Chapter 2
Adelio had managed to get halfway through his history homework before the doorbell rang. He didn’t get it, mostly because his mother was sitting in the living room with his father which was closer to the door. He also didn’t get it because if he lost his train of thought then, he would never finish the damned paper he had to complete before tomorrow.
“Adelio Branam! There’s someone at the door for you,” he heard Mom call him from the front door. Giving up completely, he stood up and stretched. Eyeing the scribbles on the paper that had more doodles than actual words, he shrugged half-heartedly and went downstairs.
The first person he saw was his mother, her dyed dirty blonde hair touching her shoulders, before he turned his attention to the man in the middle of the entryway. He stopped midstep. It was a solider, not a policeman but a veritable solider standing there at ease with his hat under his arm. He was smiling solemnly at his mother as she chattered on about her children.
“Adelio! There’s a…” she stopped as she felt his hand on her shoulder.
“I’m here Mom. What is it?” he watched the military man the entire time. The man gave him a quick once over before addressing his mother.
“Ma’am. Would you mind giving us a moment?” he smiled that grave smile again. His mother glanced at both of the men towering over her as if she had any choice in the matter before nodding. The man waited until his mother had walked fully away before he turned his attention back to Adelio.
“I’m here to escort you to the Autumn Army Office for enlistment,” he informed him. Taken aback, Adelio stared at him in shock.
“I’m sorry Mr. Cerny? But I’m not even out of high school yet,” he protested crossing his arms over his chest.
“Private Cerny,” the man bristled but settled down quickly. “You are of legal age to service your country and I have been ordered to retrieve you and a few others and bring you to the Office.”
“So this is a draft, not a voluntary enlistment,” he stated dryly, realizing that there really wasn’t a chance in hell of him finishing that history paper.
“I have not been given leave to use that term. As far as I know, this is voluntary,” Private Cerny replied.
“Voluntary with an escort,” Adelio pointed out flatly. The Private had the good grace to look uncomfortable for a few moments.
“I’m just following orders kid,” he gave in with a shrug. The man wasn’t much older than himself, Adelio noticed. His shoulders were straight even in the home of a citizen and his uniform was well-ironed and crisp. His hair cropped close to his skull gave his head a bigger appearance than it actually was. In a strange sort of symmetry, his ears stuck out slightly. It made him seem more human rather than a government official.
“You shouldn’t call me kid,” he said eventually turning his back to grab his jacket off of the coat rack by the door. He and his father had installed it when Adelio was five. There was a slight dent where his younger self had hammered on it by accident, causing his father to laugh and point out where it should go.
“Why’s that?” Private Cerny asked amused. Adelio focused entirely on him and stayed silent, knowing how it would make the older man squirm. When at last, the Private fidgeted, nothing more than the slight tightening of his grip on his hat, the younger man spoke.
“If I’m going to join the Army with a voluntary escort, then I’m going to be the Sergeant Major of the Army. Of course, there’s no point in demanding respect now, but I will become the top of the food chain. You can bet your future stripes on that,” he retorted walking past him to the doorway.
