Castles Burning Part Two Read Free

instead of 6, though there were still 6 racks. It was a tiny space. Six feet by six feet, but with our racks there was only a couple feet of space to maneuver around in. I tried to quietly place my things in my small stand up locker, closing it softly. Then opened my rack, which was a bottom one, right on the floor, the thin mattress on top of it slid a little as I opened it up and placed my uniforms and personal items in the compartments below my bed. I folded my sea bag and tucked it in the corner of my locker, pulled out some sweats and changed, closing it softly once more before crawling into my rack.
    When my head was on the pillow, I looked up at the bottom of the rack that was above me. It was about three inches from the tip of my nose. There was a small lamp for reading built into it, and thick blue curtains bunched up between the lockers and my rack. I yanked the curtains free, and slid them closed as the other girls who were fast asleep had done. It did provide a sense of privacy, though not much.
    I closed my eyes, willing sleep to come to me. Aden’s blue eyes, his hair falling boyishly over them, flashed behind my closed lids, he was so young and full of life. I brought my fists to my eyes. Pressing on them as the tears burned and threatened to spill. I yanked open my curtains and rolled out from my rack. The bathroom in our birthing was at the other end, there must have been eighty beds in the entire birthing. When I entered the head, there was a woman in there that looked like she was in her early forties, she was Hispanic and had a giant butterfly tattooed on her neck, she wore glasses, and a ton of makeup, which she was removing with a thick cream and a washcloth.
    “Hey there.” She said, friendly, but as if she was exhausted.
    “Hi.” I said as I entered one of the three toilet stalls. When I was sitting on the toilet I finally noticed the gentle sway of the ship. It was comforting. I decided a hot shower would be best to get my mind right before trying to sleep. I returned to my rack and got my shower caddy, which held my shampoo, body wash, loofa and toothbrush and toothpaste. I took my towel from the hanger on my locker and reentered the bathroom. The woman was gone, and there were a pair of feet in one of the stalls, but in th e other half of the Head, where the three shower stalls were, there was no one.
    I stepped in and removed my clothes, inspecting the fresh scar from my stab wound below the rose vine tattoo on my shoulder. It was thick, knotted pink and red raised flesh, it looked horrible. I turned away from the mirror and put on my shower shoes, and stepped into the shower stall. The communal showers in boot camp hadn’t had curtains, let alone stalls. I was grateful, I actually felt like I had some privacy.
    I let the hot water run over my face for a few moments, relaxing before I collected myself and washed my hair, and body before turning the shower off and stepping out.
    “Oh excuse me!” Someone said behind me as I bumped right in to her.
    “Oh, God, I’m sorry. I should have been watching where I was going.” I said , steadying myself by grasping the shower stall.
    “It’s ok, your sea legs will come in a few days. It’s always the hardest to judge stepping over things, that’s when you notice the sway more.” She smiled and held out her hand. “I’m Jessica.”
    “Amber.” I said, shaking her hand.
    She had thin, flat, blonde hair, and very large teeth. Her eyes were a pale greenish blue. She stepped into her stall, and closed the curtain as I began to brush my teeth at the sink directly in front of the showers. I dried my hair and put my pajamas on, before Jessica finished with her shower.
    “What Division are you in?” She asked as she pulled out a long piece of floss from her shower caddy.
    “DC.”
    “Me too!” She cried turning to face me. “Oh, thank God I won’t be the only female anymore. Those boys are so rowdy!” She smiled hugely at me, and I