Army Training

The trees disappeared in a blur. Anna Jane threw back her head, laughing. George ran threw the woods with ease. He seemed to know where they were going. Where were they going?

The creature jumped over a small stream. How could a creature so big be so agile? He moved like an elk. Anna Jane took in the moment.

But then, George stopped. His rider looked up.

“What’s wrong?” she asked. George looked around in the dim morning. He started sniffing the air.

“What is it?” Anna Jane asked. She could hear a soft bugle playing in the distance.

“Huh?” the girl asked. Suddenly, little spears popped up from the ground. Anna Jane and George looked around with alarm.

“What is this?!” the little girl asked. The creature wailed. He jumped up on his hind legs.

“Whoa!” Anna Jane yelled as she tried to hang on. Her grip made George scream. Chatter ripped through the air. The little girl looked around, panicked.

“Who’s there?!” she asked. Little black and white heads popped up from the ground. She narrowed her eyes as she looked around.

“Wait… are you all panadas?” she asked. George turned his head.

“Meep?” he asked. The little heads jumped out. Twenty-seven little pandas were dressed in black and red army uniforms. One with a hat walked forward. It had its spear pointed on Anna Jane. It yelled something at her, pointing at her to get down.

“Huh? You want me off of him?” she asked. The little panda shouted louder at her.

“Okay, okay,” the girl said. Anna Jane slid off of George’s back. The creature whimpered as she did so. The girl sank down on her knees. The lead panda walked closer. The point aimed at her chest. The leader shouted gibberish at the other pandas. They jumped to attention. The pandas surrounded, her Teddy, and George. The leader shouted more gibberish and everyone marched forward. Anna Jane, Teddy, and George had no choice but to go with them.

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The pandas came down to the lake. The leader walked down to the edge. It stuck the point of its spear into the surface of the water. A giant hole opened up in the lake. Water shot up to the sky.

“Wow!” Anna Jane said. A spear poked her in the side.

“Ow,” she murmured. A panda frowned at her. The little girl said nothing. Meanwhile, the leader jumped down the hole. One by one, the pandas followed behind. Anna Jane and George were pushed along to follow. The creature whimpered with each step. Anna Jane patted him on the side.

“Shhh,” she whispered. “Shhh. It’s okay. Don’t worry. I won’t leave you.” George quieted down. After the last panda jumped in, the hole closed behind them.

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They wound up in a land of golden rice fields. The panda army landed on the grass. Anna Jane had stars in her eyes.

“Wow!” she said. “Where are we?” The leader marched down the hill. The pandas followed down in a single file line. Anna Jane, Teddy, and George trailed behind.

They made it down to a fort with giant iron gates. The leader walked up and opened it wide. Two guards saluted him. The army marched inside. The prisoners could only keep up.

“What happens now?” Anna Jane whispered in Teddy’s ear. Another poke to the back.

“Ow,” she whispered. The army went off to the left and Anna Jane and her friends were led off to the right. As they walked, Anna Jane heard two of the guards talking. It started out as gibberish. (No surprise there.) She wondered where they were and what was happening to them. Oh, I wish there was someone here to talk to, Anna Jane thought. She still had her radio and Teddy.

Suddenly, Anna Jane heard one word that caught her attention. The girl turned her head. The guards still talked to each other. But that word slipped out again.

“Chronus.”

Anna Jane looked confused. “Excuse me, but what’s Chronus?” All eyes fell on her. George’s ears perked up. Anna Jane blinked.

“What?” she asked. One of the guards walked up to her.

“What do you know about the city of Chronus?” he asked.

Now, Anna Jane, Teddy, and George sat in a small, dark room with no air conditioning.