=O Reserving and hoping to start REEALLY soon!
Man this is going to be fun, I am totally going to role play as myself for this one. XD Or as close as I can ever seem to come while trying to 'be myself' on the internet...
It was a uniform day at my highschool so when I started the journey home I was still wearing my uniform with pride. Really, who wouldn't wear it with pride? I turned down the familiar words with the local rock station blaring in my aging dark green Ford Escort. My hazel eyes darted to the radio as if it would somehow tell me the title of the song playing now, but of course it would not. I had heard it many times before and fell easily in tune and sang along. "Holding on is harder than it seems when you're Reaching fooor So much moooore! It seems so much Eaasiier too juust giivee i-i-in when your Reaching fooor So much moooore!" I sang out and ended in a laugh that turned into a loud "Woah!" as something flashed across the road before me. I spun the wheel quickly to dodge what was probably a rabbit and went flying off the road into the swampy woods. The trees flashed by me as I swirved often to try and dodge them. "No no no!" I squealed as I tried to slow the car down but it only seemed to go faster. Curtis, my car, had always been very hard to get to stay going slow but I had never had problems with the break before. But the break pedal was to the floor and nothing was happening as the car started rolling down hill through the woods. I had been in these woods many times. It wasn't supposed to be this big! My hands released from the wheel as I saw a massive rock formation ahead, ducking my head and bracing for inpact.
That never came. The sound of the old engine lessened until I could hear the strange quiet hissing sound that I usually did when the car was off. Slowly I raised my head to peek over the dash and saw a pile of grey rocks and boulders. That I didn't crash into. This wasn't making any sense. I slowly unbuckled my seat belt, looking back at the radio and turning it off as it began to play a Linkin Park song. I just really needed silence. My limbs shook wildly as I reached over for the door handle and popped the door open. It took a while but I finally stepped out of the car and held myself steady with both hands on Curtis's roof. I was alive and I couldn't believe it. With slow steps I stumbled over to the grey mass and walked along the edge for a while. This thing definitely wasn't here just a few days ago. Then again, neither was this part of woods. It was supposed to be someone's house and massive cleared out yard, not woods. "What the hell..." I murmered and stopped to take a deep breath. It took me a moment to see the opening in the rock but then near fifteen minutes to decide what to do. It didn't look all that dangerous, but I couldn't be sure. There before me was what could turn out to be a great adventure that I would never want to pass up. Or a snake home, one of the two. I took a deep breath, a smile lighting on my face as I boldly stepped through the cave opening and into darkness.
My medals clanged about and I moved my hand up to hold them still as I walked along the dark pathway into a large open space. That also looked empty. Or, at least it looked empty for as much as I could see. I heard water sprays that sounded like the waterfalls I had seen a few summers back in the Smokey Mountains and wished that I could see the fall. A waterfall in a big rock thing. Which again didn't make any sense. The rocks definitely were not this big from the outside. I stopped when I heard the rush of water much closer and slowly walked forward until the ground beneath me became a little slick. More water? I walked along the edge with care, making sure to keep close to the edge so that I didn't get lost. I found the side of the encloser and walked along the wall for some time before finding the tunnel. "Okay, here goes nothing." I whispered, walking through the tight space for a while before hitting...
"Oh my goodness, it is Heaven!" I shouted, imediately covering my mouth as I realized others were there. But really, was I to blame? It did look like the kind of Heaven I would want to go to. There were trees everywhere and water so clear and blue... And a mess of strange creatures. Okay, so I had never imagined strange creatures in Heaven, but that was okay. I moved into the croud who clearly didn't notice I arrived at all. They must have been really preoccupied not to hear that yell... I walked amung them, looking down at all the strange animals with glee. Oh yeah, I was sooo glad that I came. I stood imediately to attention as orders were called, turning and moving about with each order as if I was still in the flight at a drill competition. Until I realized that I wasn't surrounded by my flight. I stopped, turning and walking through the crowd again to get a closer look at the frightened cat. He clearly needed directions or he became afraid. He was a follower like I had once been when I first joined the class. I still liked the following role, but over time I had learned to take control and do so with pride in myself and those that I lead. Especially in drill. So what this cat needed was something familiar, something much like my flight commander's orders during class. He needed leadership. Well...
"That is Lt. Col to you airman!" I called out, fighting the smile from forming on my face as I stepped through the crowd. My fingers were folded tightly with thumbs facing forward as I walked. Twenty inches, twenty inches, twenty inches... My steps were careful and calculated, my black shoes shined like someone had poured liquid glass over them before sending them my way. In no way would they ever look like they were 'shined with chocolate bars'. I halted before the strange cat and stood in attention for a moment before drawing my arm up like a board, bent at the elbow as I saluted the cat and brought my hand back down into the closed fist at my side. The various medals glistened below my array of colorful ribbons on the crisp clean dress blues uniform that I was wearing. My hair was pulled up into a tight bun with the hat carefully positioned on my head. 'Shark fins', we called them in my unit back home. I refrained from all expression on my face, not even looking down on the cat for some time. Eyes forward, eyes always straight ahead when at attention...
I spread my feet out at shoulder length with my hands placed tightly against each other behind my back before I allowed myself to look down at the cat for a moment before falling out of 'parade rest' and moving closer to him. "So you like the military way, hmm?" I asked him, being careful to keep my voice calm but firm like a good leader. "Boy Col. would love to meet you." I laughed, reaching down to pat his head, my medals clanking against each other again. "We have so many cadets at my high school, you would love to go there. Maybe you should stop by some time and drill with us. Have you ever tested your skills at IDR? It would be so much fun to watch a big cat best a bunch of cadets who have been practicing for years. I think you could do it. But you have to keep your head up, hmm? There is no point in being serious if you cannot back yourself up with self confidence. Don't be so afraid and do your best." I said to him, pulling my hand away and standing up straight. "I was like you once, but now I am not afraid to give an order, to lead a flight. You will become a better leader too. Just don't give up."