Finding Virginia: Handle With Care

“Knowing how to use a gun can save your life. Carrying one, can get you killed.” Rick lectured.

It made perfect sense to me. Guns are dangerous and if I had my way, there would be a lot less people in the world who ever held one in their hands. The fact one was laying on the table in front of everyone in the room had made me uneasy to begin with. I realized of course that none of them would remain laying on the table forever though and that the change would inevitably lead to one of them being put to use in my hands. My trepidation at the prospect had to take a backseat to Virginia’s excitement and curiosity. Allowing my true feelings to come forward would only result in exposing me for the misfit I am.

“Are you planning on explaining that?” Olivia asked.

There was condescension in her tone, mixed with impatience or perhaps that was simply annoyance. Rick smiled at her. He probably would have frowned if I had dared speak up but her oversexed appearance was obviously softening his hard exterior, well most of it anyway.

“Understanding the customs and practices of the people you are interacting with will let you know when it is acceptable to be armed and when it is not. This course is not designed to teach you the skills necessary for making that judgment. If you feel inadequate to the task, you should refrain from carrying your own weapon. That however, does not mean you should remain ignorant in the use of a firearm.” Rick said.

“Guns are intimidating when in the hands of a person who knows how to use them. Many time, simply taking the safety off of a hand gun and pointing it in the general direction of a threatening individual can diffuse an otherwise deadly situation. Of course, if you ever point a gun at someone, make sure you are prepared to kill. It’s not an easy choice to make but once you point a loaded gun at a person, you’ve already made the decision.” Rick continued.

“Understand that simple truth right now. If you are going to aim a gun, you better be ready to kill or be killed because that’s where the situation escalates to. With luck and good judgment you will often be able to avoid the cataclysm, but do not assume so. Your life might well depend on it.” Rick said.

The vague situations Rick was alluding to left me with a burning question; What do my cohorts at camp actually do for a living? Other than Gina, no one was asking those kinds of questions though and considering my own situation, it is not all that surprising. If you don’t want someone asking about your own career, you don’t really ask about theirs. I always have trouble ignoring elephants though, so it’s a good thing Virginia is tougher than me.

With no further questions being raised, Rick launched into a demonstration of how to disassemble the handguns before us. Virginia paid close attention, realizing I would soon be requested to do the same. Sure enough that was the next assignment and it took the better part of an hour for everyone to complete the assignment, concluding in the reconstruction of the guns. Virginia spent more than half the time wondering what the problem was.

Next we were shown how to load a clip and then the gun. It was kind of fun, especially watching Gina chase after bullets, rolling on the floor and Olivia crying about a broken thumbnail. I guess I should be less amused by the obvious proficiency difference between men and women in the handling of guns, but then I was doing just fine and unless things had changed since the morning showers, I wasn’t sporting any male equipment. I guess I just enjoyed the proof that I was far from the least capable person in the camp and of course Rick and Tanya had both noticed.

Finally we moved off to the shooting range. It was indoors, shockingly. The only objection I could have raised was instead of typical target they use silhouettes of men. I mean sure there were guys I could imagine myself shooting and all, although I’d rather aim at a little smaller head. It just seemed wrong to be taught to shoot at people or people-esque shapes. I’m sure, psychologically speaking it is necessary, but even after shooting the heart and brain out of a piece of paper I am not certain I could shoot if it were a living breathing animal in front of me, forget about a human being. If Joe Candle expects me to be killer, he’s definitely got the wrong girl.

The most interesting part of the afternoon was an accident, but like any accident involving guns, it was more dangerous than amusing. That said I did laugh my ass off.

Olivia, as usual, was more interested in looking sexy than actually doing anything. During the final test of the afternoon, where we were individually expected to show proficiency in quickly assembling, loading, and shooting a target’s nose and heart, she got a little flustered. The test was timed as well as being judged on accuracy. Rick was giving a combined score based on time and accuracy, Brian on my team had the high score and I had a close second place score, in fact only Gina on my team had scored below anyone on team four and Olivia was the last hope for her team to have anyone scoring well. I don’t think the competition got her though, I don’t think she really gave a damn, but I’m sure she wanted to beat that minimum level of achievement at which Rick had promised an individual training session going as far into the night as necessary. Too bad.

Somehow she managed to pinch herself twice while assembling the gun. I know its not funny but trust me, it was. Then when she ended up with only four bullets in her clip because the rest had rolled their way to safety after being spring launched into the air by her thumb and the spring in the clip. It made me think of a pez dispenser for some reason. Thankfully she didn’t try popping the bullets into her mouth.

