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[center][b][h2][Color=olive][u]Nathan L. Morrow[/u][/color][/h2][/b][/center]
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[center][i]Capital Base, Liberty[/i][/center]

Nathan walked down the streets of Liberty along with other busy commuters rushing to their jobs or important appointments. The city felt like a buzzing hive, never sleeping, always something to be done; the importance of time and uniformity is so apparent that at a glance even the people looked the same and very few people looked different, Nathan was just one example. Nathan being different was not out of the norms, usually they give you a uniform at your job, or perhaps you would only require a suit, a pair of leather shoes and a briefcase, all of which are as cheap as they are common if not already provided by the company you work for and can be paid for with the allowance that you recieve. Nathan however, was going to a job that required him to have a uniform at all times, he was after all going to become a soldier – this was the day after enlistment – he pictured himself in what he imagined his uniform would look like, dull gray, loose BDU pants, tuck-in, long sleeved upper BDU, black steel toed boots, a color matched field cap, and a battle harness or mock armor. He played with the idea of himself – an average, messy looking person – in a uniform, he always thought of uniforms as unfashionable, but then a thought popped into his head – perhaps if one doesn’t see a uniform often, one might think it was attractive – he pushed the thought aside as he reached the base.

The base looked like every other place in Liberty, gray, dull, uniform, and square. Nate stood just outside the entrance with his guitar slung on his back and a duffle bag filled with everything he owns, slung over his right shoulder with his hand gripping on the strap. He brought everything he owned mostly because he didn’t know what he was suppose to bring, he was just expected to show up on time. In his free hand he held his recruitment papers and report orders. He knew the drill, go to the Training Department building and report in to the presiding training officer. The buses were there, but he decided to walk, he would need to warm up in case they made him do exercises right off the bat. He always felt the need to warm up before strenuous activities. He put one foot in front of the other and picked up a determined marching pace, his stride was wide, but not confident, very reserved – telling of someone who had a lot to keep in his head. He had a lot to think about, after walking past several buildings and base personnel, he felt out of place, as if he’d been picked up and placed down into the path of responsibility. He hadn’t realized it at the time he was enlisting, but the sudden regret that welled up inside him as he realized it at that moment; he had to train to take lives.

That was a soldier’s job, that was the duty a soldier had to do to protect his country; the sudden realization made him sweat. There was no turning back now. He attempted to steel his resolve by telling himself in his head that [color=gray][i]”This isn’t a perfect world. People die everyday. Soldiers do this for a living, war is inevitable and a part of daily life in our world.”[/i][/color], even with those words he felt dreadful, he imagined it – taking another person’s life – it was against every moral value he’d ever set up for himself, yet here he was, he cursed himself for not thinking it through, he pondered running away into the Ashlands, but since he had already enlisted, running away now would be considered an act of desertion punishable by life in prison or death if caught.

Again he pushed his thoughts away into his head, he had no choice about it now – a recurring theme with his life. He had no choice when his parents died, he had no choice with the bullies, he had no choice where he went to school, he had no choice on what to say or do. He had no choice, a set of frustrating words that he made him boil. Having no choice at all felt like prison.

When he finally reached the Training Department building, he shook off his doubts for the time being and continued to walk straight into the building. He readied himself mentally, papers in hand, a little winded from his walk but completely warmed up, he checked the time on his watch and found that he arrived earlier than he had to. He was ready for the days ahead of him – or at least, that’s what he wanted to feel.