FOLLOW

112 - C

GRANDPA CODY AKRIDGE'S POV

"Tell us the story on how you met them?" My granddaughter, Aubrey, and her two brothers, Henry and Tommy, huddled around me.
"Well...It started on Monday , November 17, 1957. The day Rhodey came along. I was already training there and Steph was the Colonel's secretary." I began telling the story.

CODY'S POV

"Move ladies, I don't got all day." Drill Sergeant Rocky commanded. My arms were trembling as I was on my 56th push up.
"Let's go Akridge" he shouted as he walked past   me, I'm guessing he saw me struggling. The guys around me were ahead of me, atleast I think so. Dirt was all over my face and in my fingernails, my dog tag kept hitting the floor everytime I went down.
"59....60.....61......62" I said in between breaths.
"63.....64......65....66" Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out.

"Attention" the Serge commanded making me hop onto my feet and everyone around me too.
"Stand at ease" we all stood in line facing him and saluted.
"Sir, yes, sir" we shouted all at once.
He began walking in front of us.
"Today, we will be joined by...uh..." He turned to face Stephen Meyers, who was standing right behind him, and started snapping his fingers trying to get Steph to finish the sentence.
"Uh.." He was startled by the Sergeant's loud snaps.
"Rhod-Rhodey Crimson Jr." He darted his eyes away from the sergeant's face.
"Yes, Rhodey Crimson will be joining us today," he gestured for Steph to leave,
"....Now, I expect you to be on your best behavior..... And for fuck's sake.... Don't scare the damn boy" he shouted at us and gestured for us to go back to what we're doing before.
Rhodey Crimson, I thought.
This might be interesting, I stopped thinking about it and went back to the sweat-filling push ups.
"67.....68.....69.....70" My voice strained as I finished that last push up.
"71...." a duffel bag dropped right in front of me.
"Stand at ease, Akridge" Serge Rocky commanded. I stood up and rubbed off the dirt that was on my hands and clothes.
"What can I do for ya today, Serge?" I positioned myself so I was facing Serge. Rocky and an oddly tall boy who was standing behind him.
"I want you to meet Rhodey," he stepped aside insisting that Rhodey move forward.
"And I want you to help him out, since he's new and all." He gave a deceiving smile after that sentence.
"Sure, anything for you Serge." I saluted at him.
"And one more thing.... Akridge. He's your responsibility, if I even see a scratch on this kid.....I'll pummel your ass." He whispered violently in my ear.
"Yes, sir" Was I scared of him? Sure, he was 200lb man who can flatten me into a pancake with the touch of his pinky. I obviously had to follow his orders. No one can imagine what he'd do to me on purpose.
"You're a good kid, you know that?" He ruffled my hair and walked away.
"Is...he...always like that?" Rhodey came into view, now that the sun was out of my eyes, I could see a very tall, muscular guy, who could pass for the Serge's son, with dirty blonde hair and emerald green eyes. Not to mention he has dimples too.
"Not if you're on his last nerve" I patted Rhodey's chest, which was very rough.
He chuckled and started wandering around.
"So....can you show me where....the things are?" He turned around and stuck his hands out into the air.
"Sure" I ordered him to follow me and he replied "Yes, sir" in an emotionless tone as a joke.
"So, tell me something about yourself Rhodes, can I call you Rhodes?" If he was going to be my responsibility might as well get to know him right?
He nodded, "Well, what would you like to know?" We passed tents A,B and C.
I showed where the showers were, and where his tent was.
"Like, family, or what you like to do for fun. Simple stuff you know?"
"I'm the middle child. I have a younger sister and an older brother, he's in the military too, and I guess I like to do girls" He chuckled and punched me in the arm. This guy sure was something.
"Enough about me, tell me something about you. I don't even know your first name yet. All I know is 'Akridge' and I don't think you'd let me call you that." I tried to think of a few things, but nothing came to mind.
"Well, for starters, my name is Cody, and...uh..I'm the youngest and second child. I like to play pool or smoke cigars. Stuff like that" I quickly stated before I got cut off by a whistle.
Rhodey and I looked at each other in confusion, and began to follow the group of guys.
"What do you think it's about?" Rhodey looked at me in worry.
