A trumpet sounded throughout the camp, waking every soldier.
I groaned and crawled out of the rather warm sleeping bag. I quickly cleaned up my area and put my belongings in a bin with my name on it.
I made my way to a post where we were told to stand and wait.
We were to look clean and stand straight. Hair pulled back and our uniforms on and unrinkled.
"Good Morning Newbies." A man with a loud voice and grey hair called down the line of us.
"Good Morning Sir!" We all called.
Avery and Perish called him as he made his way down, looking over each and everyone of us.
"Today is your first day of training. Congratulations. You will either be assigned to Sergeant Avery or Sergeant Perish. You will train the same way and in the same area. But being split will make it easier to control you." The man waited for us to respond and when we did he continued.
"You, Avery. You, Perish. You, Also Perish. You, Avery." He began pointing to people and assigning them.
"You," he pointed towards me.
Give me Avery. Please. I can't work with Perish.
"Avery. You, Perish." He continued down the line and sighed with relief.
I made my way over to Avery and lined up behind the already formed one behind him.
•••
We had been training for what seemed like days, but had only been a few hours. We had ran 10 miles total, with and without weights. Pushups with weights and without. Sit-ups with and without a partner. If you screwed up and lifted your feet, you ran half a mile.
Training was going to kill me. But better an honorable death then being beaten to death by your father.
We ended after 8hrs of training. Physical and mental. I was starving and tired.
I made my way to the mess hall and grabbed whatever was cheap and would preserve points.
"That's all you're getting? You won't last long." Perish came up beside me and filled his plate with turkey and mashed potatoes.
I rolled my eyes and walked off with my Apple.
I couldn't call home for money and I didn't have any saved. Had to make shit last.
I finished my apple and was still starving. I groaned and flattened myself onto my sleeping bag.
"Here," perish handed out a plate above me. I smelled chicken and green beans. It was enough to make my stomach scream.
Why is he being so kind? What were his motives?
I ended up sitting up and accepting gratefully anyway.
"Thank you." I smiled and dug in.
"Why didn't you get more up there?" Perish took a seat next to me on my bag.
"I just wanna save points." I stufffed a green bean in my mouth.
"Understandable. But don't starve yourself. We can't have a bag of bones fighting. It will only cost us." He shook his head and got up.
Of course. I should have thought about that. He just wants the soldiers intact and healthy. Not to be their friends.
I finished eating and showered.
When I got back to my area, my stuff was gone. No doubt someone else took it for their own use.
"Fuck this already." I whispered under my breath and laid down in the mud. 3 months. Then it'll get better.
---------------------------------------------
(Time Jump ahead)
"What did I just say?" Sergeant Avery scolded one of the squad members.
"Something about not aiming my gun at other people?" The guy looked lazily at his gun.
Sergeant Avery's face was bright red with anger. He also look like a radish. So the seriousness was canceled out.
"Can somebody please explain to me how this boy got through basic training?" Avery snatched the gun and handed it to me, unlucky.
We have done this a few times over the 8 months we have been deployed.
I was doing a lot better than half of the squad. Which is surprising because I struggled in basics.
"Private Richards, Would you mind showing Private Adams how guns work?" Avery gave me a cruel smile and handed me the gun.
It was a Beretta M9. I understood how they worked and how to control recoil. It was difficult but Riggs helped me.
He was a good friend.
"Yes Sir." I adjusted my grip and aimed at the wooden targets in front of us. I empty the whole clip and hit every target in the head.
"Enemies only. Dont even raise your weapon in the general direction of a squad member." I smiled and handed the now empty gun back to Avery.
"Good Job Private. Also, Meet me in general head quarters after dinner. I have things to discuss with you and Perish."Avery said sternly.
Oh gosh. Im in trouble. Im going to get discharged and have to go back home.
"Breath Richards. You're not in trouble." Avery smiled and I felt relief.
"Now you," He turned towards the boy," Are going to go retake the shooting test and do a mental health state exam." Avery grabbed the boys arm and began dragging him towards the clinic.
We are currently deployed in Iraq. Im still trying to understand how i got here. Its amazing mince the reasons we are here.
I felt a tug on my pant leg. I turned to see a little girl. She looked like she was just playing in mud. I looked closer and saw blood.
"Are you hurt?" I asked and crouched down to her level.
"May I move your shirt a little to see the wound?" I asked slowly.
The girl didn't answer.
"Im sorry miss." She said sadly.
"Sorry? Sory abou-" I felt a sharp pain in my side. Looking down, I spotted a box cutter cut deep into my skin.
The girl pulled the box cutter out and ran away. Leaving me bleeding on the beautiful spring grass.