𝐦𝐞, 𝐚 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐞.

>>Chapter 1<<

Ember's P.O.V

I looked at Julian who was in the audience and threw my cap in the air.

"Parris Island here we come!" I roared.

~

My brother and I were standing in the airport being held up by our parents. My mom was bawling her eyes out. "Baby.. Take care of your sister, please?" She said whimpering. "I will protect her with my life." My brother vowed. "Lindsey, calm down. They are going to do just fine." My dad assured her and smiled at us.

My dad used to be in the Corps but he was discharged because he was shot in the chest. The bullet was a centimeter and a half away from his heart and the doctors that performed surgery on him but couldn't get all the shards of the bullet out, so he still has heart problems. He met our mom in the hospital, she was the doctor that took care of him during recovery and they clicked.

"I love you both. Make me proud." My dad said and hugged us. My mom cried on my shoulder, begging not to go when she hugged me. I let my dad take her as our flight was called. My mom collapse in the chain. "I love you!" I said and walked to the plane with my brother.

We were cleared and we got on the plane. "We're really doing, sis!" Julian said. "Unbelievable, huh?" I said with just as much excitement. We took our seats and I fell asleep on my brothers shoulder.

~

We were getting off the plane, I slept the whole way there since it wasn't even that far away. I got off the plane first and my brother followed. We went to the proper bus stop, and a there was a hoard group of people standing in two groups. Woman's group and men's group.

Then two greyhound buses arrived and they started to file on. "See ya there, brother!" I said and ran to my line and he did the same. I got on the bus and sat next to someone who looked tired. I decided to make small talk.

"I'm Ember White." I said and stuck out my hand. "Madison Hayes." She said and shook my hand firmly. "Where you from?" I asked. "Eastern part of Texas, how bout you?" She asked. "West Virginia."

"Like ... West of Virginia or ?" She asked and I laughed. Nobody knows we're actually a state. "No, we became our own state on June 20, 1863." I said, thinking go pick up a map. She muttered 'Cool.' and closed her eyes.

The doors opened and a lady walked on. I woke up Madison. "I am Staff Sargent Lee, you will call me by Ma'am at all times, no exception. Every time I say something, you will confirm that you heard me by say 'Eye, eye ma'am. Do you understand?" Staff Sargent Lee screamed at us.

"EYE, EYE MA'AM!" We all hollered. She continued to tell us some more rules and then we had to run off the bus and on the famous golden foot prints. I was in the front row. There was a red sign with yellow words that Staff Sargent Lee read off of.

"If you leave this base, without my permission, we will hunt you down and throw you in jail!" I heard her say and then my mind tuned out, not believing this was real. Everything I dreamed in was going to be determined in these next 13 weeks of misery.

My dream of being a Marine.

The front row moved so I got the hint. There were doors that looked like a vault. Staff Sargent Lee told me and Madison to open them and light gleamed out from the inside. We walked in and there were these tables with little dividers in between each one, I would say a good foot apart.

There was non-stop yelling and screaming. After everything they checked everything we were handed new clothes and we headed to the sleeping corridors. There they gave us our bunk buds and somehow, someway I was partnered up with Madison.

They showed us how to make the bed properly and we mimicked them. They came around and inspected it. One girl did it wrong and she got chewed out by not 3 but 4 D.I.s screaming in her face. She started to tear up and they called her a cry baby. Guess some people can't take the heat.

Luckily, our bunks were fine and we didn't get yelled at. Then we went outside and started to learn our running cadences. I loved one of them- Mama, Mama can't you see

"Mama, Mama can't you see?" Staff Sargent Lee sang as we ran.
"Mama, mama, can't you see?"
"What this corps has done for me?"
"Put me in a barbers chair."
"Snip, snap, and I had no hair."

"If I die in a combat zone."
"Box me up and ship me home."

"Put me in a set of dress blues."
"Comb my hair, and shine my shoes."
"Pin my metals upon my chest."
"Tell my mama I did my best."

"Momma momma don't you cry."

"Marine Core motto for s do or die."

After we were done running, we ate in the mess hall where I saw my brother. Madison and I stuck together so I brought her over to meet Julian. "Hey, this is Hayes." I said pointing to Madison.

"Hey, I'm White." He said sticking out his hand and Madison took his hand. "So how's it going?" Julian asked me. "I love it here already, I can see why dad didn't want to leave." I said and Julian nodded. He brought me over to his D.I. "This is Staff Sargent Michaels." Julian said and I was shocked, he just called him by his title. What happened to sir?

But I have to say Staff Sargent Michaels was pretty fine. Madison was practically drooling over him though. He held out his hand and I took it. "Nice to meet you, Master Sargent White is a good man." He said and smiled.

We walked back to Julian's table and he spoke. "Yeah, apparently dad has some connections so he scored me some brownie points with Staff Sarg." He said and I laughed. "Alright ladies! Lights out!" Staff Sargent Lee said and that was our que to go back to the sleep corridors.

"Sleep tight, brother." I said and he said 'you too.' .

We all took showers, since we were all sweaty and then we got in bed. I had the top bunk and Madison got the bottom.

I can't believe this is happening.

~~~~~<~~~~>~~~~

Hope you guys liked! I'm not entirely sure on how they do things but I have a general idea so bare with me.

Stay with me here.

Stay Marine Green 🐊

-Emily