I can’t help the snort of derision that escapes, but Mrs. Taylor presses on.
“For a while he did try, though he walked around dazed by sorrow and disbelief. He was seeing to your basic needs. He started drinking at night so that he could sleep. We tried to help him. We tried to help you, but he just pushed everyone away. Two years later he sold the house and bought that trailer in the woods. He said being close to nature would help him get his head straight. We all hoped it was true, but he just started drinking more and more. The church would drop off groceries to make sure you had food. That was all he would allow us to do. We begged him to let us take you. But he would get so angry any time a church member broached the topic. We were afraid we were making things worse for you, so we backed off. When the Hollocks moved here and you and Haven became friends, it was an answered prayer. I think your father allowed them to be a part of your life, because they were not from around here and did not know your family history. Fin, you cannot imagine how sorry we all are that we couldn’t do more for you. We were just so terrified that you would end up as one of Lui’s forgotten children. We didn’t know what to do.”
I can’t stand seeing the despair on Mrs. Taylor’s face, so I do what I have always done; lie. I pull her into my arms and hug her one last time.
“It’s okay Mrs. Taylor, it wasn’t as bad as you imagine. I am fine, and I am off to better things now. Before I leave though, I need to give you something.”
She takes a step back and looks up at me. I reach back and take out the gun. Her face pales as I hand it to her.
“It is my dad’s, but drunks shouldn’t play with guns. I took it before I left, but I can’t bring it with me when I sign up for service. Keep it somewhere safe. You may need it someday. Whatever you do, don’t give it back to my dad.”
She gives me one silent nod, as I turn to leave. I walk outside into another dark rainy night. The rain washes over me. It is cool on my warm skin, and as I walk it feels as if the rain is washing away the burden of my life in this town.
Chapter Eight
“Enlistment Day”
T hirty minutes later I am standing in front of the recruitment offices, located in Elizabeth’s, Government office park. It consists of a row of slightly dingy buildings that house the recruitment centers for the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard, as well as the Federal Tax Center, and National Work Placement Agency. I stand outside for a moment trying to decide which military branch is the one for me. I know what I want out of my training, but I am not sure which service will provide me with the fastest track to my goal. Before I can decide an Army, recruiter comes outside. He takes one look at me and smiles like a Cheshire cat. He opens the door back up and waves me into the building. I stand just inside the door dripping rain onto the ugly green carpet. The walls are covered with posters of men and women, they are stalking through the wilderness wearing camouflage and painted faces, jumping out of planes, and riding in tanks. There is one poster in the center of them all. There are no soldiers just a sword in a triangle, with the slogan “Delta Force if You Dare”
“I’m Sergeant Jefferson. How can help change your life today?”
I look back to the still smiling Sergeant Jefferson, who is holding out his hand for me to shake. I grab his hand and look him in the eye.
“I’m Fin Malone, and I would like to join Delta Force.”
His smile fades for a second, and then he throws his head back and laughs so loudly, I’m pretty sure the walls reverberate.
“Yeah, you and every other eighteen-year-old boy who walks through, the doors. Listen son, the Army has a lot of MOS’s to choose from. Why would you want to pick the most dangerous, and quite frankly the least attainable job in the military?”
“Sir, I was born to do this.”
He crosses his arms and looks me up and down, from the wet hair dripping in my eyes, to the soggy shoes dripping on the carpet.
“Fin, I’m going to be straight with you. Due to enlistment shortages, there is a program that would allow you to enlist as a CAG baby. But, son, trust me you don’t want to do that. Less than one percent of recruits actually make it into Delta Force…like way less than one percent. If you don’t make it, you don’t get to choose where they stick you. You will either end up in supply or as a cook. God help you if they make you a cook.”
“I understand your concern, but there is no other job that I am interested in. I know I can do this. I am not afraid of getting hit, I’m not afraid of going hungry, I’m strong and I’m reasonably intelligent.”
I raise my hand and point at the poster.
“There is nothing they have, that I don’t have.”
Sergeant Jefferson gives me one last look and sighs deeply.
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you. You know recruiters always get a bad rap for screwing people over. When you’re in training, bloody and bruised, freezing your nuggets off, and hoping to find some grubs to eat don’t blame me!”
“Agreed, I take full responsibility for this decision.”
He shrugs and turns to walk to his desk.
“Okay, let’s start the paperwork. Have you already graduated, or do you need to take the early exit exam?”
“I need to take the exit exam.”
“Just so you know, you will need to score at or above the ninetieth percentile on the exit exam. On your ASVAB you are going to have to get a general technical score of at least one hundred and ten, and a combat score of at least one hundred. What kind of student are you, kid?”
“I’m a decent student. I have already taken the ASVAB, and my scores are, on pare. I just need to complete the exit exam.”
“We can set you up to take that along with your physical and background screening at the MEPS in Shreveport. We have a group going up in two weeks. Can you be ready by then?”
My heart races as I start to panic. I did not leave things well with my dad. I cannot go back home.
“Honestly, sir, I was hoping to leave before then… like today.”
He eyes bug out slightly and gives me a look that assures me he thinks I’m crazy.
