The Ultimate Sacrifice (Part 2)

First Sergeant Thomas was definitely a hard ass. I knew that from the second I started boot camp. During drills, people tried to get around everything, and a few were sneaky enough to be successful. I didn't dare to try it, though. Thomas was a little bit harder on me because I was smaller than most of the other trainees. I got tired quickly, and wasn't built like the rest of them. I think Thomas knew I had potential though, and that's why he didn't leave me alone.

"Private Wallace! You're running double today!" I was pissed. What did I do to have to run longer than everyone else? I was stupid enough to ask. "Sergeant Thomas, why do I have to run longer? What did…?" He screamed before I finished. "You giving me lip? Are you undermining my authority? You better shut the f**k up Wallace, I'll make it triple…"

"Triple? I wasn't undermining you, I just wanted an explanation!" What a big mistake. "Damn it Wallace, you screwed yourself. This will teach you when to shut the hell up! You will run until I say enough is enough!" Well, that didn't seem to go too well, did it?

I'm a pretty holy person, and I wanted to tell him not to use my God's name in vain. I take that personally. But I thought about that and decided not to. Probably not the best decision, considering this man is already pissed at me for a reason that I couldn't understand, and that he was much stronger than me. And when I mean much stronger, I mean that he could probably end my life with one punch landed to the head.

I have to say, that day was the longest day of my life. I had no idea how long I ran. Thomas was on me all day, whenever I slowed down, he screamed in my face until I got back to speed. I threw up so many times that I was dry heaving for a full hour. I'll tell you, there was nothing left in my stomach that day, absolutely nothing at all.

When he told me I could stop, I collapsed. The guys had to take me back to our rooms because I couldn't walk. To this day, I don't know how long I ran, but I figured it had to be at least 6 hours. Though, I'm not good at estimating, so your guess is probably as good as mine. They gave me water, I was pretty dehydrated. I guess anyone would be when you're running that long in the heat. I thought about training camp for football, and I always wondered how guys that were in such good shape could get so tired, and it seemed so quickly. I understood now, it was hell. That's when I met Jeff Duncan. He was one of the guys that pulled me away. He kept asking me repeatedly, "What did you do?" I had one answer for him, "I don't know." We didn't speak much, but we quickly became friends. I think he felt bad for me, but didn't want to say anything about it and have Thomas listening. Would you want to run until you collapse? I don't blame him at all.

I have to say, boot camp was rough. Probably the toughest thing I will have gone through in my life. At the time, I absolutely despised it, and began to hate Thomas for all the garbage he put me through. Treated me like dirt, disrespected everything I stood for. When we graduated, Thomas came up to me, and shook my hand. "You still pissed about all the sh*t I gave you?" I just looked at him. "You've done well Wallace, I knew you would. I had to push you, because I knew you wouldn't push yourself. You didn't have that fire in you. I hope I created it in you, because I will be the first to tell you, that's the only way to survive in that goddamn jungle. You're ready Wallace, more ready than any of those guys. Good luck Wallace." I didn't know what to say, except, "Thanks Sergeant."

I never saw Thomas again. I wish I could have the opportunity to talk with him; I'd like to tell him about my experience also. I think he had helped me more than I could have ever known at the time, and I am truly grateful for it.

"You may be able to see him soon," the man said. "Continue your story, I am very interested."