his left arm sideways and pulled the wire forward. As went the wire, so did Joe. While hoisted in the air, Joe's face turned purple and his struggling became faster and more urgent. Within minutes however, Joe's body stopped moving.


"Always be aware of your surroundings." The commander stated, now his attention on the 9 other soldiers."That is one of the first, and most important rules of survival."


He gently plucked a baseball sized grenade from the leather harness it was rested upon.

"Step back." He ordered the others.

Obediently, they complied.

He too, stepped back a few steps before pulling the pin. He held it for a second and tossed it toward Joe's body. When it reached his mouth, it exploded. The other soldiers watched in surprising indifference as the body was torn apart by the explosion.


"I see you're learning already. You'll make exceptional soldiers someday, or end up like Joe here."


The commander quietly walked away as two more soldiers, this time lieutenants, walked to him and saluted immediately.

"Commander Rolento, sir. What should we do with the body?" One of the recent arrivals asked.

"Leave it." He said in a cold tone of voice." It'll remind them that foolishness and arrongance have no place in my army.

And with that, Rolento walked away the stench of burning flesh filled the warehouse.