Page 1 of Forever Fascinating

CHAPTER1

VAPOR

Ghazni, Afghanistan

Matthew watchedthe other pilots and kept his thoughts to himself.

He didn’t fit in, and they weren’t helping much. Classic story, as far as he was concerned. It had been like that his whole life… but he wasn’t going to pout, do the whole ‘poor me’sob story, or complain because none of it mattered.

One thing that he learned early on is that the world doesn’t stop spinning just because you are unhappy or miserable. Nope. Everything keeps going whether you are there or not, and the Air Force reiterated those thoughts. He was reassigned to ‘stabilize a problem’in Ghazni after a lead squadron had suddenly lost several members.

They never told him why – only that his new duty station was in the middle of nowhere and came with hazardous duty pay. He figured they’d ship him off to Iraq, Kabul, maybe someplace near Korea?

But ‘middle of nowhere’was just that…

Literally, nowhere.

There were a few bunkers that had seen better days for the Army located off in the distance. A tiny landing strip that the sand blew across leaving golden waves at times, plus a few bunkers for the pilots. There was one massive hangar for repairs… along with a few basic necessities. One building held a mini exchange, a make-shift post office, a few offices for the ‘uppers’and a clinic.

Yeah, for this Beantown boy?

This was nightmare fuel.

He had been slapped on a plane, handed his new orders, patted on the shoulder by his CO, who hated his guts for the stunt that earned him his call sign… and literally shipped off.

Whatever.

That plane held a few pilots, making him wonder if they were all considered rejects, too? According to his last CO, if he pulled a ‘stunt like that again, they were going to have him court-martialed and dishonorably discharged’…

That would not do.

His mother had worked night and day, applying for letters of recommendation, organizing charity works and events for him to participate in, while he had a great time in the zone at high school competing in athletics. He had no idea how much went into trying to get a nomination for the Academy… until his stepfather threatened to kick him out.

“You lack discipline, boy. Your mother won’t say it, but someone has to. I know you don’t like me. You don’t like that I am giving you rules to abide by, but this isn’t a game, Matthew. You can’t just coast by. It’s either college, working full time, or the military.”

“I’m not a military man, pops…” he’d once said in that smug, careless way that he knew irritated his stepdad. “Everything’s cool.”

“No, it’s notcool, Matthew. None of this is. You aren’t going touseyour mother until she breaks. She loves you and would do anything to make sure you are successful as an adult… but she can’t do itforyou. You must be involved and committed.”

“Sure… whatever.”

Matthew closed his eyes, laying back on his bunk lost in the memories…

That had been such a brutal afternoon… an awakening.

He could see that moment replay in his mind.

His mother had walked in the back door of the house, pale and sweating, just in time to see his stepfather lose his temper… putting Matthew against the wall.

“So, help me God, you arekillingher, Matthew… and I can’t let you do this to her! You won’t talk to me. Youavoidme… all because I’m trying to make a man out of you. A real man takes care of his family, his home, and they aren’t selfish like thisboybefore me certainly is,” his stepfather snarled angrily, letting him back down and releasing his shirt, looking mortified that he’d lost his temper.

“We can’t pay for your college,” his stepfather said quietly, meeting his mother’s broken gaze. “The Academy is your best option or I’m signing you up for the Navy. You’ll be on a submarine before you know it, son. If we can’t make an adult out of you, then maybe Uncle Sam can…”

His stepfather had been in the Navy – and to him? That was the answer for everything.

“Honey, no…” his mother whispered and collapsed on the floor.

That night, his mother suffered a heart attack… and life changed for them all.

---