“Well, fuck. I told you Furry liked us, guys!”Phillip called, as the other two drills made their way to thetable.
“You were right, Phillip,” Mark said as he satdown beside Brendon. Phillip sat down on the other side. “He thinkshe's good enough to sit with us now you know, ‘cause he feels hecan tell you exactly how much you were fucking up.”
William just smiled and sat down directly acrossfrom him. “So how are ya, buddy?” he asked, picking up hisroll.
Ryan, Patrick and Kenneth watched, unable totear their eyes away.
“Dude, I can't look away. Why can't I lookaway?” Patrick whimpered softly.
“It's a train wreck,” Kenneth answered in awhisper.
They paused in their conversation when Brendonlooked around him, and they swore he was going to have a stroke anddie right there.
All three of their cadre were eating and jokingit up, expecting Brendon to join in. When the guy didn't theystarted asking different things of him. 'Pass me the salt.' 'Hey,hand me an extra napkin.' Each time Brendon would do so without afreaking word. Ten minutes into their game they seemed to getbored.
“Get the FUCK OUT OF MY SEAT, PRIVATE FUZZY!”Drill Sergeant King yelled. In a flurry of movement, he stood andslammed his fist down on the table. The other two drills justwatched, mildly amused.
Brendon was up and out of his seat beforeanything else could be said.
Ryan, Kenneth and Patrick all looked away andback down at their trays, all three shoving food in left andright.
Brendon had nearly made his getaway when Phillipstood up.
“So, you want me to clean up after you too,Private Murray?” The use of his last name caused cold fear to crawldown Ryan's spine. For Drill Sergeant Grabowski to use a last name,they had already learned, meant he was seriously pissed off.
Brendon froze in his retreat, and turned slowly.“N..N...N..No, D...D.. D...Drill Sergeant G..Ga..Grabowski” hestuttered.
SSG Grabowski grabbed his tray and Brendon's,then walked toward Brendon in a slow steady gait. “Am I put on thisplanet to pick up after you, Private Murray?”
“N..N. No, Drill Sergeant,” Brendon muttered,standing at attention without being told to.
Grabowski pushed Brendon's tray into thestuttering soldier's arms roughly, causing the glass of milk tospill all over SSG Grabowski 's perfectly-shined shoes.
A pin dropping would have been offensively loudin the silence of the chow hall.
Patrick happened to look over when it happenedand the roll he had just bitten into fell out of his mouth. Thatcaused both Ryan and Kenneth to look again. Oh fuck. Ryan couldfeel himself blushing for Brendon.
“Everyone throw your shit away and get out toformation now,” the Drill Sergeant growled.
For a minute, no one moved. Everyone was toostunned to move.
“I SAID GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE RIGHT THE FUCKNOW!” Phillip thundered.
It was the first time any of them had heard thedark-haired cadre yell and it proved terrifying enough that thesound of screeching chairs scooting across the linoleum filled theair. Boots thundered across the floor, but no one said a word. Notone single word was uttered.
Once outside they all lined up in a hastyformation. Brendon came out last. Ryan didn't even want to knowwhat happened when they left but he could see tears on Brendon'scheeks.
“I have been fairly nice.” He had? “But, itseems that when I'm fucking nice you take advantage of that. Nofucking more. Get the fuck down, Murray,” he said, hissing. “Now,you all know that one table is reserved for us. How dare youallowhim to sit there all alone? Do you not care whathappens to your fellow team mates? Is that what you're fuckinglearning?”
Brendon dropped down into the front leaning restposition.
Everyone kept their eyes straight forward, butsome were going red with shame. “Then you fucking gawk when he's introuble?” he hissed. “Up!”
Brendon lifted his shaking body off theground.
“Is this what we have to look forward to? Whothe fuck cares about the man next to him? Fuck them as long as yourass is safe? Is that what this Military has to look forward to?”Grabowski 's voice was rising ever so slightly. “Down!”
Ryan blinked and for the first time he sawPhillip for what he was. He was a man training boys how to look outfor one another - ones who would live and die for the man next tohim. He was in third squad, which included Patrick, Kenneth andnormally Brendon. Their squad leader was a guy named Justin Smith ,who just stood there not doing anything.
