Boot Camp

I was a normal guy, just doing what everyone else doing. It was either college or military they said, vaping or drinking, going on tinder or hooking up online. Watching reboots, playing modern warfare with the guys and hooping once awhile.

It was just after graduating high school, I thought I would join the Marines. Part of it was because I thought it was cool, but now.. 

"Holy shit, do you not know your first general order?!" 

"No sir!"

"You were taught the first day in class was your goddamn general order, recruit!" The drill instructor shouted.

"Aye sir!"

Just after that, instead of posting Firewatch for post 1, which was logging other recruits that went to use the head. I had to do 100 pushups, or else I would've had Firewatch for the rest of the training cycle.

"I can't hear you! Louder!" The instructor shouted.

"56..57..!" I shouted desperately. 

The other recruits could hear me screaming, some would laugh because of the voice I was making. By time I hit 70, it felt like I was releasing the biggest shit ever.

I dropped after that, as I laid there on the floor gasping for air..

"Let me find you fucking up again, Tobar!"

"Aye, Sir...." I cried.

"Get the fuck up! The third fucking week, and you still don't know your basic orders? 3 hours watch for the rest of the cycle!" he said before going back into the DI house as he slammed the door.

Some recruits were still awake, talking and writing letters as soon as the DI leaves. Some even messing around and running naked across the deck. 

One time we had someone nutting on another recruits rack, nobody wanted to step up; so we all got fucked up. 

Let's just say when you're busting it more than twice with no break in between, you couldn't walk properly for the rest of the day.

It wasn't until later the DI was fired by the Battalion Commander, that same day, a recruit was found dead in the head with his hand still on his dick.

Training continued, we hit swimming qualification, rifle qualification, basic land navigation. It was no surprised most of the brothers failed swimming, and recruit had also killed himself during range week and shot of the Primary Marksmanship Instructor (PMI). And 2 recruits died from a snake during land nav. They later found out that one of the Instructors had place the snake there as a "joke".

"Why the fuck are you still shooting at the berm? How many times did I tell you you were off from target?" the PMI said. 

"I-I don't know.." the recruit replied. 

"I? I? You think you made it yet, give me your fucking rifle." The PMI tried to grab it, but the recruit resisted and pulled the trigger, shooting the instructor 12 times before laying one on himself.

Surprisingly, training kept going. This was mostly duel to the urgent needs of Marines, and most were becoming 90's, or 4th Battalion 3rd Marines Regiment. A new class created against the Kaiju's and is also classified as Infantry or Archangel.

After we finished the "Crucible", we spent the last week of bootcamp cleaning up. The Instructors didn't yell at us that much, things were pretty chill, and all I knew was that I was ready to just leave for the 10 day break. 

And when we entered graduation, all I kept thinking was drinking beers with my friends, partying, seeing my mom again back in California. 

"Dismissed!" Said the DI.

We followed the drill, about face and all shouted "Aye aye sir! Oo-rah!" After that, families came and hug their sons and daughters. I knew my parents didn't come, even though it might sound weird. I told them not to come, I wanted to surprised them. I couldn't wait to get home, this was the best feeling of my life.

People who didn't have a ride to the airport, were given a bus transport. I ran back to the barracks, grabbed my sea bags and waited for the bus.

My DI spots me, he walks towards me with a smile.

"Good work Tobar, didn't think your dumbass would've made it" he said.

"Thank you, Staff Sergeant" I said.

"So you want to pilot those robots? It takes balls to fight those creatures."

"Well, it's just not me, a lot of people are willing to step up, Staff Sergeant."

"It's a hell playground, trust me, I've been there, lost my fair share. But when you're in that playground, you better play rough because they won't. Trust your brothers and sisters, do what your guts say, just know whatever happens, isn't going to be good" he says.

I wasn't really sure where he was getting at, It felt as if he was telling me to get out, a warning.

"Aye Staff Sergeant" I replied.

The bus arrived, I got on along with the other graduates. The first thing I did was pull out my phone, I didn't try calling my family or friends. But I discovered a horrible news, California is destroyed.

"Overran by Kaiju's, Army, Navy, Airforce, and Marines are being deployed to desist the threats and attacks of the creature. 30% of residents have either been killed, injured or missing" The News reports.

I was worried and anxious, I tried calling my mom first, then my dad. None had pick up, except my little brother who was just 10 years old. 

"Hello? Hello?" I said.

"Hey, who's this?" the other side replied.

"Who's this? Who's this, Mat where are you?" I asked.

"This isn't Mat, This is Charles, I have his phone and he's with me, we're near the border evacuating, heading to Nevada" he replied.

I had to think of a way to reach my brother, flight to California was closed, Oregon and Nevada was still open.

As soon as I reached Nevada, I made a phone call again. 

"Charles, Charles are you there?"

"Yeah, where are you?" He said.

"Near the airport, I'm coming to pick Mat up, where are you?" I replied.

"Vegas, Clark Street"

I took a bus to Vegas, and called a ride. It took few hours to finally meet with Mat, but when I got there, he was excited to see me in a worried way. He runs to me and cried, and I was glad he was okay too.

"Scott.. listen man, there was nothing I could do. Your parents are gone, they were.. I don't know if you want to know" said Charles.

I was about to cry at first, confused and lost, "W-what? How? What happen? This couldn't have happened, I was about to come home.. I.." I stuttered, I didn't know how to express my emotion.

After that, I'd spent the rest of the break at Charles house.