Finding Virginia: Oil & Vinegar

Morning came before sunrise. The trumpet blaring over the bullhorn speakers seemed more like a dream than the restless night I spent but the cold desert morning assured me I was wide awake. Judging by the groans around me I was far from the only one not ready to greet a new day. The trumpet noise faded abruptly to silence.

“Rise and shine, ladies.” Tanya said.

I rolled out of bed onto my feet and stared sleepily at Tanya, who was looking far too awake and cheerful for my liking. Looking around I realized for the first time there were only five other women at the camp. We yawned and stretched and wiped the remnants of sleep from our eyes while Tanya waited impatiently for our attention. I felt a childish urge to stick my tongue out at her, but managed to suppress it despite the early hour.

“Right. Follow me to the showers ladies and then we have morning exercises before breakfast.” Tanya said.

Exercise before breakfast?!? My wide eyes probably said it aloud. Inwardly I groaned and Tanya only smiled in response. Of course, it wasn’t just me taken by surprise at the news. I suppose not everything was in the contracts. I shook my head and took my place, first in line behind Tanya. When everyone was in line she marched us out of the building and around to the back where an “L” wall led into the showers. Next to the entrance there was a table with a stack of white bath towels and a trash can with the word “Laundry” stenciled on the swinging lid.

“You will strip off here, drop your things in the laundry and go into the showers. There are two showers and each of you have ten minutes under the water. On your way out, grab a towel, you can get dressed at your bunks and then line up in the courtyard on the line. I suggest you stretch while you wait for Rick or I to get you started with your exercises.” Tanya said.

“Virginia, Patricia, you’re first. Clothes in the bin and hit the showers.” She continued.

It felt strange to be undressing outside but a quick glance confirmed while I was not alone there were no men in sight. Patricia was naked and pushing past me before I even had my top off. I hurried up figuring my time probably started with Patricia and hoped the water was at least warm. It wasn’t.

The cold water was probably better in the end as it woke me up the rest of the way. I let the water fall over me while I waited for Patricia to lather her own wash cloth with the soap. She was older than me, I’d guess somewhere in her forties, but her body was in great shape. In general she was my body type, athletic, well-toned, good proportions, not too small, not too big. She kept her hair short though where I prefer mine long.

She handed me the soap without a word and let go before I had a firm grasp. The soap slipped to the floor and made a b-line for the drain. She shrugged as if to say sorry but her eyes were laughing at me. I think she did it on purpose but why she would eludes me and with our limited shower time, I didn’t waste any trying to figure it out. I just picked it up and lathered my own cloth.

I was still rinsing my hair when Tanya yelled that our time was up. Patricia and I came out at about the same time, grabbing a towel and quickly drying ourselves before wrapping it around our bodies and heading back inside. It was a little skimpy on coverage, but manageable as long as I walked and didn’t run. Patricia didn’t seem to care. From the silence between us I was fairly certain she had already decided not to like me.

I pulled my bag out from under my bed and opened it up. There were two tanks and two pair of shorts left, apparently the required uniform for the camp. I donned my outfit quickly, but Patricia was faster. She was dressed and out the door almost as quickly as we entered. I figured there was little reason to hurry since we were the first to shower. I took my time and brushed my hair out a little before tying it back and then proceeded into the main quad.

Patricia was mingling with two of the guys when I arrived. I ignored them and set to work getting stretched. I’m not really all that into the whole exercise thing, but after my rocky start it seemed wise to follow instructions. Despite my best efforts I couldn’t help noticing their hushed conversation and the occasional laughter. I was certain they were laughing at me. I told myself Virginia wouldn’t care. It didn’t help much. Fortunately Rick arrived after only a few minutes.

“You’ve got 3 miles to run, get started when your ready. You have 25 minutes.” He said.

I wish I could say I was surprised at the news. I hate running so it seems natural it would be a daily routine at this camp. Rick walked away before anyone could say anything. My three companions kept talking to each other after he left. They seemed a little foolish to me in not taking things seriously, but that was their problem. I started running the perimeter and found a nice steady pace that wouldn’t leave me gasping for air at the end. I had finished four circuits before any of them started. Somehow they finished before me and I finished with 3 minutes to spare. I figured ratting them out for cheating was a bad idea so I kept it to myself.

Tanya assigned us push-ups and sit-ups a few minutes after I finished. I wasn’t really in the mood but I sucked it up and did my best. The morning sun was just peeking into the sky when I finished with the last of the exercises. Rick told us to get breakfast when we finished but to be lined up and ready for more by 6:30. I wanted to ask if that was AM or PM but Virginia didn’t think it was a good idea.

Breakfast consisted of yogurt, fruit and white milk. It was better than dinner at least but the fruit tasted canned. I sat alone and this time no one bothered me. Normally I wouldn’t mind keeping company with others. It was just the whole identity thing had me off balance and the cautious side of my brain kept telling me the less I said, the better off I’d be.

It was getting hot by the time we lined up again. I rubbed in some suntan lotion before going out again and by the cloudless sky, I guessed it wouldn’t last the morning. Patricia and Georgina were late. Rick and Tanya didn‘t seem to notice and I began to get the impression that the rules were only there to harass people they wanted to harass. I considered pointing out the discrepancy. Virginia thought it was a bad idea though, so I kept it to myself.

“Tanya is going to divide you into teams this morning. From this point on you will do everything with your team for the rest of the week. After you’ve been divided up, teams 1 and 2 will come with me for firearms training. Teams 3 and 4 will go with Tanya for climbing. After lunch teams will switch.” Rick said.

Tanya stepped forward and Rick stepped back into the shade. 

