BETRAYAL

Chapter 2 06:00 tuesday

By the time I woke up, the whole family was alive and moving. My brother was standing at my door, watching me as I packed the necessities to basic hygiene. My mother was downstairs in the kitchen, cooking breakfast and trying not to cry. And My father, outside working on his old truck that would be mine on my 21st.

"Are you scared?" My younger brother, Aiden, asked.
"No." I sharply confirmed.
"I am." He started as he walked into my room and began to glide his fingers across the pictures on my wall. "I mean, what if you don't come back?" He stopped at a photo of us when we were younger. Aiden was seven years younger then me and knew exactly what was going on.
"I'll be back." I stated as I put my hand on his shoulder.
"Promise me?" He looked up at me, holding his hand up with only his pinky finger out.
"I solemnly swear to return." I said as I locked my pinky into his.

"BOYS!" My mother called to us. I took one last look around my room and grabbed the picture of my brother and I off the wall. "One last thing" I thought to myself as I grabbed my bags and left the room.

I walked into the kitchen to find a huge breakfast. Mom didn't even cook this much when nonna was around. When I asked why she had cooked so much food for so little people she simply smiled and said, "I don't know what they're going to be feeding my boy. So I mind as well fill you up while I have the chance." I couldn't help but hug her.

As we sat at the table and ate in silence, I couldn't stop my brain from thinking. I sat there and looked at my family as short flashbacks of my childhood swept over me. Only years ago I was entering high school, kissing my first girlfriend, attending my first athletic games and now I was being drafted into the military. This wasn't what I wanted. When I graduated, I was relieved to be done school because it was apart of growing up and that was all I wanted to do. But with this going on, I wish I could relive those years again.

I could feel myself smiling at all the little memories that meant so much to me. The way my mother looked at me when I got into my first fight, boy was she pissed. I could see myself holding Aiden for the first time, lightly touching his nose and smiling as I looked at my mother and father. Even the memory of my first heart break had brought me to smile. And then it ended.

"John. John. Jooooohhhnnnn!" Aiden impatiently said. "It's time to go."
"Okay, I'll be right out." I said as I glimpsed around the room realizing that my family had already ate, washed their plates and left the kitchen. I looked down at my plate to see that I barley had touched anything. I felt my pancakes, which were starting to get cold. I stood up, stacked the different breakfast foods onto my plate, grabbed my bag and started out the door.

My mother and Aiden had stayed back home and my father was driving me to base. We didn't really speak much as the image of my house slowly disappeared in the distance. Me being myself, turned the radio on to break the silence. But the station was one of those military update stations broadcasting from the base. And finally he spoke.

"You know John, it may seem like your childhood has just been taken away from you, but it hasn't. When you come home, you may be a soldier, but you'll always be our little Johnny." He kept his eyes on the road as he turned onto the street of base.
"I don't care if you give me a thousand chores, I will gladly do them all with the intention of having my young mentality." I laughingly said.
He smiled as he parked the car. "Look, you're going to be an amazing soldier and the army is blessed to have you. You're one person who always puts others in front of their self and that's what they need. Just don't ever forget that you don't have anyone in your corner because you have us."
"I love you dad." I said as I got out the truck and slammed the door.

I took one last glance at my father and his truck, remembering all the times we went mudding and turned away. I walked towards the gates and handed the officers my letter. They stamped it and handed it back.
"Proceed straight about a quarter of a mile and turn left. You'll see more officers there." The female had said.
"Okay." I replied.
"EXCUSE ME. What was that? Did you just reply okay? You say yes mam or yes sir when speaking to an officer. Do you understand me?" The male had yelled.
"Yes sir!" I replied.

As I walked away from the officer, I heard the female ask if that was necessary. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad. Walking down the path I seen many soldiers running around, never touching the grass, making sure to get where they had to be using the given path. I could see fellow drafters in front of me and I could hear some behind me. I turned left when I thought I was supposed to. Immediately I was told to drop my bag and stand in line. And so I did.

"Welcome to the Kentucky Fort Knox army post. This is where you'll turn from a Civilian to a soldier. This is where you'll learn that there is no "I" in "Team". This is where you will conquer your fears, weaknesses and gain an understanding of what it means to be a soldier." Shouted a male officer as he walked back and forth, in front of all of us. "I'm glad to see you could make it on-" he stopped.

You could hear the footsteps of someone running up to get in line. The officer had seen him and started to walk towards him. The guy stood in line, took the same posture as all of us and looked straight.
"Is there a reason you are here at 06:04 and not 06:00?" The officer asked.
"My car broke down, sir." Replied the young man. He looked to be about my age.
"And what did you do?" Asked the officer.
"Got out and had someone jump start my car, sir." He replied.
"So in those what, ten minutes, you did absolutely nothing?" The officer seemed to be getting angry.
"Sir, I was waiting for someone to pass and finally a blue truck did." He replied. My father had stopped to help him, and I know my father only wanted to use his cables as he usually does, so it was my fathers fault he was four minutes late. Probably had to find the cables in the bed of his truck.
"Waited?!" Shouted the officer. You could have, NO, you should have ran here. I expect you to be four minutes early every time we meet, do you understand?"
"YES SIR!" He replied.
"Now everyone get inside!" The officer commanded.