The Military Psych Test (M/M+) - COMPLETE posted 8/29
Posted: Sun Aug 01, 2021 2:36 am
A follow up with the same characters from my previous entry for the Flash Fiction Contest The Chaser and his Prey
[mention]Tiedinjordans[/mention] thanks for the kind words on that story.
The Military Psych Test
“You can thank me with a round of drinks this weekend!” a booming voice announced as a clenched fist playfully punched Kody in the arm.
The short, stocky Marine sitting outside the barracks flinched. He turned and looked up to see the cocky, looming figure of Beau. He was carrying a large stack of white paper that contrasted against his one-size-too-small black tee shirt. His grin stretched from ear to ear and this usually meant trouble. He spoke with a southern drawl that spilled forth like sap oozing down a pine tree.
“I was walking back from the gym...” Beau flexed a bicep and tested the limits of his shirt before continuing, “...when I was stopped by some eggheads from the university across town. They are looking for some military personnel to volunteer for an experiment. He’s the kicker, the tests will be completed tomorrow during our normally assigned PT and since it's being paid for by the military, they are giving us the whole day off!”
Kody knew that there’s no such thing as a free lunch. Plus, Beau was probably still mad about the way he was treated during the prisoner transport restraints class. Maybe this was how he would finally settle the score. “What kind of tests are you talking about?”
“Something about simulating various injuries and completing tasks while under these stress conditions. Here, take a look.” Beau replied as he dropped a stack of paper on Kody’s lap.
“This study will examine the links between physical disability and visual perception in the young adult male specimen. Disability will be simulated using protocol approved by the Institutional Review Board, that dictates the fair and ethical treatment of the subjects. Every precaution will be taken in order to ensure participant safety. Participants will be compensated with $100 for their time,“ Kody read off from the front page.
What followed looked more like War and Peace than a legal release form, the text was almost impossible to understand. Finally giving up, Kody flipped to the back page and found the dotted line requiring his signature.
“See! Simulated injury! This will be no different than a field training exercise. Plus you even get to pocket a little cash! Listen, Jimmy and I already signed our packets so you’ve got nothing to worry about,” Beau assured, “I just need one more person to fill the test. What do you say?”
He crossed his arms and smirked, almost as if it were a challenge of who was the bigger man.
Against his better judgement Kody caved to the peer pressure, signed his name to the dotted line, and passed back the packet. The pocket money would come in handy before the next bar crawl. He just couldn’t shake that feeling in his stomach that he had made a big mistake, but didn’t want to look weak in front of Beau.
The next day the three Marines met at the designated site at the nearby university’s psychology department. Waiting outside the door a young lab assistant stood holding a clipboard in hands. While some might consider him a stereotypical nerd with his unruly hair and glasses, the pecs bursting from under his polo shirt told a different tale of someone who probably spent more time in the gym than the library. After shaking hands with the Marines, he introduced himself as Colin, a doctoral candidate working under the professor. He would be the lead proctor for this study. After confirming their name from his clipboard, he took their signed release forms and explained that after some final confirmations they would be sent to separate rooms in order to maintain complete privacy during the tests.
Once inside they looked around them and saw that they weren’t the only ones who signed up for the test. At least 20 other military personnel had also accepted the psychological study and were already seated around the large conference table. A single piece of paper and pen was located in front of each chair. Shortly after finding some seats, Colin followed the trio into the room holding a stack of envelopes.
He addressed the group, “Let me begin by thanking all of you for your time during this study. The Air Force brass is eager to see the results of this study. Before we begin I need to get a final signed confirmation from everyone. Please fill out the form in front of you. First, you have been recruited, of your own free will, to participate in a study, advertised as concerning links between physical disability and visual perception. Circle the ‘YES’ if you agree and initial.”
The room echoed with the sounds of furious scribbling of all of those in attendance.
“Second, I have read the legal release form and agree to all conditions contained within. I understand that any discomfort is temporary and will not cause any actual damage.”
Beau shot a glance at Kody and Jimmy and winked his left eye as if to say, “See I told you!”
After another round of pens scratching on paper continued, Colin finished, “And lastly, I understand that my time will be compensated with $100 cash, payable upon the completion of the study. If I choose to end the study early I hereby elect to forgo the payment.”
The mention of a cash payment elicited the most excitement from the crowd and this time quiet murmurs spread around the room.
“Well, I think we are ready. I am passing out an envelope to each person that says the room number where you will complete your study and which injury you will have simulated,” said Colin as he passed a standard white envelope to each person seated in the room.
Eager to see his fate, Kody tore open the envelope to see the following:
ROOM #23 Quadriplegia
He blinked a few times before taking stock in his situation. He wasn’t even sure what this term meant, but if it was only temporary it couldn’t be that bad.
“Nerve damage!” exclaimed Jimmy, “this will be easy.”
“Quadriparesis! You mean I don’t even have to move? This will be a cake walk!” Beau exclaimed, “See you'll in a bit!”
Jimmy proceeded to his assigned room. Inside he each found a large white screen on the side of one wall and a single wooden chair with a small pad with buttons affixed to the right arm. After a short wait, Colin enters and proceeds to walk him through the procedure to complete the test. There was a small projector in the ceiling that would project an image of a man on the wall. All he had to do was use the keypad to type in the height he estimated the individual to be. His nerve damage injury would be simulated with a small electrode attached to his left index and ring fingers. A slight electric current would provide minor discomfort. After a brief test of the keypad, Colin excused himself to work on the next test subject. As he left the room he chuckled to himself that the “nerve damage” was nothing at all. These first few subjects were the control group and had nothing actually applied to them, but they couldn’t be told that or else the experiment would be ruined. The next group wouldn’t have it so easy.
