“A hair ball?” Ryan guessed.
“Dog vomit,” Patrick said.
Phillip leaned over and took Kenneth's bag. Hisgrin was broad when he handed it back. “Egg omelet. The best damnMRE in the world.” At his pronouncement Connelly and King bothgagged.
Kenneth stared at it. Ryan could tell he waswarring with himself. He could either suffer through it or eat it.A rumble from Kenneth's stomach settled the debate for him and hedug in.
It seemed Brendon's M & Ms had made himstupid because he looked up at the Drills and opened his mouth.“What's it like? The real deal. Not all of the basic and stuff, butwhen we are actually doing our job.”
A silence came over the platoon. Ryan waswondering if they could hide Brendon's body in the woods somewhere.It sounded like a damn good idea to him.
Connelly cleared his throat, wiping his mouth atthe same time. “Once at your unit you'll find out that everythingyou're taught here will just click into place. BCT and AIT willgive you basic knowledge, but at your unit is where you'll reallylearn your job.”
“My advice to everyone single one of you is tokeep your mouth shut and learn from those who've been there,” Kingadded.
“Unit cohesion is different everywhere. Someunits will be squared away and others you'll want to take a bazookaand blow them the fuck away,” Grabowski said.
It seemed that Brendon had started something.Another man asked another question and that led to another, andanother. The Drill Sergeants would answer each question and for onemoment they didn't look like sadistic dicks who got off on therecruits’ misery but just regular guys.
It didn't last long.
***
On the way back they were picked up by thefive-tons and driven back to their barracks. Patrick was limpingpretty badly when they got to their room.
Their room was trashed.
Personal items where lying all over theground.
“Oh shit!” Kenneth exclaimed. “Which one of youforgot to lock your footlocker?”
Ryan flushed bright red. He glanced at his bedand let out a vile curse. “Oh shit. Shit. Shit. I'm dead. I'mfucking deader than dead.”
Patrick limped over to his bed and burst outlaughing. “I TOLD you not to hide them in your footlocker.”
Lying on top of his bed were four ThreeMusketeers wrappers, two empty Twizzler packages, a Gummy Bearpackage, and a can of soda he had bought at the PX. Directly infront of the wrappers was a note:
Thanks for the snacks, Freckles.
Regards
Your Friendly Drill Sergeants.
“You left your locker open with that shit init?” Brendon snorted.
Ryan nodded his head. “It was the good stufftoo. They ATE my food.”
“Your contraband you mean. Right, Freckles?”
Ryan paled and gulped.
Grabowski entered the room and everyone went to'Parade rest'.
“Now, we have been over this already. It seemsthat Freckles didn't get it the first time.” He stated. He walkedslowly toward Ryan until he was inches away from the younger man.“Drop, Gracin.”
Ryan went down. To his surprise Brendon, Kennethand Patrick followed suit.
“Now, don't do that, boys. You're gonna bring atear to my eye.” Drill Sergeant Grabowski sneered. “Down!”
