Dark Chronicles of Nooria 15

A few days later, Arifa is reading the AAW newsletter. Yes the pay and newsletters arrived. "Well," she says, "girls, come take a look."
Everyone crowds around. "That's your picture," a girl says helpfully, "only you look funny in that dress."
Seems the Lt who found me got a minor decoration for saving my life. Ridiculous. But still, look at that terrible-looking mountain pass, maybe she did. I read the story through. Found in bad shape - hunger, cold, altitude sickness, hypothermia. Hallucinating, seeing a girl who wasn't there. Lt is quoted as hugely relieved I recovered properly in sick bay. Story goes on to say how I'm in the Kerguelen schooll, good marks, accepted as officer cadet. Last bit grabs me, Nooria Ahpay is last surviving member of a particular clan.
I see everyone's eyes on me, no one says a word, obviously expect me to. Quietly, "ran out of bodies to eat, you see. That's why I decided to join you people."
Sets off roars of laughter.
Arifa looks near to crying, "Nooria, you got even one ounce of sense, you thank God in your next prayer. Terrain like that, lottery odds they'd find you. You remember that, next time you're bored in a class, be glad you're alive to experience the boredom."
Shauzia wraps an arm round me, "leave her alone. Come on Nooria, a walk."
She's wise. Get me out before I'd cry. Would conflict with my image.
After we return, Arifa comes, quietly sits, "22,000 feet. That's 7,000 feet above the oxygen line. Figger that makes you one of the toughest people on the planet. Always the small ones who fool you."
Shauzia wraps an arm round me, "she's had enough for today, leave her alone."

Amina is direct as always, "saw the story, proof positive you got good lungs. Now don't go screwing them up with cigarettes or dope."
"Yes sarge."
Her wink then robs it of any offence. "So all these little 2,000 foot heights here. Where I'm afraid driving through. Must seem pretty tame to you."
"If I were scared sarge, I wouldn't go. No one forces me to go on patrol."
"So ah how'd you enjoy the paperwork?"
"Sarge, I made one heckuva mistake. When I got here, shoulda goofed off in class more. Too late now."
She leans closer, "something you don't know. You see, only times those clowns are working at it, that's when one of the little girls are there. Soon as she goes, party time. Not dope, other stuff."
"Such as?"
"You're too young to hear that. Last Thursday, we was just teasing you. Still, don't let the girls know I told you. Let em have a little fun."
I wink, "sure."
"Good. Now eat up. You ain't put on one ounce from that picture. Quit picking at your food."
"You're starting to sound like a mother."
"Since no one else is doing the job or did it properly in the past, it's become mine. Now eat."
"Yes, mum."
The MP sgt slides in next to uss. Huge grin, "nother good week. Her Majesty ate crow 8 times. Think she'd learn." Smiles at me, "got your compensation yet?"
"What's that, sarge?"
"Shoulda got an envelope with a cardboard card with file number and 2 Rs. You didn't?"
"No sarge."
"I'll check on it. Probably just the pay delay. Now see, it works like this. Let's say your sentence was one day KP. So you do it. Now as long as it's a valid sentence, end of story, you paid your debt to society as it were. But let's say you already did the day and it's cancelled after. They'd owe you a day's pay at private rank. For you, that'd be just the day. For a member, regular monthly salary plus the day. With me so far?"
I nod.
"Now what you suffered was not quantifiable, as in a day's pay. It was a loss of dignity. That is, suppose Arifa had invited you to the mess. You'd hafta tell her the story. In all cases where it's only a loss of dignity, compensation is 2 Rs. Now the really crazy part. See, tuckshop has nothing but cigarettes and you can't buy. Your 2 Rs will sit a good long time."
Howls of laughter as the irony of it all sinks in.
I smile, "well then, see I've heard you people donate to Malalia Hospital." That's the unit charity of choice for destitute women and girls.
Amina hugs me, turns to the others, "how bout that? Generous. First money here and she donates to those truly in need. Such a good girl."
I see bigtime approval on all the faces, it's like I've aced an exam.
"Come on," Amina insists, "our fearless leader will be champing at the bit, with dreams of driving to Patagonia."
"Isn't she a bit strange?"
"What a funny little girl you are. Everyone here is right strange. Least she's harmless."
As we load up, Nilofar grins, "lemme guess, way you follow her, soon be calling her mum."
I blush.
"Oh ho, I was right," puts a finger over her lips, "just our secret."
Parvana raises her fist in the air, "I hear there's gold in the Yukon. Gold! Gold! Gold! Let's go, too boring here."
People cheer and laugh as we climb aboard. We settle in for the ride. Nilofar says, "saw the newsletter story. You musta been carrying a horseshoe, a four-leaf clover and a rabbit's foot. Odds of living through that, just beyond calculating."
"Yeah."
"That all you can say? 'yeah.' How bout 'thank God I'm alive."
"Already said that."
"Wouldn't hurt to say it again. God does like his applause."
"Thank God I'm alive."
"There, not too hard. So how'd you like the paperwork?"
"There was silverfish. Crawling about. Eating all the paper in Parvana's cubicle. Smelled of mildew, the paper did."
Nilofar laughs, "go to some of the other cubicles. It's worse. Lotta them officers is year or more behind in paper."
"Ever been to the CO's office?"
Nilofar snorts and Zala and Amina burst into laughter.
Tone of mock outrage, Nilofar asserts, "little one is insulting me. Kid, anyone who's anyone is there at least twice a year. Else they call you a wimp."
"I'm sorry Nilofar."
"That's ok. Apology accepted. But ain't that a work of art? The Mount Everest of paper storms? Nah I lie, Commander-in-Chief in HQ would be Mount Everest. But the CO, probably like K2, the mountain."
Zala calls back, "Nooria, you gotta get to the CO's office one more time this year, or you're a wimp."
"Hey, I ain't even a member yet."
"Matters not. You good enough to patrol with us, you good enough to show the world you're alive, not some mousy little shadow."
Amina calls back, "don't listen to her. You listen to me. Be a good girl."
Nilofar guffaws, "ah lighten up, you ain't her mother."
"No, but I'm like her aunt. Now you smarten up, don't be leading the girl astray. Plenty of time for that after she's 17."
"Sorry sarge."
Amina turns, grins, "still, you gotta admire Nooria. Has a talent, land the bomb right on target. Did she ever smarten up that food server! And the rumor thing, work of art, too bad it was an accident. One of them stories people will tell for years."
Nilofar replies quietly, "so why is Nooria so different from the rest, sarge?"
Amina smiles gently, "now imagine Nilofar, you're 22,000 feet up in the air. You hack up bodies to stay alive. Half frozen, 3/4 starved, crawl through heavy snow. Others die, but not you, defy every odd there is. Now how you gonna view life after something like that? Everything seems flat, boring, meaningless. It's Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, I'd bet."
I reply, "counsellor said Asperger Syndrome, variant of autism."
Amina makes a face, "and she's a moron. Into the single label. Once she can hang a single label on someone, she stops. She never would think you could have both."
"So what do I do, sarge?"
"Exactly what you're doing, Nooria. Keep connecting with people. Much as you can. If you crawl off into a corner, you'll go insane. You see Nooria, you really didn't have long to live. One of those days, just so sick, so dizzy, you fall off a mountain. But now, you gotta stay alive with your friends."
I ponder that a bit. Not one minute to myself since I got here. Maybe these people do know what they're doing.