Роберт Уилсон - Days Since... - Jenny - Day 986

“Hey, Danny…”

“Already finished with the checks?” He raised both eyebrows and smirked.

Jenny said nothing, unable to gather her thoughts from only a moment ago.

“No? Not finished?” Danny stressed the question.

Speak up! “Danny—”

“Look, last night you said you were going to listen to me no matter what, right? And you couldn’t even make it what ten, twelve hours?”

“I’m sorry, I just—”

“Why can’t you listen? Why?”

“Why can’t you listen to me for once?” she managed to keep her voice down, calm, focused. “I understand why you think I shouldn’t be on the scout team, so I thought up another idea, something I think we can both agree to.”

“I’m listening…” He shoveled another spoonful in his mouth.

“Why don’t you let me and Derrick switch spots? Derrick’s already trained for scouting and I can manage a post on the roof. I’ve already proven I have a good shot. Plus, I’d be close to home for meals and rest. It works out for everyone. There’s no reason we can’t—”

“I see you’ve actually put some thought into this.” Danny set his bowl down on the ledge next to him. “But even still, you’re not doing sentry duty”

“You can’t keep me—”

“From being on my scout team?”

“I wasn’t going to say that.”

“Good, I don’t want to keep you from the team.”

Jenny’s face beamed. “Really? And Griffin’s okay with me not doing checks?”

“He didn’t fight me on it, so yes, you’re still on the team.”

She cocked her head sideways expecting a different truth to come out.

“Really.” Playfully, Danny stole the sock hat from her head. “And I’m serious, you better start listening, damn it. First things first…”

“I’m listening.”

“Go get Sherman from my room then check your firearms out for the day.” He handed his keys over to Jenny. “Don’t lose ‘em.”

Jenny fumbled through the crowded keyring.

“That one there,” Danny said, “and don’t get any ideas of snooping around with my master set. We have training to do.”

Trudging forward, Jenny pried each boot loose from the snow—one miserable step followed by the next. Danny and Sherman seemed unhindered in their movements. Jenny, however, was falling behind, winded already from her effort in keeping up. Getting close. Just suck it up a bit longer. She took a deliberate eye to her surroundings. I think… With each bend in their path, she was beginning to doubt her judgment. The wooded trail to the training grounds seemed longer than before. Nothing seemed to trigger familiarity. Any landmark hidden or disguised by snow. The little nuances gone. Everything changed by the season. Danny knows where he’s going. Focus on you—what you need to be doing.

“You look good with that rifle,” Danny called back to her.

“I know.” She canted her M1A Scout rifle, admiring it—the walnut stock, polished, beautiful. A little heavier than an average rifle, but she loved it.

Over a month ago, when they first went out to fire it, Danny tried to warn her. But of course, Jenny thought he was teasing, or simply overexaggerating what was to come. Unsurprisingly, he let her try it her way—the way she insisted—with her sloppy stance, her loose grip. It took only one press of the trigger and she found out the truth while falling to her ass. Danny never teased when it came to firearms.

Luckily for her, it didn’t take long for Danny to fix her issues and the bruise on her face to heal. The lesson was learned. Now, the rifle was hers. Assigned to her. Perfect for her. Efficient and deadly with her.

While walking, she tried to cover the endless list of things Danny inundated her with every day. Finger off the trigger unless you’re ready to shoot your target. Keep it at a low ready, but able to snap on target in an instant. Be vigilant, but not scared. Breathe. Reload behind cover. Know what cover’s available. Always know your next move, where you’re going.

Danny stopped and turned back toward her, squinting into the sun. “Only a little bit longer.” He watched her as she made up the ground between them. “Good grip. And, not pointing it at the people in front you. Things seem to be finally sinking in with you.”

“I learned from the best…” She slid the kerchief from her mouth and leaned in toward him, whispering, “Or is it just the only person left? I can’t remember.”

“Both?” He chuckled, flipping the kerchief back over her smiling face. “Better tighten that thing up. Not even your big nose can keep it in place.”

“Big nose? You’re one to talk…”

“Maybe you’re right…”—he pinched along the bridge of his nose—“Oh, well.” Shrugging his rucksack to the ground, he began sorting through his equipment. “Alright, kiddo, you ready?”

Jenny nodded, struggling to convey a cool exterior. Why does this happen every time? Her nervousness, her fear of failure took grip. Get it together, Jenny. It’s just Sherman. It’s just Danny. It’s training, Jenny, training.

“Do me a favor and take a couple breaths,” Danny said. “Long ones. I can see it in your eyes already. Don’t be too eager for this, alright?”

She did as she was told. Long, biting breaths, driving air deep into her lungs. The cold was too much, and she coughed.

“Maybe not so much,” Danny said. “In… Out… There you go. In… Out… Good. Keep that up.” Danny wiped a few strands of hair from his forehead. “So, I know we haven’t been getting out here as much as you’d like. Sorry about that, but you’ve been getting your reps in elsewhere. Well, kinda. We’ll forget these last two weeks or so that you’ve been draggin’ ass on us.”

Jenny narrowed her eyes at him while he chuckled again.

“I know why. I’m not trying to start anything, okay? All I’m saying, or trying to say, is that besides those two weeks, you’ve been doing great. All these scouts we’ve been doing are keeping you fresh. Or, hell, making you better. The other day, when those shots came out, I…” He paused, seemingly unwilling to let what was to follow leave his lips. “I… I was impressed. All I can hope is that what we train for becomes second nature. The stuff that happens without thinking. What you and Matt did was pure reaction. It was great. Nothing like some of the idiots I’ve seen before. Some might have just sat there in the window. Frozen. But not you guys.”

The kerchief kept Jenny’s blushing cheeks hidden. “Thanks, Danny.”

“Welcome. Now listen up, from here on, I’m gonna let you take Sherman. Take him across the flat and down the hill to get the feel for him again. Remember, he needs to be handled. For the most part, he can be pretty self-sufficient, but if he needs corrected, do it before shit goes bad. Once we get to the training grounds, you’ll need to be a little more thoughtful. Take your time with your technique, with your gun work.

“Here, you’ll need this.” From his ruck, Danny took a leg holster and handed it to her.

“Awesome.” She smoothed her pant leg and wrapped the holster around it. “That look right?”

“One sec…” He stretched her cargo pants pocket further down, and Jenny cinched the holster tighter. “There. And, now just the top loop through your belt here. Good. Looks good, but it’s missing something pretty important.” Danny held out the Glock he’d found on their last scout, magazine ejected, slide locked to the rear.

“Well, yeah.” Taking it, she checked that it wasn’t loaded, then popped in the magazine, worked the slide, and dropped it into its holster. “Now, I’m ready.”