So after disaster followed by disaster she finally gets the gun loaded with the nearly empty clip and takes aim down the target alley. The clocks ticking away and she’s taking her time, no doubt figuring she better hit her marks or plan on a long night. She pulls the trigger and nothing. She looks down at the gun like a betrayed lover. It just rests, cold, in her hands and I have a feeling it’s not the first time she’s had that effect.

She ejects the clip, waves it around, and then shoves it back in. She pulls the slide back with the gun sideways and the lets it’s slam back into place at which point the disaster strikes. The slide pinches the skin on her hand and she drops the gun, jumping and screaming and waving her hand in the air like she’d lost a frickin’ finger. Her team, hell every man in the room, is at first super concerned about her well being. Survival was more on mind.

I couldn’t decide whether to drop to the floor, crouch next to the wall, or just pray I was standing in the right spot. The gun tumbled to the ground and went off. Surprisingly to me, the noise of the gun shooting actually took attention away from Olivia and caused everyone to panic. The shot missed me just fine, but Rick wasn’t so lucky. It grazed the side of his calf before being stopped by the cement walls.

Rick, not so tough after all, went down to the ground and there was a bit of blood although not enough to cause me to think he’d been seriously hurt. My team stayed put while the other team with the notable exception of Olivia went running out the door. Brian and I went for Rick and tried to help. Kevin collected the gun from the floor, returned it to safety and unloaded it, while Gina calmed Olivia down.

Rick was resistant to Brian and I at first but Brian doesn’t take no for an answer it seems. I grabbed a conveniently mounted first aid kit and we quickly cleaned his wound and I was putting a bandage on it when Tanya came running in. She looked at Rick and then at the rest of us and out of everyone she picked me for some reason.

“What the hell happened here?” She asked.

“Olivia had a mishap with her gun and dropped it. It went off.” I said.

She stared at me as if she didn’t believe a word of it, but then who knows what the cowards of team four told her. Rick nodded and there was a little color returning to his white cheeks. Olivia was still so distraught over her hand she had no idea what had happened. I swear if I ever act that stupid, I hope someone shoots me.

“I’m fine. Everyone outside, now.” Rick said.

Brian and I hesitated for just a moment but after a quick no nonsense look from Rick we stood up from our kneeling positions and headed out. Kevin, Georgina and Olivia followed, but I noticed Tanya was remaining behind. I guess she wasn’t part of everyone.

We waited outside in the quad. Teams one and two were naturally confused and trying to figure out what happened. To listen to Olivia tell it, my team had sabotaged her gun and made her drop it. Her team supported the story with nods and encouraging one word statements like, “Right” and “Yeah.” I tried not to roll my eyes. I really did. Honest.

It continued until Rick and Tanya emerged from the building. We were then lined up in the middle of the quad. I wasn’t sure what exactly was going to happen but I really wasn’t all that surprised when Olivia was called out in front of everyone. Rick lectured her and the rest of us about safety again. I always love how one idiot in a class seems to reflect on everyone else.

Olivia stood there rather impassively during the spiel. It was the first time I had seen her not fluttering her eyelashes for longer than five minutes. I could have been impressed but then there was that nagging feeling that she was still manipulating everyone. When Rick finished and turned directly on her, she focused her angry eyes on me for some reason. I guess Virginia’s a little bit of a bitch, but I really didn’t do anything except find her amusing.

“I feel it’s quite necessary to make an example here, Olivia. I’m sorry but I’m sure you can understand, I can’t tolerate reckless behavior regardless of the reason behind it. We were only fortunate here that no one was seriously injured or even killed.” Rick said.

“I understand.” Olivia said.

She sounded all the brave victim of unfortunate circumstance as Rick pulled out his strap. If I hadn’t been there myself I might have felt sorry for her. Virginia on the other hand was relieved that what was clearly a serious matter, was not being ignored.

“Shorts and panties down. Touch your toes.” Rick ordered.

Olivia couldn’t help it I suppose. She wiggled her butt as she complied and bared her backside for all to witness. I noticed I was right before when I assumed she was pierced a little lower than her bellybutton. Of course it also made me realize just how exposed I had been the day before when I’d managed to get my own backside whacked.

Rick didn’t drag things out. He applied the strokes quickly and covered her white bubbling flesh with vibrant red stripes. Olivia whimpered a little at first and then slipped into full on tears and crying. I’m sure it was an act. When it was all over, her white butt was a memory swollen over and covered with glistening red welts. I think she might have actually got worse than I did. Still, Virginia didn’t allow for much sympathy.

