Alien Phobic

Chapter 1 Part 2

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“What do you mean she won’t talk to me?”, Sam Mitchel yelled into his cell-phone. “I’m her fiance!”. Sam stood outside the mess hall for a moment and started pacing as he held the device to his ear. He had a little free time and he was hoping to spend it with Julie Swan.

“She’s working today? Are you sure? She was scheduled off? What? Someone called in sick? Are you kidding me?”, Sam yelled. He gripped his phone tightly and suddenly held it up into the air as if he was going to through it to the ground. He held the phone there for a moment and then brought it down to his ear. “No, ma’am. I’m sorry, ma’am. It’s just that she gets called in a lot and I was…I know ma’am and I’m sorry. Bye”.

He flipped his phone shut as he walked back to the barracks. Damn. It was one of the rare times I had a little time off and she gets called in, he thought. Why did she always say yes? Julie always told him that she would go in if they called her because she cared about the residents that lived there. Sam always wondered about that. Maybe she wanted to go in for a different reason. He always noticed how Julie and Carl looked at each other. They all grew up together in town and went to the same school. Sam had beat up Carl a few times and he was sure that Carl would stay away from Julie…but would he really? What exactly do they do all day with 100 year old residents who slept all the time? Nurses couldn’t possibly be that busy…right? Sam’s ears turned red as anger and coursed through his veins as he mentally caressed his jealous feelings.

Suddenly something thumped Sam in the chest. He almost fell over. Sam weighed 225 pounds of solid muscle and stood at six foot, five inches. What hit him was a five foot, 98 pound Private. Sam recognized him instantly and was pleased. He had an excellent target for his anger.

“You know, attacking a superior officer is a felony offense solider”, Sam snarled.

The Private had bounced off Sam and was on his back. His glasses were at his side in the wet grass. The Private fumbled for his glasses and quickly put them on. He looked at Sam through mud smudged glasses with wide round eyes. “Ah…oh…I’m…oh..”, was all the Private was able to say.

“What were you trying to do, Private?”, Sam asked. “Were you trying to attack me, son?”. Sam bent over so his face was eye-ball to eye-ball with the Private.

“Oh, no. No, no, no”, the Private said getting to attention.

“Oh, I see. So you like me then? You were trying to cop a feel of my ass, Private?, Sam said allowing himself to burn in his anger.

“Oh, no, I’m not gay sir. I was just…”, the Private said blinking the mud out of his eyes.

“You’re not? Then the only other explanation was that you were attacking me, Private!”, Sam yelled.

The Private knew there was no answer he could give that was correct so he said nothing. He just shook his head no.

“No?”, Sam said. “I’ll tell you what”, he said standing up over the Private, “you’ll make it up to me with some push-ups. DROP!”

The Private instantly dropped. “Give me twenty to the four winds Private, then stand at attention. Call your own cadence.”

“Sir! Yes, Sir! One, two, three, ONE, one, two, three, TWO…”, the Private sang.

Sam watched and chuckled at the Private’s pain and embarrassment and shame. Sam knew that he shouldn’t feel better for it but he always enjoyed other people’s pain. “One…two….three…twenty!”, the Private managed to say and then he popped up to attention, did a left-face and started again. “One…two…three…ONE!”.

Sam was sure the Private wouldn’t make a 20 count in all four directions and smiled at the thought. He imagined that it was Julie doing the push-ups and he instantly felt generous. He decided to let the Private get as far as he could and then he would just let him go. It was the best he could do for the Private cheering him up. Ah, the thought of Julie getting sweaty and muddy at his feet while doing his bidding! Sam sighed at the thought.

“Getting your jollies I see”, he heard a familiar voice behind him. It was Lieutenant Molly Grim. She saluted him. “Afternoon, Captain”, she told him.

“Good afternoon, Lt. Grim”, he said smiling as the both stepped away from the Private so they could talk. “Anything wrong?”, he asked.

“Not with me, no”, Lt. Grim said. “You’re just late for formation”.

“Yeah, well, if I’m late to my own company formation then it’s up to you and the other’s to keep them their until I show up”.

“In your own sweet time, I know, Captain”, Lt. Grim said with a slight grin.

“You know”, Sam said looking back at the Private, “I could have you give me twenty to the four winds also”.

“Sir, there is a difference between could and would”, she said. Before he could respond she said, “Because you know I’m damn good at what I do and what I do could save your life”.

“Oh, well, before you get too damn cocky, you should know,” he said leaning close to her so they were face-to-face, “an Airborne Infantry soldier can never die”.

She grinned at that, “Sir, no Sir!”.

“I’ll be there in a moment, Lt. Grim. My plan is to dismiss everyone so they can get ready for my inspection tomorrow. Will they be ready?”.

“Most of them sir but I’m not so sure about the Wolfpack platoon”, she said.

“Isn’t the new Lieutenant over them? Lt. Garza?”, he asked. Lt. Grim shook her head yes.

“Get with him and help get them into shape. The Colonel is going to be here tomorrow and if they fail inspection there is going to be a shit-storm to end all shit-storms. Do you get me Lt. Grim?”.

“Can I expect my leave to be approved if they pass?”, she asked.

“Well, you can cancel any plans for leave if they fail”, he said enjoying the thought. “But, yeah, you get them to pass and you’ll get your leave.”

She snapped a salute at him, “Sir, they will pass. Sir!”. She pivoted on her heel and walked quickly back to the Company.

Sam turned back to the Private. He hadn’t given up. But he hadn’t finished either. He had his butt up in the air trying to rest as best as he could. Sam walked over to him.

“On your FEET!”, Sam snapped.

The Private managed to stand up and got to attention. He was breathing hard and the sweat was poring over his face and onto his glasses.

“What is your name Private?”, Sam asked.

“Donald Baxter, sir!”, the Private said.

Sam didn’t say anything for a moment. He studied Private Baxter’s face. “Did I know your mother, Private?”.

“Sir, yes, sir!”, Private Baxter said.

“You are dismissed, Private”, Sam said. He watched as Private Baxter walked away rubbing his arms. Well, this is embarrassing, Sam thought. Can’t win them all he thought as we walked to the formation waiting for him.