[mention]Tiedinjordans[/mention] thanks for the kind words on that story.
The Military Psych Test
“You can thank me with a round of drinks this weekend!” a booming voice announced as a clenched fist playfully punched Kody in the arm.
The short, stocky Marine sitting outside the barracks flinched. He turned and looked up to see the cocky, looming figure of Beau. He was carrying a large stack of white paper that contrasted against his one-size-too-small black tee shirt. His grin stretched from ear to ear and this usually meant trouble. He spoke with a southern drawl that spilled forth like sap oozing down a pine tree.
“I was walking back from the gym...” Beau flexed a bicep and tested the limits of his shirt before continuing, “...when I was stopped by some eggheads from the university across town. They are looking for some military personnel to volunteer for an experiment. He’s the kicker, the tests will be completed tomorrow during our normally assigned PT and since it's being paid for by the military, they are giving us the whole day off!”
Kody knew that there’s no such thing as a free lunch. Plus, Beau was probably still mad about the way he was treated during the prisoner transport restraints class. Maybe this was how he would finally settle the score. “What kind of tests are you talking about?”
“Something about simulating various injuries and completing tasks while under these stress conditions. Here, take a look.” Beau replied as he dropped a stack of paper on Kody’s lap.
“This study will examine the links between physical disability and visual perception in the young adult male specimen. Disability will be simulated using protocol approved by the Institutional Review Board, that dictates the fair and ethical treatment of the subjects. Every precaution will be taken in order to ensure participant safety. Participants will be compensated with $100 for their time,“ Kody read off from the front page.
What followed looked more like War and Peace than a legal release form, the text was almost impossible to understand. Finally giving up, Kody flipped to the back page and found the dotted line requiring his signature.
“See! Simulated injury! This will be no different than a field training exercise. Plus you even get to pocket a little cash! Listen, Jimmy and I already signed our packets so you’ve got nothing to worry about,” Beau assured, “I just need one more person to fill the test. What do you say?”
He crossed his arms and smirked, almost as if it were a challenge of who was the bigger man.
Against his better judgement Kody caved to the peer pressure, signed his name to the dotted line, and passed back the packet. The pocket money would come in handy before the next bar crawl. He just couldn’t shake that feeling in his stomach that he had made a big mistake, but didn’t want to look weak in front of Beau.
The next day the three Marines met at the designated site at the nearby university’s psychology department. Waiting outside the door a young lab assistant stood holding a clipboard in hands. While some might consider him a stereotypical nerd with his unruly hair and glasses, the pecs bursting from under his polo shirt told a different tale of someone who probably spent more time in the gym than the library. After shaking hands with the Marines, he introduced himself as Colin, a doctoral candidate working under the professor. He would be the lead proctor for this study. After confirming their name from his clipboard, he took their signed release forms and explained that after some final confirmations they would be sent to separate rooms in order to maintain complete privacy during the tests.
Once inside they looked around them and saw that they weren’t the only ones who signed up for the test. At least 20 other military personnel had also accepted the psychological study and were already seated around the large conference table. A single piece of paper and pen was located in front of each chair. Shortly after finding some seats, Colin followed the trio into the room holding a stack of envelopes.
He addressed the group, “Let me begin by thanking all of you for your time during this study. The Air Force brass is eager to see the results of this study. Before we begin I need to get a final signed confirmation from everyone. Please fill out the form in front of you. First, you have been recruited, of your own free will, to participate in a study, advertised as concerning links between physical disability and visual perception. Circle the ‘YES’ if you agree and initial.”
The room echoed with the sounds of furious scribbling of all of those in attendance.
“Second, I have read the legal release form and agree to all conditions contained within. I understand that any discomfort is temporary and will not cause any actual damage.”
Beau shot a glance at Kody and Jimmy and winked his left eye as if to say, “See I told you!”
After another round of pens scratching on paper continued, Colin finished, “And lastly, I understand that my time will be compensated with $100 cash, payable upon the completion of the study. If I choose to end the study early I hereby elect to forgo the payment.”
The mention of a cash payment elicited the most excitement from the crowd and this time quiet murmurs spread around the room.
“Well, I think we are ready. I am passing out an envelope to each person that says the room number where you will complete your study and which injury you will have simulated,” said Colin as he passed a standard white envelope to each person seated in the room.
Eager to see his fate, Kody tore open the envelope to see the following:
ROOM #23 Quadriplegia
He blinked a few times before taking stock in his situation. He wasn’t even sure what this term meant, but if it was only temporary it couldn’t be that bad.
“Nerve damage!” exclaimed Jimmy, “this will be easy.”
“Quadriparesis! You mean I don’t even have to move? This will be a cake walk!” Beau exclaimed, “See you'll in a bit!”
Jimmy proceeded to his assigned room. Inside he each found a large white screen on the side of one wall and a single wooden chair with a small pad with buttons affixed to the right arm. After a short wait, Colin enters and proceeds to walk him through the procedure to complete the test. There was a small projector in the ceiling that would project an image of a man on the wall. All he had to do was use the keypad to type in the height he estimated the individual to be. His nerve damage injury would be simulated with a small electrode attached to his left index and ring fingers. A slight electric current would provide minor discomfort. After a brief test of the keypad, Colin excused himself to work on the next test subject. As he left the room he chuckled to himself that the “nerve damage” was nothing at all. These first few subjects were the control group and had nothing actually applied to them, but they couldn’t be told that or else the experiment would be ruined. The next group wouldn’t have it so easy.