Chapter Two
Justin and his fellow cadets were awoken at five thirty the morning. They were given thirty minutes to fully wake themselves, wash up, and get dressed. Chris was standing by the door, he had woken up before all of the others. He waited patiently as everyone dragged themselves around, preparing for the day ahead.
"You'll get used to it after a while," he said.
Justin groaned. He definitely wasn't a morning person, but he was going to have to make himself become one. And fast. He washed up and got dressed, and then headed to the front to wait. He leaned heavily against the cold wall and let out a gigantic yawn. Chris patted his shoulder and smiled.
Lance didn't seem to have a problem with being up so early in the morning. Joey looked okay as well, but Jc looked like Justin did. Once everyone looked ready, Chris spoke up.
"Okay everyone, this week is going to be the easiest you'll have during your eight weeks here. Today will go like this. First, we're taking a little trip to the barber. Then we will head over and pick up your new outfits, and set you up with a few of the things you'll be needing.
"Then over to the medical station where you will get checked over and vaccinated. Once that is completed we'll have breakfast. That will be at seven o'clock.
"After breakfast you will be taken over to your first training area. Once there you will meet your drill instructor. There won't be any training today, we're simply checking to see what level your physical fitness is.
"Twelve noon is lunch, followed by more assessment. Five o'clock is dinner. After dinner is usually drill sergeant time, but for this evening and tomorrow evening I will be showing you all of the places you'll need to know about here at Millington Army Base.
"Eight o'clock is your personal time. Tonight, before this time starts, I will partner you up with a buddy that has been chosen for you by watching your performance throughout the day.
"During personal time you may write letters to your friends and family, ask my permission and you may be able to call home, or you can mingle with one another. I suggest you get to know your buddy well.
"Alright everyone, follow me." he said as he turned and walking outside. Everyone followed close behind him as they walked over to the barber.
"Stand along here, single file. I will call you when you are up," Chris instructed.
Justin leaned against the wall, thinking about the day ahead of them. He looked down the line at the other cadets and wondered how long they would all be away from their families. He spotted James making his way up the line to get to him, and he smiled.
"Hey man," Justin said quietly.
"Hey. I saw you made some friends last night," James said, looking down the line where Jc, Lance and Joey had gathered to talk.
"Yeah, they're pretty cool."
"So what's their names? Or do I have to keep calling them 'they'..."
"Lance, Joey, and Jc. You already know his name," he said, motioning to Chris.
"Timberlake, Bass, you're up," Chris called.
Justin waited until Lance was up to where he was and then walked in with him.
"I definitely don't think I'll look right with a buzz cut..." Lance said, looking at himself in the big mirror that covered the wall before them.
"I know I do. I did it last year, my girlfriend loved it."
"I've never attempted. I know it'll look bad. But oh well, I'll grow it back once we get to go home."
Once they were finished, it took Justin a great deal of effort not to laugh at the way Lance looked. As they walked out they both heard some people snicker. Justin motioned to James to let him know he was going down with the others, so James tagged along.
"Woah, Lance..." Joey bit his lip to keep from laughing.
"No, go ahead. Say it," Lance said, looking up at Joey.
"Man... you look so... Not right," Joey finished.
"Yeah, yeah... You're not gonna look that great with a shaved head either, mister Italian."
"I look good no matter what," Joey smirked.
"Fatone, Chasez," Chris called.
Joey and Jc walked towards the door, stopping briefly in front of Chris.
"We'll see just how good you look now, won't we?" Chris whispered to Joey as they walked by.
Once everyone had their hair cut, Chris herded them over to the building next door to collect their uniforms. As they were walking across the muddy pathway to the medical building, Justin noticed Jc was getting a little nervous.
"What's the matter, Jace?" Justin asked.
Jc looked up, looking surprised that anyone had noticed.
"Uhh... nothing."
"No, tell me. I know there's something."
"It's just," Jc moved closer to Justin and whispered to him. "I'm afraid of needles."
"Ohhh... It's all right man, I know loads of people with the same fear. We'll only be in there for a little bit."
"I know, but... I have a hard time even going in for a checkup. My head could like, be split in half and I still wouldn't wanna go."
"Okay, that's just gross," Justin said, wrinkling his nose in disgust at the thought.
"But really, just like, don't look. Don't even think about it. Think about something else."
"Like what?"
"Like... You're family. Or what you're gonna do when we all get to go home."
"Okay... I'll try."
"Well, if I see you run out the door with your pants around your ankles I'll know it didn't work."
Jc shook his head with a chuckle. He glanced up at Justin, who wore a sincere look on his face, and started laughing. Justin kept Jc in stitches for the rest of their walk.
They all had to sit in a large room and wait until they were called in. Jc's nervousness elevated having to sit and wait, so Justin spent the whole time trying to keep his mind off of the situation. Not long after they arrived, Justin was called in.
They did the same basic checkup that you would get at your regular doctor, and then he was sent to another room to get bloodwork done, as well as to get vaccinations.
The whole time he kept hoping that Jc would be able to make it through everything without freaking or passing out. When they were finished they sent him back out with everybody else.
"How was it?" Jc asked, the other guys starting to catch on to Jc's fear.
"It was all right. Don't worry Jace, just do what I told you to do and you'll be fine," Justin reassured his friend.
After he finished his sentence, Jc was called in. He looked at Justin one more time before heading in.
"Man, he really is scared, isn't he," Lance said, feeling sorry for his new friend.
