Page 45 of Stone

It was time to grow up and be the woman John deserved.

Chapter Ten

Stone

On a Monday at four a.m., about two weeks before graduation, our drill instructors bellowed us from our beds, ordering us to get dressed and march outside to the courtyard. After a mad rush to obey commands, we lined up in the pitch-black courtyard.

“Welcome to field week, recruits,” Mendez bellowed. “You’re about to climb a mountain.”

My mouth went dry.

Old Smokey was a steep mountain every recruit had to climb before they could graduate. It was well known as being the most demanding thing we’d ever have to overcome, hence its unofficial name, Mount Motherfucker.

“We’re going to Camp Pendleton for a little vacation,” Morley yelled. “You’ll be tested on the firing range. If you don’t make the grade, you’ll stay back for the weekend and keep shooting until you do. We’ll also conduct your final fitness assessments. This week determines if you’ll be a Marine. Do you understand?”

“Sir. Yes, Sir!” we bellowed.

A slow grin spread across Morley’s face. “Welcome to hell week, recruits.”

“You gonna give up, recruit?” Mendez screamed in my face. “You gonna quit and go home to your boring little life ‘cause you couldn’t cut it?” He fell back, still glaring at me.

“No, Sir!” I yelled, my voice almost breaking with exhaustion as the rain pelted into my mouth. “I ain’t quittin’, Sir.”

“One foot in front of the other one, Stone,” Morley roared. “It ain’t that difficult. You put one foot in front of the other, and you climb this goddamned mountain!”

“Yes, Sir. Thank you, Sir!” I shouted, digging deep for every ounce of energy I could muster.

I hadn’t slept for around thirty-six hours due to Morley putting me on guard duty. Straight after my shift, we’d been dropped at the bottom of Mount Motherfucker and ordered to march up it.

We could only see about thirty to forty yards ahead of us. In some places, the ascent was so steep that we could reach out and touch the ground we were about to walk on. Climbing this fucking hill was the scariest thing I’d ever done. If the recruit ahead of us slipped and fell, he’d take every man behind him out. Me included.

The muscles in my arms and legs screamed with pain, which was a bitch, seeing as I was one of the fittest men in the platoon. Isaiah seemed to be keeping up okay, though he’d stumbled a couple of times, and I’d had to grab hold of him to avoid a wipeout.

My eyes slid to Morley, who climbed beside me with determination etched across his face. He made it look so easy, but then he hadn’t been awake for goddamned days.

Calling it hell week was an understatement. We’d been PTd to death for two full days before climbing this bitch. Even men who’d gotten rest struggled; three had already dropped out from fear and exhaustion, and it wouldn’t have surprised me if we lost more recruits before we reached the summit.

I lowered my head against the onslaught of rain and battled on. God only knew how long we’d been climbing. It could’ve been one hour, or it could’ve been five. I’d lost all sense of time amongst the pain and exhaustion setting in my bones.

My body jerked as Isaiah stumbled again. My arm shot out to steady him. “You okay, brother?”

Covering his mouth with his arm, he coughed loudly. “A bit lightheaded, but I’ll be okay.”

With a nod, I pulled him up, holding him until he became sure-footed again, and we continued to climb.

The rain continued to pour down mercilessly, soaking us to the bone as we trudged up the unforgiving mountain. Each step felt like its own battle, my muscles burning and my mind struggling to stay focused. Our DI’s harsh bellows echoed through my ears, driving me forward even though my body begged for rest.

Murmurs began to run through the line. My ears pricked up as a shout sounded from the recruits leading the way.

Isaiah peered over up the mountain and grabbed my arm. “We’re nearly there, brother. We’ve made it.”

I looked at the heavens, silently thanking whoever was up there, keeping me safe.

The knowledge that we’d almost made it filled me with a final burst of energy. One after the other, we climbed the last shelf leading up to the mountaintop. The summit was closer than I dared hope, and my heart soared with a sense of achievement I’d never felt before. As we pushed through the final stretch, the rain seemed to ease up as if the skies were welcoming us.

As if emerging from a haze, we finally reached the top. The clouds parted, and I drew a sharp intake of breath as I turned my head and watched the sun burst over the horizon. The sun raced over the landscape, casting a warm, golden light, warming us with its embrace.

And as my chest filled with emotion. One thought filled my mind.

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