Nature Reclaimed

A needed conversation

My mother met me outside of the school, and tugged at my sleeve.
"You are going to talk to that man from the Unity Party?"
She said in an almost worried voice.

"Why not? If it gets me out of this town where there's nothing going on, sure."

"These politics can be dangerous, and getting involved even more so. Sometimes it's better just to lead a quiet life. But I guess, it is your choice... See you at home."

I stood there as she gave me a kiss on the cheek and walked away, strange. I checked the watch on my wrist and read the time. "4:23. He's probably still around here somewhere." I began searching for Major Branson, whom I was supposed to talk to, and found him around some solar panels, examining the cells. He hailed me over with a quick hand gesture and I came.

"Hey, son. I didn't catch your name earlier."

"Lewis Bell."

"Ah, Mrs Bells son. Well Lewis, I want to tell you how this is the opportunity of a lifetime. I don't want to gas it up and make it seem more exciting than it really is, but it's a good career choice.
Joining the military takes a lot of dedication though."

"How long is the basic training, and where at?"

"Basic training is six weeks.
It's in a little backwards desert outpost in California called Barstow. Uninhabited for nearly fifty years. Used to be a little town out there, now we train soldiers from it for the West Coast. If you were from the East, you'd be going to West Virginia.
If you were from the South, Alabama. From the North, Pennsylvania."

"What about branches of the military?"

"Every soldier goes through the same basic, then they can choose upon graduation which of the four they would like to dedicate themselves to. That training is another six weeks, more specialized than the basics."

I thought it over for a moment, these guys travelled around the world and did things that others never had the opportunity to.
"Where do I sign up?"

Major Branson gave a look of approval. "You were in an upperclass. So your mandatory stay at school has been completed. Let me handle the paperwork to get you out of school, just sign your name here.
I'm staying a few more days, to see if anybody else comes and signs on. Then we're off to California."

I took the pen he offered, and held it in my hand as he pulled a clipboard up from the ground.
I never knew ink could seal a man's fate until I pressed that pen to the paper, and in a neat cursive, spelled out my own name. This would bind me to service for a mandatory stay of at least two years.
'Lewis Bell.'

I put the pen down, and shook the Majors hand, and he shook mine, saying.
"I will see you in a few days Lewis."

"See you then Major."