"Can't say I blame him. I'm not scared of needles, I can tolerate them, but I just don't like them," Justin said.
When Jc came out he was shaking a little. Chris noticed and walked over to him, talking to him in a low voice to see if he was okay. He nodded understandingly when Jc told him and walked him over to Justin and the others.
"Just sit tight now. Don't worry, you won't have to do this again. Not for a while, at least," Chris said, sitting down next to Jc, Justin on the other side.
"Yeah, it's over and done with. And at least you didn't pass out," Justin said.
Jc nodded, but was having a little trouble calming himself down.
"Hey, you know what I do when I need to calm down?" Joey asked.
Jc shook his head and looked over at Joey.
"I sing. It helps me clear my head and calm me down. Why don't you try it?"
"I can't sing in front of people..." Jc said softly.
"I'll sing with you," Joey responded.
"I will, too. I like to sing," Justin said.
"Okay... what song?" Jc asked.
"How about 'Imagine'? You know, by John Lennon," Chris suggested.
"Alright," Jc, Justin, Joey and Lance agreed.
As soon as they started to sing, it seemed to them like they were no longer in the medical building at Millington Army Base. Each man was in their own world, singing to forget. Singing to escape.
Everyone around them sat and listened, some of them singing the words softly to themselves, others closing their eyes.
"Do you feel any better?" Chris asked once they finished the song.
"Yeah. Yeah I do feel better," Jc said, smiling slightly.
"Good. Now come on," Chris said, standing up. "let's go get something to eat."
Everyone nodded eagerly and got up, following Chris out and through the mud once more, to the dining hall for breakfast.
Once everyone had eaten they were taken to their first training course. Before their drill sergeant arrived Chris instructed them on a few commands they would need to know, and what to say to their drill sergeant.
"Fall in!" Chris said.
Everyone lined up like they were instructed to before and stood at attention as the sergeant approached. Chris saluted the sergeant and also stood at attention.
"Join the ranks," the sergeant commanded, and Chris immediately joined the rest of the troop.
The sergeant was an extremely well built man, dark eyed and stern faced. He stood for a moment, surveying the troop before him. Justin could feel the sergeant’s eyes on him and the iron gaze was enough to make him shiver.
"I am Sergeant William Stain. You will address me as Drill Sergeant unless I instruct you otherwise. Today you are here for assessment. You will run, you will do push-ups, you will do sit-ups. You will do anything I tell you to do. Do you understand?"
"Yes Drill Sergeant!" the troop yelled back.
"Good. Now let's begin."
They started off with running. It didn't take long for most of the cadets to slow down and start to struggle. Justin and his friends kept going good with little encouragement. Chris jogged along next to the men that were having difficulties, urging them on.
By the time their assessment was complete they were all exhausted. Chris walked them all over to the dining hall for lunch, telling them all to eat and rest up for the next assessment being held after lunch. After everyone had eaten and rested they headed off and completed the next series of tests.
Dinner was a repeat of lunch. Everyone resting, some people with their heads down on the tables they were sitting at. They ate in silence for most of the time, until Chris stood up and told everyone it was time to head out. He showed them around parts of the base, telling them what the buildings were and where they were most likely going to be visiting at some point.
Chris led them back to their barracks and announced it to be personal time. Most of the men just crashed on their cots, exhausted from the day's events. Justin wanted to call home to see how his parents were, so he walked up to Chris.
"Chris?" Justin asked.
"Yes?"
"May I use the phone...?"
"Sure. But don't be to long, I'm sure others want to make calls, too."
Justin smiled nodded thanks, heading over to the phone to call home.
"Justin! Sweety how are you? Are you okay?" Justin's mom practically yelled.
Justin thought that if she could somehow manage to come through the phone she would.
"I'm fine Momma. How's dad?" he asked.
"Your father's fine, dear. He told me to tell you that he loves you, and he's looking forward to working on the boat with you when you come home."
"And Austin?"
"Austin's fine, too. She's here for a visit, would you like me to put her on?"
"Yes, please. I better say goodbye to you know, though. I have to get off in a minute."
"Alright sweety. I love you."
"I love you too, Momma."
Lynn smiled and handed the phone over to Austin.
"Hey Justy," Austin greeted.
"Hey baby girl. How're you holdin' up?"
"I'm doing okay. Miss you so much. I thought about you all day," Austin said, biting her lip to keep from tearing up.
"I thought about you, too. You kept me going today."
"How is James?" Austin asked, trying to change the subject so she wouldn't cry.
"He's fine. We made some new friends," Justin said, glancing over at the guys, who were now playing cards.
"Really? You'll have to have them visit so I can meet them."
"Oh definitely. I've told them all about you, and they can't wait to meet you."
"Are they cute?" Austin asked with a playful tone in her voice.
"I don't bat for that team, but I guess they're attractive... Hey baby, I gotta go. I love you."
"I love you too, Justy."
"Sweet dreams," Justin said softly.
"Goodnight..." said Austin sadly, hanging up the phone.
Justin sighed softly as he hung up the phone and walked over to the guys.
"So how's your girl?" Joey asked as Justin sat down on his bed.
"She's fine. I'm gonna get some sleep, guys."
"Okay," the guys said.
Justin curled up on his side, still wishing he was home with Austin. He closed his eyes and wrapped his blanket around himself. Exhaustion finally hit him, and he fell asleep almost instantly.
| Chapter One | Chapter 2 | Chapter Three | Chapter Four | Chapter Five | Chapter Six |