“Today, don’t you have people you need to say goodbye to, or a bag to pack?”
“I’ve already said my goodbyes. As far as a bag, I have everything I need on me. Besides, I thought the army was going to provide me with a whole new wardrobe.” I grin at him, and see he is not amused. “Look, I can’t stay here for two more weeks.”
He must see the desperation in me. I can see it in his face, the moment he decides to go above and beyond to help me.
“Let me call my wife and let her know I won’t be home for dinner. If we hurry with the paperwork, I can drive you to Shreveport tonight. There is a group staying at a hotel near the base that is starting their processing tomorrow.”
“Thank you, Sergeant, I really appreciate it. “
“Yeah, yeah, just remember good old Sergeant Jefferson, if you become a hot shot General one day.”
We both chuckle at the unlikelihood of his statement.
“Will do Sergeant.”
We pull into the Pine Tree Inn just after nine pm. It’s clear by the run-down appearance, it has seen better days. However, I am so relieved to be out of Elizabeth and away from my dad that it feels like paradise.
“I’m going to check you in and see if there is an open bunk with one of the other males. While, I do that why don’t you, go grab yourself some dinner.” He points across the parking lot to a pizza hut and taco bell on the corner. “It will be your last chance for fast food for a few months so enjoy it while you can. Get it to go. You can eat in your room. I’ll meet you in the lobby in fifteen minutes”
I nod, and head toward the restaurant. After a couple of steps, I remember Sergeant Jefferson gave up his family dinner to get me here. I turn back around and call out to him.
“Hey, sergeant, can I get you something to eat?”
He gives me a surprised look, then smiles. “No kid, thanks anyway, I’ll grab some
thing when I’m done here.”
I decide on pizza hut, and I am glad to see there is no line. Within ten minutes I have my large supreme pizza, a bottle of Pepsi, and a bottle of water. As I head back to meet Sergeant Jefferson, I think about what he said about there being no junk food. For the first time I can remember, I am actually grateful for something my dad did. Due to his troglodyte lifestyle, we lived off our land. Our meat came from the deer we hunted or chickens we raised, we fished, and we grew all our own vegetables. Of course, the older I got the, we turned into me, and good old dad focused mainly on his home distillery. Needless to say, I do not suffer from a junk food addiction. I make my way to the lobby just as Sergeant Jefferson is taking a key card from the clerk. He motions for me to follow him out of the side door.
“You’re going to be in room 210 with, Rasul.” He stops before the stairwell and turns to me. “Look kid, if you’re in trouble they are going to find out with the background check. Whatever you’re running from, it’s going to catch up with you.”
“Sergeant, I swear to you I’m not in trouble, and I’m not running from anything. I’m just starting fresh. “
He shakes his head as if he is still a little doubtful.
“Okay, if you say so. Can I give you one last piece of advice?”
“Sure!”
“Don’t let anyone know how desperate you are to leave, especially the job recruiter. He is going to try and put you where he has the most job slots open. He may try to bend the truth about what is available to you, but don’t be fooled. I know there are openings for CAG babies. If you do well on your exit exam, you are eligible. You have to be willing to walk out of the room with no job. Don’t except anything less than what you want. The only time you have cards to play in the Army is during enlistment or reenlistment. Play your cards wisely and get what you want. Whatever you do, don’t let them intimidate you, got it?”
“Yes, got it. Thank you, Sergeant. You have no idea how much you have helped me. I am truly grateful.”
“I don’t know if I have helped you, or hurt you Malone, but I’ve given you what you asked for.”
We walk up the flight of stairs and make our way to room 210. He knocks once before using the key card to open the door. Inside a boy about my age with tawny brown skin and dark wavy hair is reclining on the bed. He is watching TV and looks bored out of his mind. He sits up as we enter and looks from Sergeant Jefferson to me.
“Rasul this is Malone. The two of you are going to be rooming together for the next few days while you are at MEPS. I’ll leave you two to get acquainted and fight over the TV. Lights out in an hour, you’ve got a 0600 wake up call.”
He slaps me on the back. “Well, I’ve got a long drive back. Rasul, Malone, good luck tomorrow. Remember what I said, don’t fall for their bullshit.”
Rasul and I both nod as Sergeant Jefferson leaves the room. Rasul stands to shake my hand.
“I’m Omar, and I’m not really watching anything, if there is something you want to see.”
I shake his hand and I can tell instantly by his easy-going nature that we will get along.
“I’m, Fin, I’ve got plenty of pizza if you want some.”
We eat and talk about nothing in particular for about forty minutes. After that I pass out, exhausted from the day. At six am, someone pounds on the door, and a head sporting a BDU cap pokes in.
“Breakfast is downstairs in the lobby, be done eating and ready to go in one hour”
I jump in the shower, and twenty minutes later I am downstairs eating a surprisingly good hotel breakfast. Shortly after, I see Omar and wave him over to where I am sitting.
“The bacon and cheese omelets are really good.”
“I’ll stick with eggs and toast. I don’t really eat pork.”
“But you had some on the pizza last night?”
He rubs his stomach and grimaces.
“Yes, and I paid for it this morning.”
“Are you allergic?”
