The End of a Timeline

It was odd waking in a room with only one other person in it. All my roommates and core families are in ESOAL. I had to drop out of ESOAL; that was so hard for me to do. I received another dreadful phone call from my dad last night; my step-mom has passed away. I received the text to call my dad during Wednesday Night Service (WNS) but couldn’t call him until after the service was over.

ESOAL started in WNS; we had to line up in our company’s and platoons. We were told the rules and what was expected of us. The entire time since I received the dreadful text of: “Call me,” my mind was spinning. I knew what had happened but I didn’t want to believe it. As soon as we were released to go back to the dorms to grab our stuff and to meet on the football field, my major found me pulled me aside and asked me if I had made a decision to do ESOAL or not. I told him I had received the text and that I needed to call my dad. We walked to his office; I called my dad as my world had been drastically changed again.

I don’t remember how long I was on the phone, how long I was in that chair or how long I was in his office; all I remember - are the tears. I sat in my company major’s office as I tried to re-control my emotions and to think things through. We sat there and spoke about if I should do ESOAL, he strongly suggested that I drop out and go home. We then went to find my dorm director to inform her that I was dropping out and that I needed Emergency Leave.

I walked back to the dorms by myself; the walk from the admin to the dorms always seems to take forever, this time it seemed like time was frozen. I entered my hall and into my room to find my roommates excited and getting ready. I told them what had happened as fresh tears appeared, we then walked next door to my core and then down the hall to my CA’s room. They all prayed over me and my family; encouraging me in the most influential way.

My core finished getting ready for ESOAL as we all walked as a core to the football field. The next hardest thing I had to face was moments away: I had to tell my company I was dropping out. We all stepped onto the field as we headed towards our company; I stood in front of the second lieutenant (brother core) as I told him I had to drop out. He gathered all the leaders of each platoon and they all prayed for my family and me. I told the rest of my family core and company good-bye quickly as I ran off the field before the time limit hit.

I walked back to the dorm by myself as I watched my company lay on the field in the cold wet grass to sleep, it was 11pm. My sister core’s CA meet up with me as we watched the company. We walked back to the dorm, to my room and slept.

The end of the first day of a new unknown future.