The Cadet Corporal Read Online Free PDF Page A

the back in a quavering voice. “I want to go back to the fire.”
    Graham silently cursed and went back to him. The glow of the fire was clearly visible only about 200m away. “Don’t be silly. We are nearly finished the first leg,” he said.
    â€œI want to go back,” Andrews repeated.
    â€œNo. Not unless you have hurt yourself, or are really sick,” Graham replied. He was getting annoyed and short tempered again. “Are you sick?”
    Andrews snuffled and shook his head. “Not really, but I want to go back.”
    â€œI heard you. We are going on. Get moving Pat,” he called.
    Pat began moving and Graham set off after him. However he had only gone ten paces when Roger called from the back, “Wait for us Graham. Andrew’s won’t move.”
    â€œOh blast!” Graham thought, angry that Roger had used his first name, and that he now had a problem he didn’t know how to solve.

CHAPTER 3
    IN THE DARK
    â€œCome on Cadet Andrews, get moving!” Graham ordered.
    â€œNo. I want to go back to the fire,” Andrews replied.
    â€œStart walking, that’s an order!” Graham growled. He knew that everyone else in the section was intently following the struggle of wills. Panic at not being able to get his cadets to obey began to well up in Graham. Fear of failure gripped him.
    Andrews shook his head. “No. I’m not going on.”
    â€œI said start marching,” Graham grated angrily. He moved close to Andrews and added, “I am a corporal and I’m giving you a direct order.”
    â€œI’m not going!” Andrews replied, his voice rising and almost cracking with anxiety.
    Exasperation and embarrassment both assailed Graham. He gestured angrily at his sleeve. “Listen you, see these stripes? They mean I can give you orders and I’m telling you to start walking.”
    â€œNo! I want to go back to the fire,” Andrews replied stubbornly
    The situation began to overwhelm Graham. His temper flared. He shook his fist in front of Andrews’ face. “Listen you disobedient little bugger, get moving or... or...”
    Even as he began to say it Graham had just enough sense and self control to stop making a direct physical threat. Even that amount of restraint nearly gave way when Andrews again refused to move. For a minute Graham stood in a lather of indecision. ‘What will the officers think if I can’t even get one little ‘First Year’ to do what I say? They will think I am very weak,’ he thought. ‘So much for wanting to be a sergeant!’
    He then tried another tack. Knowing that time was getting on he said to the others, “We will leave him here. Come on.”
    With that he started walking towards the check point at the gravel pit, hoping that Andrews wouldn’t call his bluff and just walk back to the fire. To his relief the others started walking. He heard Roger say quietly, “Come on Andrews, stay with us,” but Andrews didn’t. When Graham glanced back he saw him standing silhouetted against the distant fire.
    By now Graham was almost in a blind panic. ‘He is not going to follow,’ he thought. ‘What can I do?’ He knew he could not leave a cadet in the dark without getting a roasting from the OC. By then he had only walked twenty paces and was about to stop and admit defeat when a loud wail came from Andrews.
    â€œWait! Don’t leave me! Don’t leave me!”
    At that Graham did stop. “Then catch up and stay with us,” he called back.
    Andrews didn’t move. Even from thirty paces away Graham could hear the boy crying. With a snort of exasperation he snapped to the others, “Wait here!” and marched back to where Andrews stood. The boy was now sobbing loudly and crying, “Don’t leave me! Help! Help me!”
    â€œWhat’s wrong?” Graham cried as he got closer.
    â€œI’m scared!”