That was the end of the day’s lessons. Dinner was about an hour later and between the two events I became aware that my team had suddenly become ostracized. How it was that we were being blamed for the incident was beyond my comprehension, but survival camp is no court of law.

“So V, I hear you work for Quondam.” Brian said.

We were sitting at dinner. Brian was across from me and Kevin was next to me with Gina sitting across from Kevin and next to Brian. I guess something about being divided up into teams creates this whole massive sense of camaraderie because it was a far cry from morning when no one even cared that I existed. Questions about work though, were still not on the top of my favorable list.

“For whatever reason, that seems to be common knowledge around here.” I replied.

“Show up in a taxi next time instead of a limo and you might have a little more anonymity.” Gina said.

“Knowing Joseph Candle, he did that to specifically call attention to you.” Kevin said.

“You know Mr. Candle?” I asked.

Suddenly I was curious.

“We’ve crossed paths a few times. He likes his people to be noticed. If he’s hired you, he either thinks you are really good at something or really good at looking like you are good at something. I don’t think he really cares about the difference between the two.” Kevin said.

“It sounds like you don’t like him much.” I said.

“Any man with that much power has to be corrupt.” Gina said.

Brian and Kevin both nodded in agreement. A week ago, I would have as well, but now things are different. Virginia can’t mistrust big companies with big money and bigger agendas even though I always have. It was hard but I had to take the opposite view.

“He’s the CEO of a large corporation not the devil. Besides, from what I’m hearing here, you know very little about the man and all about his reputation. The two are not necessarily the same.” I said.

“So you know him well?” Brian asked.

“Not really, but better than any of you seem to.” I said.

“Or maybe we just know him well enough to see through the layers to the worm at his core.” Gina said.

“I don’t even like apples.” I said.

Gina looked confused but Kevin and Brian laughed with me. I was starting to feel more comfortable even if the conversation was awkwardly centered around me.

“I can see why he likes you.” Kevin said.

“Who says he does?” I asked.

“Calm, cool, collected, and in control. What’s not to like?” Brian said. “Not to mention you are obviously intelligent and skilled. In fact, I have yet to see something you’re not good at including getting spanked.”

I didn’t know whether to politely accept the awkwardly given compliment or blush that the two men in my group had paid so much attention to me. In the end I did both.

“Thanks, but I’m sure I have plenty to learn still.” I said.

It was about then that dinner was over. Even though it was relatively early, I felt exhausted and ready for bed. Tanya had a brief announcement first though.

“After reviewing today’s results we have decided to swap the team assignments. From now on Teams one and three will take first lessons with Rick and two and four will take first lessons with me. This is not to reflect on anyone other than we believe the teams will be more fairly matched this way.” Tanya said.

On the one hand it sounded like good news, but on the other I couldn’t help but notice the unstated implication. Obviously someone was paying far too much attention to Olivia’s paranoid delusions about being sabotaged. Rick and Tanya couldn’t be blamed for being cautious, but they might have at least given a better excuse that didn’t sound so much like they were avoiding the real reason.

A little while later I settled into my bunk, ready for a good night’s sleep. Patricia walked over to me and kicked the side of my bunk making it rattle for a moment. I looked up at her sleepily and yawned.

“Did you need something?” I asked.

She stood with her hands planted firmly on her hips and adopted her best mother in charge stance. I was annoyed but tried to keep it from showing.

“If you do something to me like you did to Olivia today, I’ll bury you.” She said.

Great. Can I at least pick the location?

“I didn’t do anything to her and she knows it. Not that it’s any of your business in the first place.” I said.

“I know your type Virginia. You are just a cold hearted bitch that’s so into climbing on top you never notice all the people you step on along the way. I won’t be one of them.” Patricia said.

“I’m so glad we got that cleared up.” I said. “Anything else?”

Patricia huffed, clearly upset that she wasn’t intimidating me.

“You’ll get what’s coming to you. Karma always comes back around.” Patricia said.

“Let me know when she arrives. I’m sure she’ll start by threatening you about things you haven’t done.” I said.

Patricia glared at me. Everyone else in our mini-girls dormitory was silent.

“Since you’ve got nothing left to say, goodnight then.” I said.

I closed my eyes and dreamed I was in a nice hotel room on a comfortable bed and most importantly I was alone. Unfortunately, it was only a dream, but it was enough to get me through the moment and in turn, through the night. Patricia walked away and no one else dared say another word before morning.