The Red Eyes by Mickel Prince
How long has it been? Almost nine years since I think I joined the U.S Army. Why though? I had a lot of op, why the Army? Oh right, as a kid I used to be bullied a lot for being shorter than most of the other boys and I wasn’t the kindest either but can’t blame me. I had an anger problem—when the teacher asked how they could help me I just replied, “You can’t, it’s something I got from my dad.” I say that as an easy way out of counseling, I used to get suspended a lot back then. I mean it’s a common scene of a kid with an anger problem and bullies are not compatible. But as I got older, I got over it. As I came out my thoughts, I heard: “Sergeant? Sergeant Prince?” “What is it, second in command, Sophia?” “Did you hear the mission?” “No, sorry, I was lost in thought, can you go over it again?” She stared at me with a disappointing look in her eyes. “You need to take your commanding job more seriously. You have 50 men under your command and if you don’t take this more seriously you’re gonna get them killed.” “I think you’re gonna kill us before me with all that nagging you do.” “Shut up, I’m going to go over the mission,” she replied with a slight smile. I first met Sophia in the 9th grade. At first we hated each other and argued a lot with each other but due to me having anger issues and a superiority complex, which I did blame her for. She was too smart for her class, so that caused our classmates to avoid us and we were forced together most of the time for group activity. We unconsciously slowly grew on each other and eventually became best friends. I’m grateful to her even though I don’t say it; without her I wouldn’t have even been here or graduated high school for that matter and I didn’t have any goals or ambition but she made me join the military with her even though I didn’t—and look at me now, platoon sergeant and the salary is good too. I came out of my thoughts again to hear Sophia 335