“Yeah, let’s go with that.”
I shrug and drop the subject.
A few minutes later Omar looks up at me from his plate.
“Fin, if those girls eyeball you any harder, one of them is going to get knocked up.
I look up from my plate and laugh at the bored expression on his face. I glance around to see what he’s talking about. I notice two girls, one petite red head, and one very curvy brunette. They are staring at our table, whispering, and giggling, in typical teen girl fashion.
“How do you know they are not eyeballing you, Omar?”
“I rode in a van with them yesterday to get here, and neither of them even glanced in my direction.”
“Well either way I’m not interested.”
His face shows skepticism for a moment and then it clears.
“You must have a girlfriend back home.”
There is a stab of pain in my heart, as my mind automatically travels to images of Haven. I push the thoughts of Haven from my brain and remind myself why I’m here.
“No, there’s no girlfriend. But I’m not going to let myself get distracted from my goals, just because a pretty girl smiles at me.”
There that sounded legit even to my own ears. Not at all like a guy who can’t even look at girl, because the only one he loved just died. I force myself to swallow another bite of food. It no longer tastes good, and it’s nearly impossible to force it past the lump in my throat. If Omar notices a change in my demeanor, he disregards it. Yet, another reason I can tell Omar and I, are going to be friends.
“Whatever you say man, personally I think I can handle a little distraction.”
I look up and he is grinning as he takes another bite of food.
“What job are you trying to get, that you need to be so focused?”
“Delta Force, what job are you trying to get, that you can afford to be distracted?”
“Parachute Rigger.”
I nearly spit my orange juice into his face. After I choke it down, we both break out into loud uncontrollable laughter.
“Oh man, I hope I don’t end up with one of your parachutes.”
“Nah, I’m pretty sure Special Forces, packs their own. They have some trust issues.”
I give him a sardonic look and reply dryly. “I wonder why.”
“I can’t imagine.” He says with a look of mock innocence. He stands from the table, gathering his trash to throw away. “You better finish up; they should be here any minute. And, I hear the Army kind of expects us to be punctual.”
A grumpy soldier arrives to collect us, just as we finish clearing our table. Omar and I, the two girls, and four other guys all load into a white, passenger van. We drive five minutes to get to the, Military Entrance Processing Station, or MEPS as everyone calls it. Once there, we are all sent on our separate paths of ASVAB, early exit exams and physicals. I am taken to a testing room for my early exit exam. The room is dark and cool. It is divided into eight, cubicle like spaces with old fashioned touch screen computer monitors. I look to the test proctor, who is obviously reading my thoughts.
“The military does not need to spend money on high tech equipment, to give an early exit exam. Do you need a tutorial on how to operate this type of computer?”
I look at the outdated computer. It reminds of the computers we used for first grade testing.
“I think I’ll manage.”
The proctor smirks at me, and, then returns to her stern countenance. “If you should have a problem with the computer program during testing, press the red button on the right wall. I will come to your booth if there is a problem. Do not leave the booth until your test is complete. Once you leave the booth your test is finished whether you are or not.”
“Understood”
“The test is broken into two sections. You will have three hours to complete each section. Once you finish the first section press the red button on the right, and I will come and halt your test. You will have thirty minutes to use the latrine, stretch your legs
and eat a snack. There will be a table with nutrition bars, fruit, water, and coffee just outside the testing room. Do you have any questions?”
“No ma’am”
“You may begin.”
I take a seat and begin the test. Two hours and fifteen minutes later I am done with section one. I would be lying if I said the test wasn’t challenging, but all in all I think I did pretty well. I press the button and wait for the proctor to come halt the test. Once I am released, I head to the restroom, and see Omar passing in the opposite direction. We don’t speak in the quiet hallway, but he nods his head in a silent greeting. I take my time walking back. When I return, I eat a protein bar that taste like candy and drink a bottle of water. I arrive back at the testing booth ten minutes early. The proctor crosses the room and hands me paper and a pencil.
“In case you need scratch paper for the math portion of the test.”
“Thanks”
“You ready?”
“Yes ma’am”
Even though I have always been better at math and science, I use almost every minute of the next three hours of testing. I finish with just three minutes left on the clock. I stand up and stretch, and when I turn around to leave the proctor is at the entrance to my booth.
“Your test results will be sent to the job recruiting specialist. The recruiter will input these scores and your ASVAB scores, along with the results of your physical evaluation. The results will help us give you a clear picture of which jobs you are best suited for. Now, follow the yellow line to waiting area C to continue processing.”
I spend the rest of the day getting poked and prodded by the medical staff, with the exception of the intermittent periods of seemingly endless waiting. At 1700 hours the van drops me, and the rest of the recruits, back in front of the hotel. Omar and I both want Chinese, so we go back to our room and order delivery from the Bamboo Garden.
“That was the longest day ever. I was completely unprepared for this kind of boredom.”
I look over at Omar. He has the wiry, gangly frame of someone who has been hyperactive all his life. Even now, his right foot is bouncing up and down on the floor. I can see how spending half the day waiting around would be a challenge for him.
Half Dead World: Book One from the Apocalypse Tales Page 11
