A soldiers reality

Chapter 1

I've heard that everyone's life is hard. That life is never easy. Well, if that were true for everyone, including the rich and poor too, then my life can only be described as hell.

My life was once a normal one, or as normal as a life could be. A loving stay at home mum and a father that anyone could look up too. Being a mechanic in the Air Force, he wasn't at home as much as I would of liked. I would cry every time he was deployed, hoping I would see him again and then again cry when he walked back off that aeroplane when he was released.

My sister, Grace, was older by 3 years and before, she was the best I could ever ask for. Kind, friendly and reliable, I could always go to her whenever I needed her and she would always listen.

I didn't have a lot of friends at school and but I didn't mind. I would sit on a bench at break and lunch and read without being interrupted while everyone played tag or grown-ups. Personally, I thought that everyone at school had this problem. I mean, who can talk all of that time without running out of things to talk about. Or when they would shout and fall out with each other for breaking one of their barbies, of the rich girls earrings, and then the next day be best friends again. Can you see my point?

Anyway, what I'm trying to say that my life was alright. Until it wasn't.

I remember that it was my mother's 35th birthday and dad had taken her out to celebrate because he was home from his last tour. Grace and I had been left with our babysitter Ms Louis even thought Grace at 13 could of looked after the two of us. I'm now glad for my mums overprotecting nature.

All three of us were sitting in the living room watching a film when the landline rung. Ms Louis went to get it and I immediately had this feeling that something was wrong. I don't remember all of the details but I do remember that scared and slightly horrified look that Ms Louis had when she walking in. She simply turned the living room light on, shut off the TV and stood in front of it.

She looked from Grace to myself and back and mumbled, "I'm sorry".

Grace and I looked at each other and I opened my mouth to question when I was answered by Ms Louis.

"I'm sorry. I just got the phone with the hospital. Your... your mother and father were involved in a car accident". She had tears spilling out of her eyes as she continued. "They... they died at t-the s-scene."

After those words she fully broke down.

I had known that shock can make you do some weird things but all I remember thinking was why is she crying? Why is she crying when I'm not?

The most of that night after that was a blur. To summarise, Grace and I went to the hospital to confirm the bodies of our parents since they both had no other family and were taken to a house full of other kids since we were officially classed of orphans.

If you haven't figured it out now, this is where the hell of my life began. The fact that both of our stents where now dead definitely took its toll on us. Well, it did for me.

I became even more introverted that before, sitting alone whenever possible either reading, watching Tv or YouTube or just thinking. Plus, when I did have to interact with others, my communication was at a minimal. Also, I started working out. I said to myself that I did it because I wanted to be healthy but in fact, I just wanted to physically exhaust myself so I didn't have to think about my parents.

For Grace it was different. At first she was alright. She kept talking to others about it probably thinking that if she talked about it she could get use to the idea. But here's the think, you never recover from that. She started coming back to the orphanage late at night, going out to parties and whatnot.

Then she started drinking and smoking, anything to take her brain off life she described it. And it only got worse from there. At around 16, she became for violent, from shouting and swearing to physically abusing anyone who tried to help. You see, even though I didn't talk to anyone else but I could see who my sister was becoming and being the sister I was, I tried to help her. But it didn't work and I soon became her main point of anger.

Anyway, when Grace got to 18, she was able to leave the orphanage. She got a place in the middle of Leicester which had 1 bedroom, hardly any furniture and about nothing else. She also signed the legal documents to become my official guardian. This meant that I was her responsibility and I had to move out with her.

Some would say that this was a good thing as anyone who has been in an orphanage for any period of time knows that they are the worse. And I did want to get out of there but not so that I could go and live with my sister that make a living on drinking and getting a job at a strip club. Then again, I didn't think that anyone at the orphanage cared anyway as they probably wanted another slot empty so they could get someone who they could foster and make money out of.

I was made to sleep on the couch or floor whenever my sister had taken it when she was either to lazy to make it to her room or stoned from all the drugs and alcohol she had done. As an added bonus, I had to get a job as a waitress so that I could cover that half of the rent that Grace didn't make. I mean, with all the tips that she had from the strip club, she could pay our rent double but seeing that she spent it on other products, it was up to me.

The only good thing about my life was school and the gym. I was actually good at school with being at the top of my class in most subjects and anytime away from a flat full of weed and alcohol was fine by me.

The gym was like a second home to me. I went as much as could as it became the only thing stable in my life. I got stronger and faster, becoming proud of every achievement I made, my favourite being my six pack.

I knew that after school I couldn't keep working at a rundown pub only making £5 a hour. I mean, how was I gonna get anywhere on that?

It wasn't until we had a careers day when an army Sargent came in to talk about his experience. I don't know what happened but there was something about his speech that grabbed my attention. But there was one phrase that stood out among the rest.

"If you have nothing left to lose, join the army"

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1231 words to start off with!
I know this chapter did drag but I just wanted to complete the backstory do that we didn't have to divert from the story when we got going.

Don't worry, the real story will begin next chapter.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter and have a great day of night when you are reading!