Becoming A Marine

Chapter 2

It was absolutely freezing waking up the next morning. I had barely enough sleep last night because of my nerves for leaving this morning. It was around 4am when I quickly got dressed into my kaki pants and black collared shirt. I combed my hair and fastened it into a military styled bun.
I opened my closet and grabbed my duffle bag. I'd just have to wash my face and brush my teeth later on after I had left the house.
I gave my goldfish some food and tapped at its glass bowl a few times.  It was the last time I would see it.

After one last look at it, I opened my door softly and listened. Everyone seemed to be asleep, my fathers' and grandmothers' loud snoring could be heard and as for his wife she was probably asleep aswell since she never woke up before 10:30.

I grabbed my tekkies and slowly tiptoed out of the house. Shutting the door quietly, I quickly sat on the back door step and pushed my feet into the tekkies. And started a fast walk  to the furthest bus stop away from my house I had planned to go to as it would then take me to the train station. No one was awake except for the dogs that could be heard barking about. The streets were silent and the street lights were off. Once in a while a car would pass me.

Once reaching the 5th Avenue bus stop, I sat down on the waiting bench. I had ten minutes before the bus would arrive.
I thought back on my life up to now about how it was and imagined what it would be like in the near future. All I could do was hope it would be better and good. I quickly took my cellphone out smashed my SIM card and phone before throwing it into the bin.
The week before this I had wiped all my social media off. It was better, it ensured that I wouldn't be tracked.

The red and green bus pulled up, there were a handful of people sitting in there. I got in and moved right to the back of the bus. The bus ride was fairly quick and I'm about 30 minutes I was at the train station.

I made my way to the toilets. They were filthy, the municipality hadn't been taking care of it and I could definitely see that.
I grabbed my tooth brush and minty toothpaste and brushed my teeth. I looked over my appearance one last time. I looked at my reflection, the future is mine and will live a life that I will be proud of.

I grabbed my jacket out of my bag and wrapped it around myself before existing the toilets. I was just on time when the train 32 for Military Avenue arrived.
I could see a few other people dressed just like me, New recruits for the military for sure.

It was about 6 am now and the train journey would take up to an hour and a half.
I settled into the booth and held my duffel bag in my lap. I had dozed off for the journey and woke when I heard the horrendous sound of the trains breaks screeching to come to a halt.

Checking the time on my watch it said 7:30 am. I had half an hour to get to the Military Bus pick up point. My hands started to shiver out of fear and the freezing temperatures. I stopped at one of the small shops outside the train station and bought myself two loose cigarettes and box of matches.

I really should not be smoking before getting on the Military bus but I needed something to calm my nerves and warm me up just a bit. My mind kept wondering if my father would be able to drag me back home and send me off to get married, or if he would beat me for disappearing and shaming him.

I lit the first cigarette and before I knew it I was already smoking the second one. I exhaled the last of the smoke before throwing the bud on the ground and stomping it out.
I could see other recruits in less than 10 meters by the bus stop. The bus stop had a huge military flag marking it as indication where to wait for the bus.

No one seemed to be talking. We all just nodded our heads at one another to acknowledge each other's presence.
I took off my jacket,folded it and packed it into my duffle bag. Everyone had duffle bags here since no was allowed to bring a hard suitcase with. Soon enough there were about fifty recruits all together. Some whispered to one another and others could be visibly seen as nervous or stressed.

Trust me I was nervous but I felt a lot more at ease. I felt...free from all the past years of abuse and drama I faced at my house. I was now going to join the military and I will be part of the forces, I will not fail basic training.

Once the bus had arrived. Everyone sat down quickly for the 30 minute bus ride.
No one sat next to me which was okay. The last 10 minutes if the bus ride seemed to create havoc, people were phoning loved ones, a saw a few people even having a break down. There was even a girl who looked totally out of place, she was wearing a pair of khaki shorts and a spaghetti top! What was she thinking.

The bus stop and the doors opened with a bang. The sergeants started barking at us to hurry out of the bus and stand on the yellow footprints. I quickly stood on the females side of the foot prints after grabbing my bag from the storage compartment.

One of the sergeants then started yelling at the spaghetti top girl, asking her if she was here to play around or be part of the military. The girl immediately turned red and tried to speak. But the sergeant told her to shut up. She looked extremely flustered and I quickly turned my attention back to standing correctly and facing forward.

"You are here to be part of the forces! You will work as a team! There is no I in the military! If you have a problem with one of your members you best sort it out because on the battle field we help each other out!!"

He definitely had a point. He looked to be in his late thirties.

"Recruits you best listen up now! Grab a form and a pen! Move into the building find a seat and fill the form in! If you have any watches or personal valuable items place it into a packet provided with the form! If you have any drugs or alcohol or weapons you best chuck it into the big tub that will be at the entrance after filling in your form! Do you hear me!? Say aye aye sir!!!"

"Aye, Aye Sir!"

We shuffled into the building in lines. After grabbing mine and filling in all my details, I grabbed the packet and put my watch and cellphone inside.
After that I stayed in place and waited for further instructions.

" Recruits you have had plenty of time to fill in the forms now put them into the baskets by the door! Females on the right and males at the left! Hurry up!!!"

"Aye,Aye Sir !"

The males and females were all standing in lines after we had put out forms in the basket along with out valuables.

" Recruits if you have poor eye sight you will issued a pair of military supplied glasses to you! If you do not have poor eye sight this does not apply to you! Men your hair will be shaved off and ladies if you wish to shave or cut your hair follow me after phone calls have taken place!If not stay in a line afterwards !"

"Aye sir!"

I didn't have poor eyesight and I didn't want to cut my shoulder length hair. So I would stay put. I would bhope surprised later on to see that A whole lot of women had decided to go and cut their hair and more than half of the women had decided to shave off their hair.

From here we were lead to a room full of telephones.
" Recruits you have a minute to phone who ever you need to, you will read the words that are stuck on the paper which are on the wall. You will not say anything else!"

"Aye Sir!"

When my turn came. I quickly phoned Riley, she had been my childhood best friend and was like a older sister to me.
Finally when she picked up and said a soft hello I basically yelled out the words in front of me.

" I RECRUIT ANDERSON , AM NOW AT THE MILITARY TRAINING CAMP. PLEASE DO NOT SEND ANY FOOD OR ITEMS FOR THE FIRST FEW MONTHS UNLESS ASKED! TAKE CARE AND I LOVE YOU. SEE YOU AT FAMILY DAY! GOODBYE!"

I heard a love you too Riley before I put the phone back on the hook, for the next recruit to use.