"This happens when a unit is lost or outnumbered and they need other soldiers to go in and take their place." I responded back and made me way to the front on the crowd.
"Attention, soldiers." The Colonel blew his whistle one last time.
"...Unit 251 has been captured by one of the opposing units. Until further notice that they have not been captured and they were just lost. Unit 112 will be taking their place at the Laos base camp..." 112? Where have I heard that before? 112....112...1..1..2 That's my unit. Holy shit.
"Why do you look like you've just busted a nut?" Rhodey lightly pushed my shoulder.
"Huh..." I snapped out of my thought.
"...oh...its..just...that I...uh. That's my unit.....so" I trailed off and started panicking.
"Basically I'm going too?" He stated.
"What? No. You just got here and there's no way they'd put you in without basic training" there was no way he was coming too. Sure he may look tough, but that could be like steroids or something.
"Cmon." He flexed his arms,
"Does it look like I need basic training?" His face turned tomato red when he kept flexing his arms.
"Okay, okay. Before you get all cocky with me. You gotta ask the colonel first, he makes the decision on who's going." I pointed to where the Colonel was standing.
"Okay...I can do that" He proudly marched over to the stage and I ran after him.
"Colonel.." He climbed onto the wooden platform,
"May I have a word?" He had an uneasy look on his face, I don't blame him, I do too. No one asks to be put on the field, he makes the rules. No one would even dare to ask him to be put in, but I guess someone will.
"What do you want, boy?" He spit all over Rhodes' face.
"I think I should be put on the playing field with unit 112" The colonel hesitated then answered.
"Sure, why not" He went back to talking with his fellow officials. Rhodes searched for my face in the crowd and gave me a thumbs up. Are you kidding me?
"What, you're joking" I mouthed to him.
"Ask him yourself" he mouthed back.
I got up in the platform and tapped the colonel's shoulder.
"What do you-" he shouted in my face, then his expression softened when he realized it was me.
"Hello. Akridge. How can I help you?"
"Is Rhodey actually coming with us? He hasn't even gone through the training yet." I whined, not knowing the colonel would shut me up for good.
"Why not? He looks 2x tougher than you, and you've been through the training three times. Now leave me alone before I leave you out of this." His voice went up with every word he said.
"Get ready, you leave tonight." He walked away, leaving me and Rhodey on the stage while everyone else watched us.
"Sorry, Sorry." I climbed off and quickly scurried over to Tent A.
I didn't pack much, just a toothbrush + toothpaste, and a necklace with me and my mom inside the pendent.
"Are you ready?" The voice, I'm already tired of, spoke.
"Been ready." I looked over at him and mumbled "you certainly aren't ready because you haven't trained for it"
"What?" He looked at me across his shoulder and shrugged.
"Let's go boys, Drill Sergeant Haider peeked his head through the tent 'door' and started whacking the metal rod with another metal rod. Everyone rushed to get out of there and then later formed a line outside of the tents.

"Altman!" The commander took attendance.
"Sir!" He saluted.
"Akridge"
"Sir" I saluted
"Blackburn"
"Sir"
"Bumson"
"Sir"
"Collins"
"Sir"
"Crimson Jr."
Ugh.
"Sir"
5 other names were called and then we were told to board the plane.

"Listen here you shits, once you step onto that playing field" he pointed behind him, "there's no going back. I don't know if you'll be alive or dead" half of the guys gasped. "Don't be surprised, this is what happens in the war. Some of you die, or some of might get so fucked up you'll actually die, you never know. What I do know is that I'm counting on every single one of you to have pride, I want you to keep in mind that freedom is what we're fighting for. It might not seem like it, but we are. And if you do keep freedom in mind, just know that I, Commander Theo Hartnett, will cheer you on every step of the way, no not just me, your family, friends, people of America will cheer you on. Now you may get on this plane with your pride and dignity, and I expect you to have that with you when you come back. Freedom!" He shouted and pumped his fist in the air.
"Freedom!" All of us shouted back, pumping our fists in the air. We boarded the plane one by one and headed off to Laos.

I have so much homework to do over the summer, it's terrifying. On top of that, I have to get my body "ready" so I could look good for my aunt's dress. Atleast, I have no plans this summer ;)