“Okay folks, I’m going to put you into teams now. They’re not negotiable and there won’t be any reassignments so don’t bother asking.” Tanya said. “Dennis, Gavin, Patricia, and Travis. You are team one.”

Dennis was definitely the scariest of the guys. Bald head, vacant eyes, and rippling muscles, were just the outside of the package. The way he stood on the line made me think military but the way he held his shoulders said something more like, “I am better than everyone and I don’t give a fuck what you think.” All things considered I felt relieved to not be teamed up with him. Maybe he’s not a psychopath, but the line between sane and insane seemed perilously thin within him.

Gavin was one of the guys I’d noticed Patricia talking with earlier. He was lanky and reminded me of a twig with biceps. He was sporting a military haircut but he looked more like the intelligence type than the gun toting badass he was trying to act like. I felt pretty comfortable not having him on my team, all things considered, he’d probably be one of the inquisitive types.

Travis was definitely the odd fit for team one. He actually looked like a nice guy. His hair was neatly combed back and it was easy to picture him in a suit and tie, sitting behind an executive desk. I’m sure he has twenty years on me, but he looked good for everyone of them.

Patricia fluttered her eyelashes at him as they congregated together. I should ignore things like that but there was just something about her that was aggravating me. If I didn’t know better I would say she was trying to be the center of attention and for some reason she thought she was competing with me. Funny thing, was even though I knew better Virginia was thinking otherwise.

“Bret, Jenny, Michelle, Peter. You are team two.” Tanya announced.

Bret was the other guy, Patricia had been spending the morning with. He was medium height and bulky like a body builder. Paint him green and he’d look like the Hulk, right down to the straight hair combed straight down like a trailing weed. His nostrils flared like a stallion’s but I doubt he was so well equipped.

Jenny thought she was G.I. Jane if her shaved head was any clue. She was probably in her mid-thirties but she acted like a teenager, right down to an annoying habit of chewing gum with her mouth open. Her tiny nipples were trying to screw their way through her tank, mostly thanks to what must be surgically enhanced silicon bubbles. I shook my head wondering why any woman would bother.

Michelle was tall and thin with long dark hair pulled back into a thick mane. Her bare shoulders were both tattooed, one with an eagle and the other with a pair of crossed muskets over an American flag. Her beady eyes made her look tough but something told me it was all a façade.

Peter kept his long blonde hair tied back in a ponytail and the diamond studs in both his ears did little to assist in his masculinity. At least he walked like a man, but then if his shorts were any lower he’d be tripping over them. Sadly, I think he’s probably part of my generation.

“Brian, Georgina, Kevin, and Virginia. You’re team three.” Tanya continued.

Brian was a big guy who reminded me more than a little of a giant teddy bear. There was nothing scary about him at all, except maybe those expressive eyes. His curly blonde locks made me think he’d look more at home on the beach with a surfboard under one arm, but the red desert seemed to suit him almost as well.

Georgina I’d met the other night at dinner but I hadn’t given her much notice at the time. She looked young, barely out of her teens if she was at all. She was very fair skinned with definite Hispanic features to her face. Her soft brown eyes were filled with a quiet strength that felt like determination learned from having to constantly prove her worth. She had her black hair tied back like mine only hers was so short the tail missed her shoulders when she swiveled her head.

Kevin was clearly the oldest man in the camp. He was very tall and would likely tower head and shoulders above Georgina and I. His salt and pepper hair was brushed back, probably to cover a bald spot on top of his head, but judging by the thinness, it was a wasted effort. All things considered he looked fit, tough and no non-sense. Given the choice I think I would have picked him.

While I was giving them the once over, I suddenly realized they were all staring at me. It was only then that I recalled I was Virginia and indeed the fourth member of what looked like the most normal team in the camp. I made my way over to them keeping it casual as if I’d just been taking my time. Georgina was looking at me curiously though and I mentally kicked myself for the mistake.

“Bruce, Kyle, Nathan and Olivia. You are team four.” Tanya said.

Bruce kept his hair just long enough so he could have numbers shaved into the side of his head on each side. I’m not sure of the significance, 96 on the left and 69 on the right, but then he was probably an idiot that did it wrong on the left side. I’m guessing he was a jock in high school and never quite got over missing out on the college action.

Kyle was fixated on Olivia to the point of drooling. He should have been embarrassed by the tent in his shorts, but I guess when the little head’s thinking, shame is like a dentist in a candy store, irrelevant. The patches of geometric hair on his face were probably supposed to make him look cool but they just looked like he shaved without a mirror or a clue.

Nathan was the runt. He couldn’t be more than five feet tall and I’m guessing Napoleon had nothing on this guy. He sauntered around like he owned the camp and anyone daring to stand along his path was destined to be shoved by the mosquito. I considered tripping him but my desire to keep my shorts on for the day won out.

Olivia was pierced from tongue to belly-button and unless I miss my guess, a little lower too. Her hair was beach bunny blonde but I’d bet her natural color was dirty blonde or darker. She had her tank tied in a knot in the front to make sure her silver button stud got every guy’s attention and she took every opportunity to show her studded tongue by licking her fat lips.

With everyone divided into teams we headed off for our respective morning classes. Tanya could liven up her narrative style in teaching but it didn’t take long for me to realize she knew her stuff. I’m not quite sure how climbing a fake mountain on the side of a building will help me survive looking for lost treasures, but it was at least fun. Other than Tanya I was the only one in teams 3 and 4 to make it all the way to the top and back down without falling. Nobody patted me on the back, but it still felt good.

The day flew by and it was lunch time before I knew it. I was a little nervous about eating with my team, especially knowing Gina’s inquisitive nature already. Fortunately the meal went smoothly and the only topic of conversation was the morning’s activities. Gina was acting a little odd but my guess was she just didn’t like sharing a table with me.