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‘03:00 60km Barrel run’
Yikes.
“Personally, I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.” Cole tilts his head up toward the sky.
I tuck my freezing hands into my jacket. “Even after what…happened?”
His gaze drops to the ground. “I know it’s hard to understand, but yes.”
A few of the guys are hanging around a large fire pit. We make our way toward them. I wish so much I could hear what’s running through Cole’s head right now. Something is definitely off.
“Evening, Colonel.” One of the candidates nods politely at Cole. “Miss,” he says as he addresses me.
So, this is fifty-nine, the one Cole has been watching.
“Roth,” Cole says. I notice he doesn’t address him as his number. Maybe it’s because they’re not training at the moment. Another man comes up to join us. He is much shorter than Cole and Roth, almost eye level with me.
“Colonel Logan, it’s nice to meet you,” the man says. “I’m Captain James. I was happy to hear our half of the group got to train here at Camp Green Water.” He looks at me. “So, this is the lady who’s got the camp buzzing.” He extends a hand. “Captain James.”
“Nice to meet you, Captain.” I shake his hand then quickly shove mine back in my jacket. Cole puts his hand on my waist, moving me in front of him so I am closer to the fire.
Cole and Roth start talking about Roth’s time over in Afghanistan. I tune them out, leaning my weight into Cole. His hands are stroking methodically up and down my arms. It feels nice as I watch the fire crackle and pop.
“Lovely girl you got there,” I hear Roth say. “Well, I should hit the sack. I see we’re going to be up shortly.”
“Good night, Roth.” Cole leans down, whispering in my ear, “You seem quiet.”
“I’m comfy,” I answer, still in my trance from the fire. He chuckles as he wraps his arms around me.
“I want to take you to bed.”
“And I want you to.” I sigh, loving the way I feel in his arms.
“Move, move,move!” Cole shouts at the men as each one carries his teammate across a field three feet deep in snow.
I see Roth carrying James like he is weightless, taking long strides well ahead of the rest of them.
“If they fall,” Daniel says, handing me a coffee, “they have to go back to the start and do it all over again.”
“Really?” I ask in disbelief as he takes a seat next to me on the bench.
“Yes, they have to know they can’t fail. Most of these men can do it. It’s all mental.”
We watch as two men fall and don’t get back up. Cole goes over and starts yelling at them. I can’t make out what he’s saying, but it doesn’t sound nice. I cringe, feeling bad for the guys.
“He’ll ask them what’s wrong,” Daniel says, noticing I’m shifting uneasily. “See?” He points. “See how Cole nods at someone? That’s the medic. He’s letting them know that the men are all right, but to keep an eye on them. He’ll ask the men if they are VW, voluntary withdrawing. If they are, they will be asked to leave right away.” Daniel looks at me. “We are not here to break the men. We are here to make sure we let in America’s best. These are all great soldiers. They’re just not all great Green Berets.”
I watch Cole reach in his pocket and take out his cell phone. He glances over at us and answers the call. After a few minutes, he motions for another man to take his place. He signals something to his father, who then excuses himself to follow Cole into the main building.
“Excuse me,” I ask one of the men working a stopwatch a while later. “Could you tell me the time?”
“Sure, it’s fifteen hundred.”
“Three p.m.?”
“Yes.” He smiles.
Cole and Daniel have been gone for over an hour and a half, and Keith will be here to pick me up shortly. I decide to go over to the main building, where I run into Davie from the dining hall.
