Soldier With Wings of Freedom

New Cadet

I laid down in the grass and flowers that were on a nearby field. I stared at the sky watching the clouds go by. I remembered something Zoie told me a long time ago when I first meet her.

<Eight years ago (18 year's old)>

I was in a carriage sitting across from Erwin and I looked like crap. I had my hair down and my face had some dirt on it. I was wearing a brown long sleeve shirt and black pants. My pants had a few rips and tears in them. I had on old grey boots that were worn out and grey vest that was unbuttoned. I moved my hand over to the curtain and I pulled it back a bit. I leaned closer to the window looking out at it with curiosity.

"What are you thinking? " Erwin asked. I didn't answer him as I continued to look out the window.

"Are you sure about going to the training camp? You can back down now if you want? " He offered and I looked back at him.

"I'm sure. I want to join the Survey Corps like you." I said looking at him seriously.

"I'm warning you now it won't be easy. Don't let anybody know about your past. You don't want word getting out to your family and father will try to bring you back. He is a man who won't give up easily to get what he wants."

"I now that," I said as I crossed my arms.

"I have something for you." He said as he reached into his bag and pulled something wrapped up out.

He unwrapped it to reveal a small rectangular wooden box. He handed me the box and I opened it up. There was a silver chain and I looked lower and saw the charm. It was a round silver locket with an engraving on it.

"It's beautiful," I said softly.

"Just like you and your mother," Erwin said with a smile and I felt my face get hot.

"Huh?" I asked.

"The necklace was your mothers. I got it from your father that day I talked to him."

"And he just handed it to you?" I asked.

"Well, I kinda talked him into giving it to me. He was going to give it to Carol for her eighteenth birthday. "He said and I nodded. He walked over and sat next to me. He took the necklace out of the box and put it around my neck.

"It belongs to you. Your mother received it on her eighteenth birthday and so did your grandmother." He continued and I looked down at it and I opened it up.

"There's nothing in it?" I said.

"Your mother probably took the picture out so you could put one in."

"But what kind of picture would I put in it?" I asked as he shrugged his shoulders.

"I guess whatever you want. She used to have a picture of her parents and me in it because those were the people she cared about most. But that was forever ago." He said.

I closed it and I hugged him. He was surprised and I felt him tense up. He relaxed then hugged me back.

"Thank you?" I said as I almost started to cry.

"You're welcome." He said and the carriage stopped.

"Well, I guess this your stop," Erwin said with a smile as he pulled away and opened the door.

He jumped outside and I grabbed my bag that was down by my feet. I stuck the box in it and I threw it over my shoulder as I stood up. Erwin helped me out of the carriage and I looked at where I was. I was at the training camp Erwin talked about in the south. It was dark out and I could just barely see. There were lights in some of the windows and a door opened up shining light into the courtyard. A man stood in the doorway at attention like he was waiting for me. I looked up at Erwin and he nodded.

"This is goodbye for now. I hope you do well." He said then he hoped back in the carriage.

I turned around as it started leaving and he peeked through the window. I waved back at him then turned around and walked up to the man. He introduced himself and told me everything I should know and the rules he quickly taught me how to salute and then he showed me to the girls' barracks. Once we got there he quickly turned around and started walking away.

I walked up to the door and I hesitated before knocking. I was really nervous as I opened the door and walked in. Everyone looked at me and I froze. A girl with long blonde hair walked up to me with a smile on her face. Some girls started whispering to each other.

"Hello there my name is Sara; I will show you to your bunk." She said as she walked away.

I followed her to the other side of the room. There was another girl with blonde hair that was the same length as mine that went to my lower back. She had light teal glasses and a matching hair clip to keep her bangs out of her face. She was sitting crossed legged at the center of the bottom bunk while she leaned against the wall. She was wearing light orange pajama bottoms and a grey hooded sweatshirt.

"Hey, Little Miss Nerdy Zoie!" She said harshly. The girl looked up from her book.

"What do you want Sara?" She asked annoyed.

"You have a new bunkmate," Sara said as she walked away. I looked back at Zoie. She sighed and got up from the bed.

"My name is Zoie, what's yours?"

"M - Melissa," I said a little nervous.

"Nice to meet you. .. This is your cubby over here and you get the top bunk. Lights out in about ten minutes so I suggest you get ready for bed." She said with a smile.

The next evening we had gotten done with training for the day and it was time for dinner. I was wearing my black pants and a red long sleeve shirt with a black rope tied around my hips. I had on my same grey boots that went to my calves. I was also wearing the necklace under my shirt.

I was sitting alone at an empty table while I was eating my bread. I had soup in front of me and a cup of water. I was thinking about how I mastered my balance perfectly for the first time trying it during training. The instructor said that it was like I was trained on it before. I think it was because I have been dancing my whole life that I was good.

"May I sit here?" Someone asked snapping me back into reality. I nodded to Zoie and she sat down across the table from me.

"How was your first day?" She asked then she began to eat her food.

"It was alright, I guess."

"You did a good job today." She said with a smile.

"I guess."

"You guess? All of us have been here for three months and you did better than all of us on your first day." She exclaimed. I felt someone's eyes on me and I turned around. Sara was looking at me from across the room. Her hair was braided to the side and she was wearing a dress. She was giving me a death glare and she wasn't the only one. There were a couple of others around the room that were watching me.

"I have a feeling that some people don't like me," I said quietly.