Day 9

Timeline:

0545 - Our normal morning beatings are spiced up today. The guards have us race one another in some kind of sick sport for their own deranged pleasure. The losers are punished further. A fine start to a fine day.

0900 - We are trucked out to yet another vast expanse of nothingness, with only the ever-persistent sun to remind us we are still alive. Though it seems counter-intuitive, we are forced to qualify with the M4 series carbine. I cannot imagine why our captors would want us trained in any form of combat...I suspect more mind games. I'm not even sure if there is ammunition in our weapons. Had there been, I imagine many of my comrades would've turned their weapons on themselves to escape this hell.

1120 - We complete qualification. Our captors inform us we will be using their night vision equipment tonight, at 2100. Rumors circulate that perhaps they are training us to serve in their cause, a fate worse than death. Worse yet, we wait in the hot sun. For 9 hours. I contemplate escape.

2330 - We return to our cell block, exhausted and confused. There are whispers that we will be transferred to a smaller camp next week. I cannot think of any reason why except that it is an extermination camp. For now, it is only hearsay. Godwilling this will not be my last entry.

Long Live the Free Officer Corps!