The nights here in the Mog are almost as hot as the days, times that with
being enclosed with a lot of hot men, (no, I don't mean hot in that way)
and well we're all pretty much sweating. I was always a tomboy, I guess
that's why I joined the army in the first place, my father pretty much
brought me up on his own, until I was twelve and he met Katie. But that
didn't change much, well, after I got over the jealousy and realized how
nice Katie was and how nice it was to have her around. It was nice to be
part of a nuclear family unit for a change, like one of my teachers said
"Ellie lacks discipline", yeah I was a mislead youth but look at me now,
I'm in one of the most disciplined jobs out there.
Anyway, my dad did a good job on me, but I am biased, and now he's doing a
good job on my little sisters.
It's late and hot, I'm sitting on the end of Yureks bed playing cards, to my left I'm only half aware of what's going on in the mess area, something involving laughter, but I'm too engrossed in the card game. Twombly sat down on his cot, which is next to Yurek's and sipped on a can of coke "Watcha doing?" the coke looks cold and I hold out my hand while still watching Yurek's face for any give away signs. Yurek glances up at Twombly while rearranging his cards "What's it look like we're doing?" Twombly nods and observes my hand, which is still reaching out, I kinda shake it as if too signal I want the can, which I know he knows anyway. He grunts and takes another long swig, while Yurek places a card down on the deck, I'm beginning to get impatient, that coke looks good and I'm practically dying of thirst "Twooooom." I waggle my hand.
"Fuck off, it's mine."
I reach over and tear it from his hands, while trying bloody hard not to break my gaze from Yurek. Twombly, of course, was expecting this but never the less gave up the can, maybe it was too hot to mess around. Instead he leant forward and cupped his chin in his hands and elbows on his knees. I gulp at the cold, cold liquid until the bubbles make me hiccup. "Don't have it all." He takes it from me and I hiccup again.
"Oh, Cody, don't put me off." Cody, the nickname I had since RIP was as familiar to me as Ellie. Twombly's face changes to that of a look of disbelief. "Jeeze, you two it's just Rummy." Yurek and I both look at him, a 'don't knock it' look, 'cos our rummy matches are as important to us as everyone else's games of poker; well it is the only card game we know it beats watching the poker matches, bored. I hiccup again.
It was early, and I could seem to sleep, today was Sunday, today was my sister's birthday. She would still be fast asleep curled up in her bed holding her toy dragon that was falling apart. I lifted up the covers of my cot and slowly got dressed, brushing my hair into a low bun and slipping my feet into my boots, I didn't bother to lace them as I pulled the door open and walked along the corridor and opened to heavy door that was the entrance into the nurses quarters. It bugs me that I have to sleep away from my guys, away from everything, as this small building was next to the makeshift hospital. It's a five minute walk across some shrub land and the landing strip, as I walk the golden sun was just appearing on the horizon, reflecting off the sea, dancing and shimmering towards me.
At the main hanger I start boiling the kettle in one of the many tiny rooms. I spoon the instant coffee into my tin mug. "Hey."
I jump out my skin "Holy fuck." I turn round to face Twombly leaning in the doorway, he was smiling. "Don't do that."
"Sorry, I just wanted a coffee."
"Well, don't sneak up on me."
"I wasn't sneaking." We stood in silence, the kettle clicked off.
"So, what you doing up this early?" I pour water into my mug before taking Twombs mug off him and adding the coffee granules, water and a splash of milk.
"I couldn't sleep." He answered. I hand him the drink, the wrap my hands round my own, studying the dark liquid. I was still thinking about Zoey's birthday, wondering what I would of got her if I could of got her anything, "What's up?" Twomb voice brought me back.
"Nothin'"
"Come on"
I looked up at him; "It's Zoeys birthday today."
He smiled, "Cool." Then sensing my feelings, "She's a smart kid, she'll understand why you're missing it." He put his mug down and wrapped his arms round me, "Perk up, that's an order." He squeezed tighter.
"Twomb, my coffee." I squealed into his shoulder.
"Never mind that." Now he started swaying from side to side, as I tried helplessly to wiggle free of his grip, we were both laughing.
Twombly always cheers me up.
It's late and hot, I'm sitting on the end of Yureks bed playing cards, to my left I'm only half aware of what's going on in the mess area, something involving laughter, but I'm too engrossed in the card game. Twombly sat down on his cot, which is next to Yurek's and sipped on a can of coke "Watcha doing?" the coke looks cold and I hold out my hand while still watching Yurek's face for any give away signs. Yurek glances up at Twombly while rearranging his cards "What's it look like we're doing?" Twombly nods and observes my hand, which is still reaching out, I kinda shake it as if too signal I want the can, which I know he knows anyway. He grunts and takes another long swig, while Yurek places a card down on the deck, I'm beginning to get impatient, that coke looks good and I'm practically dying of thirst "Twooooom." I waggle my hand.
"Fuck off, it's mine."
I reach over and tear it from his hands, while trying bloody hard not to break my gaze from Yurek. Twombly, of course, was expecting this but never the less gave up the can, maybe it was too hot to mess around. Instead he leant forward and cupped his chin in his hands and elbows on his knees. I gulp at the cold, cold liquid until the bubbles make me hiccup. "Don't have it all." He takes it from me and I hiccup again.
"Oh, Cody, don't put me off." Cody, the nickname I had since RIP was as familiar to me as Ellie. Twombly's face changes to that of a look of disbelief. "Jeeze, you two it's just Rummy." Yurek and I both look at him, a 'don't knock it' look, 'cos our rummy matches are as important to us as everyone else's games of poker; well it is the only card game we know it beats watching the poker matches, bored. I hiccup again.
It was early, and I could seem to sleep, today was Sunday, today was my sister's birthday. She would still be fast asleep curled up in her bed holding her toy dragon that was falling apart. I lifted up the covers of my cot and slowly got dressed, brushing my hair into a low bun and slipping my feet into my boots, I didn't bother to lace them as I pulled the door open and walked along the corridor and opened to heavy door that was the entrance into the nurses quarters. It bugs me that I have to sleep away from my guys, away from everything, as this small building was next to the makeshift hospital. It's a five minute walk across some shrub land and the landing strip, as I walk the golden sun was just appearing on the horizon, reflecting off the sea, dancing and shimmering towards me.
At the main hanger I start boiling the kettle in one of the many tiny rooms. I spoon the instant coffee into my tin mug. "Hey."
I jump out my skin "Holy fuck." I turn round to face Twombly leaning in the doorway, he was smiling. "Don't do that."
"Sorry, I just wanted a coffee."
"Well, don't sneak up on me."
"I wasn't sneaking." We stood in silence, the kettle clicked off.
"So, what you doing up this early?" I pour water into my mug before taking Twombs mug off him and adding the coffee granules, water and a splash of milk.
"I couldn't sleep." He answered. I hand him the drink, the wrap my hands round my own, studying the dark liquid. I was still thinking about Zoey's birthday, wondering what I would of got her if I could of got her anything, "What's up?" Twomb voice brought me back.
"Nothin'"
"Come on"
I looked up at him; "It's Zoeys birthday today."
He smiled, "Cool." Then sensing my feelings, "She's a smart kid, she'll understand why you're missing it." He put his mug down and wrapped his arms round me, "Perk up, that's an order." He squeezed tighter.
"Twomb, my coffee." I squealed into his shoulder.
"Never mind that." Now he started swaying from side to side, as I tried helplessly to wiggle free of his grip, we were both laughing.
Twombly always cheers me up.
