Howling In The Rattlers Den

Chapter 3: Howler

I enter the building, ready to walk my way to the bed. Opening the glass door that makes a creaking sound, stepping inside, I greet SGT Cobble at the CQ desk. His brown eyes meeting mine, as I hand him some monster energy drinks and walk off. Poor guy was there for 33 hours because they had failed to replace him, he is meant to be at my briefing, but I excused him from it and gave him the memo during his shift. Poor guy needs rest once they replace him. After a thank you and a good-bye, I make my way to the stairs, making it to the 4th floor where I stayed. Suddenly, my slightly open door caught me off guard... pulling out my pocket knife like i'm about to perform a raid, I step inside and check my corners, and anywhere a shadow can hide. Sneaking around my own room like it's a damn combat zone is no way to live. Worst part is, I donot have a room mate, so there's no way this could just have happened. I snap my closet open and keep my knife inches within me, but nobody's there. Suddenly, I feel a presence standing behind me. I turn around and hold the knife to his chest, he was hovering over me, wearing a snake mask, black hoodie and jeans.

No... it can't be... right?? He places his hand on my cheek, trailing my scar up to my eye-patch. I would lie if I said it didn't feel good.. because lord even though his hands were calloused, they were also gentle. Still holding the knife to his chest, he slowly backs away to my door, stepping out like a slithering snake. I never felt angrier at such audacity in my life. He's a soldier.. like me?? No, it can't be true. Was he following me? I dont have time to answer these questions. I go to my door and tighten it, putting extra measures to keep it locked. I'm sick of the bullshit, like, how does he even know where I live? No matter, I'll have to speak to the MPs in the morning. I will not go through more abuse. I've had it with these men. I grab out my metal detector, checking for cameras, luckily there were none around, but I would file the report and ask them to double check. I called up my best friend SPC Dahlia. With an answer, I ask if I can shower in her room, explaining the situation. Shocked, she lets me come by with no hesitation, I step into the shower as she sits on the toilet while we speak.

SPC Dahlia: "So, who the hell is this guy?"

Howler: "I don't know honestly. I think it's the same man I ran into from the club, but I couldn't tell because he was wearing a freaking snake mask."

SPC Dahlia: "You are welcome to use my spare room, I dont have a room mate, so use the extra bed, I know you're exhausted, so i'll wake you up."

Howler: "I truly appreciate it, Dahlia, the whole thing is just ridiculous and childish at this point. I'm tired of the games"

SPC Dahlia: "I get ya, so what in the world did he do?"

Howler:"He just trailed the scar on my face moving up to my eyepatch, when he did the same at the club, he was full of curiosity, as if that was any of his business"

SPC Dahlia: "I know its been 5 years since... what happened, but it would not hurt to talk about it SGT, you haven't been the same since"

I know what she's referring to, but I don't want to dig into the memory. The sounds of them screaming... and begging.. I just can't bare it.

SGT Howler: "I don't want to dig into the memory... ever. It's not worth it, and it just makes things worse."

SGT Howler: "It's all too much for me, and all I can do is learn from it, right? If the army wanted to issue me a sanity, they would have given me one"

SPC Dahlia: "Haha, it's good to know you still have your humor intact, just know if you need someone to talk to, even if it's me, i'm here"

SGT Howler: "I appreciate it. While I hate to be the bearer of breaking this conversation, it's 2 in the morning, and i'm exhausted"

Stepping out of the shower, I slide into my black T-shirt with a shiba in the front flopping down with the caption:"Not today", and some plaid pajama pants. I walk over to the spare bed and knock out without saying a word.

*5 hours later*

SPC Dahlia: "SGT, wake up, you have to get to your briefing in an hour"

I spring up from the bed and place my OCPs on with no hesitation. Dahlia cooked some eggs and bacon, the scent invading my nostrils. It was 0720, and I had plenty of time to kill. Downing the food and juice. The taste consuming me. As 0730 hits, I make my way to my car, a black 2011 BMW. Driving quickly to the company, where my brief will be held. Speeding down to get there on time. I make it within 15 minutes to spare. There were already 14 soldiers there. To my knowledge, there needed to be 15, so I wait a bit longer. 0755 hits so I decide to fall them in to brief. Suddenly, I hear another pair of boots, looking to the side, my eyes widen in terror...

No.... no... it cant be.

"Sorry i'm late guys"

Those cold icy blue eyes meet with mine and widen in shock, just as shocked as mine are. It took me seconds to re-collect myself.

SGT Howler: "Ehem... Good morning everyone, my name is SGT Howler, and i'll be briefing you all on the combatives course. I will also be your instructor for the 3 weeks of this course. It will start on the 3rd of November and end on the 23rd. So ensure you hydrate, work really hard and stretch out. There will be no violence, no hitting, just the basics and a test at the end where you use the skills you learned on each other, is that understood?"

"YES SERGEANT"

They all say in unison, as I hand them all the schedule and the moves they need to study and practice for the lessons.

SGT Howler:"You are all dismissed"

Speed walking to my car, I feel my hand being grasped, I donot need to think twice to know who it is. Shaking my hand free in anger, I turn around to meet that set of the icy blue eyes I saw at the club, now fixed on me completely.

SGT Howler:"What the fuck are you doing here?"

SSG Rattler: "If I had known you were the instructor, I would have signed up for this sooner"

He grins making my blood boil. How dare he?? Who the hell does he think he is?? No doubt he looks so hot in his uniform and his voice is husky and deep, but I don't have time to think about this.

SGT Howler:"You still didn't answer my damn question, what the fuck are you doing here?"

I ask with more firmness evident in my voice.

SSG Rattler:"I'll be deploying, so I wanted to learn the basics before going "

This can't be...

SGT Howler:"Where... are you deploying to...?"

SSG Rattler:"Afghanistan"

My eyes look down at the ground... shocked and with pure disbelief. He's.. deploying? With me..? No..,he'll antagonize me and I dont have time for this. Desperate, I run to the commanders office and ask for a roster of who i'm deploying with. He hands me the roster with the utmost trust. Sure enough, he was in my squad. I ask to change squads but it's too late to do so. Fuck fuck fuck. I get dismissed to go home, since now I can enjoy my day off. Yet how can I, when i'm angry at the news? I drive over to a boba shop. Hoping to drown some of my sorrows away, it was all good until this psychopath appeared in my life. Now I feel like i'm on constant alert with no peace. As if my peace wasn't disturbed enough already. I rest my hands on my forehead letting out a deep sigh of agony, cursing God under my breath, asking why he's doing this to me.

Just needing an answer to the stress i'm enduring. It's just unneccessary. Making my way back to the barracks, I once again enter the glass door making my way to the 4th floor; seeing as my room isn't open this time I let out a sigh of relief. It would seem my measures are working. Placing all my alarms back on, and security measures, I close my eyes and pass out. My Captain told me I can have the next day off to recover from my CQ shift that day ago, and I certainly need it. I just want to... *deep sigh* as I drift away, the world fading before me.