It was your last day in bootcamp.
The thought made you a little bit sad...
Though the workout was hell, and the food was not much better, you still liked it; at least here, you knew you wouldn't die. You were safe in America.
You'd gotten your station overseas a couple days previous, and in all honesty, you'd not been too pleased. Back at home, even a few years previous, you'd often watched the news and/or read reports with Alfred.
You were going to Salziza Port(1), a small town overseas that had been at constant war for the past decade. In that time, about two hundred Americans had been sent over to try and calm things down: in total, only fifty had made it back alive, and out of that...none were left unscathed.
Salziza was going to be hell for you, and whether or not you'd be alive to experience one of them...well, that was another matter.
But alas, you had another problem at hand. Alfie was horribly in-tune with events involving his new job, so you had no idea how to break the news of getting your new placement to him.
"So, _! Are you nervous for your new station?" Peeti asked at dinner, the evening before you'd all be flying out. The table to your left buzzed with new faces; new recruits out of university and college. They looked so innocent and happy, regardless of the fact that they'd just been through their first day of training.
"Helloooooo, earth to _! Where'd you get put?" The smaller woman chirped, waving a hand in front of your face. You snapped your attention to her, then peered around the room. Al wasn't in for food yet...so...
You leaned in closer to her.
"I got assigned to Salziza Port." You murmured, and the conversation at the entire table stopped. You peeked up to see each and every one of you fellow trainees gazes' on you, either filled with worry or sadness.
iThat makes me feel completely wonderful.../i You though sarcastically.
"Dudes...c'mon! It's just Salziza Port! Have some faith in me!" You cried, shortly before the sound a plate dropping came from behind you.
You didn't have to turn to know that it was Alfred. Damn.
iWay to find a good time to break it to him, _!/i
The blond briskly picked up his dropped items, salvaging what he could, and he took a seat beside you.
"And here I was...waiting for the perfect timing to break my news to you." He sighed, leaning his head on your shoulder. "It really does seem that wherever one of us goes, the other is sure to follow."
You kissed the top of his head and set your cheek on his hair.
"Mary had a little lamb, little lamb, little lamb..." You sung quietly, attempting to get a bit of a laugh, but none came.
Peeti patted your shoulder and stood up. "We should all head to bed. Tomorrow's a big day..." Then she departed from the room, along with several others. You knew that Peeti was headed to South America at 0400 the next day...so that was likely the last time you'd see her: at least for a while.
"She's right..." You said quietly into your boyfriends' soft blond locks. "We...should get some rest. I-I...I'll see you in the morning." You went about prying yourself free from the loving grasp to go to bed.
It was well past midnight, and you were lying on your back, still awake. You couldn't deny the fact that you were absolutely terrified for later that day. Not knowing what would happen was scaring you.
A quiet sob interrupted your thoughts, however, and you realized the sound was coming from above you: Peeti's bunk?
"Hey...Peeteeeee. You alright up there? Did you have a dream about how hamburger patties are made again?" You questioned, recalling the one and only time that she woke up from a nightmare...about burgers.
You saw her head poke over the side of the mattress. "I'm fine..." She whispered. "I'm just worried for tomorrow."
You sat up. "Yeah..." You agreed. "Me too. But hey; this is what we signed up for, and we're gonna have to be strong and carry on until the end, right?"
There was the springy sound of shifting around, and suddenly your small brunette friend hopped down.
She sniffled.
"I don't want to be alone tonight, 'kay?" You didn't have to say anything for her to know that it was alright; she simply wriggled in beside you under your blankets. She was warm.
"G'night, Peeti." You murmured, closing your eyes as a tear silently rolled down your cheek.
You woke up the next day and –as expected- your best female friend wasn't beside you anymore. You sighed and sat up; it was still dark out, so you knew that it wasn't time to leave yet...but there was no harm in getting ready early.
A few days previous you'd been given your uniform –thicker and more durable than your training clothes- so you pulled it on, marvelling slightly at its warmth.
All your other items were packed up already.
"I guess I should go see if there's food." You said to yourself, alone in the entire space of your cabin.
iI'm gonna need it./i
"Good morning." You greeted the only person in the cafeteria, without actually seeing who they were. It didn't matter to you at the moment; it was simply a human life form that you wouldn't get to say hello to for the next year.
"You're up ahead of schedule." The woman replied, and you recognized the voice as none other than the Commander that made your bootcamp days hellish.
You smiled fondly.
"Well, I might as well be prepared for what's to come later today. I don't wanna be groggy in Salziza Port; that could land me with a bullet in the head."
Commander Tellum chuckled. "Why are you being so open with me, Worm?" She questioned, and you shrugged, grabbing a plate filled with foods. You went over and sat a few chairs from her.
"Why not?" You shot back. "After all, even though you feigned hating me this entire time, I know you really don't." You decided, causing the dark-haired woman to startle. She ran a hand through her spiky locks, a sad grin on her features.
"What makes you say that?"
"Because, Tellum, if you hated me, then you wouldn't have put so much energy into pushing me to my limits. I honestly thought I'd die here, but I think –in a way- your toughass ways gave me hope, and a will to keep going."
The alarm signifying it was time for everyone else in camp to awaken sounded, and your friend-not-friend stood.
"Be careful in Salziza, _. If you die, I'll kill you."
Then she walked out to go meet with everyone else.
"Are you nervous?" Alfred asked as the pair of you approached your plane, along with a few others. You pressed your lips into a tight O.
"About flying overseas, or about Salziza Port?" You wondered.
"Both."
"Yep."
You'd be taking the small aircraft most of the way across the ocean. You were landing on a large aircraft carrier, and then you'd be travelling by boat to your final destination. You didn't even know where said plane-holding boat iwas/i.
"Hey, _. C'mon, we need to get in the jet." Your boyfriend reminded you, snapping you from your thoughts. You nodded and made a quiet noise, then followed him into the belly of the small metal beast.
So sorry for not posting in forever...I've had these chapters written and done for months...oops ^^U