"we pull upon the risers, we fall upon the grass,
we never land upon our feet, we always hit our ass.
hidee-tidee, christ almighty, who the hell are we?
zim-zam, god damn, we're airborne infantry."
the song was damn near branded on to my brain by the time we reached the bottom of that hill. now, don't get me wrong - i loved running. in fact, i loved running so damn much i was on the cross country team at my school for four straight years. but running up currahee? that shit was the absolute worst, especially with a guy like sobel yelling in my ear every 5 damn seconds.
being the daughter of a general of the great war had its privileges, and its downfalls. and of course, the downfalls out weighed the majority of the privileges. every morning my father had myself and my three siblings, all brothers, run the training course he had set up in our spacious backyard. i was used to the wall, and the ropes, and army crawling under barbed wire - i finished the course my first time in under 8 minutes, but i digress.
we reached the barracks after our run filled with vomit and pain, and the first thing i did was collapse head first onto my bunk. i wanted to cry. i never thought that becoming a paratrooper would be this difficult. and having a c.o. like sobel most certainly didn't help. "what the hell was he thinking, having us run on a full stomach? that's not good for the digestion." perconte called out, and i couldn't help but laugh. "you think he gives a fuck about your digestion, frank?" i called out to him, slowly sitting up, removing my army issued boots from my swollen feet. "well he should! i've got a very sensitive stomach." i snorted again, slolwy rolling my eyes and standing up from my bunk.
i waited until everyone was back from the showers before i went to take mine. i wasn't modest, or shy of my body...i just knew the boys wouldn't take to well to finding out i lacked certain 'danglies' between my thighs. yes, i am a girl, don't rub it in. i've been treated differently by everyone around me simply because of my sex for my entire life, it felt nice to not be looked down on or thought of differently for once. the only people who didn't treat me like a fragile doll was my father and my brothers. my mother died when i was a baby, something abut birth complications - my father doesn't like to get into it. my family allowed me to join the baseball team with the boys, play in the dirt, wear pants, which of course was looked down upon by the women in our town.
i made sure i was alone before stripping out of my sweaty p.t. gear and climbing under the cold water. i showered quickly, like always, before pulling on my o.d.'s and walking back to my bunk. i ran my hand through my still damp hair, cut just short of a buzz. i had always had my hair short growing up, simply because long hair was a hassle, so getting it shaved before leaving for basic training was no problem for me. i walked back over to my bunk, dropping my dirty p.t. gear into the laundry before laying back on the cot and stealing a smoke from the guy next to me. i never remembered his name, but he never remembered mine either, so it worked out. i lit the cigarette, a lucky strike, taking a long drag before throwing an arm behind my head and closing my eyes.
"hey, you, is that one of my lucky strikes?" the familiar man's voice called out, and i smirked, slowly opening one eye. "maybe, maybe not...who's asking?" i took a long drag, blowing the smoke towards the figure leaning over me.
"you're telling me, that you still don't remember my name?" he looked offended. i laughed. "you didn't remember mine, so why are you getting so upset? if you don't have to remember my name, than i most certainly don't have to remember yours." i nodded, and with that i closed my eyes. my eyes were only shut for a good ten seconds before i felt the cigarette leave my lips. i sighed, opening my eyes to meet chocolate brown ones staring down at me, and i jumped. "jesus, what?" i sat up, leaning back against the wall. "i'm george...george luz." he stuck his hand out, and i sighed. so that's what his name was. "asher watson." i nodded, taking his hand, shaking it slowly. "right...so now you can't forget my name." he smirked, and i stole back the cigarette that dangled from his lips, taking a drag. "and you can't forget mine." and with that it was time for a lecture.
i sat between my two closest friends, bill and don. from day one they had my back, and i wouldn't ever forget them nearly carrying me up the hill that first day after i sprained my ankle all the way at the bottom of the hill.
it was our last lecture before we headed off to fort benning and began jump training. i couldn't wait to get my wings. i didn't remember a good bit of the lecture, only because i was dead tired, hungry because of throwing up my lunch, and i really wanted to draw. i ended up drawing the screaming eagle badge of the paratroopers, down to every last detail from memory. it was either that, or listen to lieutenant winters, as lovely as that man was, explain the importance of your parashoot.
don looked over my shoulder and i jumped as he whispered into my ear. "that's really cool." he didn't seem to want to be paying attention to the lecture either. i smirked, slowly nodding. "thanks. here, keep it." i replied, handing over the piece of paper before sliding my pencil back into my pocket, leaning back in my seat. "really? are you sure?" he whispered back and i nodded, giving him a smile. "yah, sure. i mean, you'll probably put it to better use than i would." i pulled a cigarette from behind my ear, lighting it and taking a slow drag.
"who knew the army was gonna be so goddamn boring?"i sighed, leaning back. bill looked over at me, a smirk crossing his sharp features. "what, were you expecting it to all be fun and games, kid?" he asked, making me roll my eyes. "first, don't call me kid. second, i don't know what i expected, but it sure as hell wasn't this. if i wanted a goddamn lecture, i'd go to college."
"will you shut it?" luz turned to face me, giving me a smirk. "i'm trying to learn here." i laughed softly, kicking the back of his seat with a sigh.
after another hour of boring lecture and more screaming eagles, it was time for dinner. my stomach growled in reply, and i heard a chorus of laughter from behind me. "shutup." i laughed along with them, elbowing liebgott in the ribs. "ow, fuck, what was that for?" i smirked, shrugging slowly. "you were closest." i hopped up the stairs into the mess hall, jogging up to the front to grab a tray. "yah, lieb, don't you know ash's logic by now?" i heard don's voice from behind me, and i smirked. "hey, it's smart logic. i'm a smart guy." it had taken me a few weeks of repeating my new name into the mirror and calling myself male pronouns instead of female ones before i was finally able to go along with my own charade. i wasn't ashley watson anymore, i was asher, a 21 year old male, youngest son of general watson. "yah, bullshit watson. you're dumber than a box of nails." came liebgott's reply, and i smirked, elbowing him deep into his ribs again. "at least i'm sharp." i winked, grabbing a plate and standing in front of the window, waiting for my meal.
i was not impressed with the slop that was on my plate. i sat down in my usual spot between don and bill, staring at the piece of rubbery meat on my plate. "this cannot be edible."i said to myself, using my fork to break off a piece, stabbing it and placing it in my mouth slowly. "actually...not bad." i nodded, and soon the rest of the boys were digging in.
lights out came faster than we wanted, but we were leaving to get our jump wings the following day, and we were expected to be in tip-top shape. i pulled off my o.d.'s, leaving me in my t-shirt and skivvies, and i climbed into bed. some of the boys were up playing craps, something i was never really good at. even if i was good at it, more than likely i would've passed just to get some shut eye. a girl...guy...needed his rest. i was out as soon as my head hit the pillow.