AF graduate

Gabriel stood at attention, his eyes fixed straight ahead, trying to tune out the noise around him. The sun beat down on the parade field, but it was the sounds that got to him more than the heat—the laughter, the excited footsteps, the tearful greetings of families reuniting with their soldiers. He could hear the shuffle of boots next to him as other soldiers were tapped out, each one stepping forward as soon as a hand touched their shoulder, breaking the strict formation they’d been drilled into for weeks. He clenched his jaw, willing himself not to glance sideways. He knew there would be no one standing there for him. No family. No friend who had made the trip. Just an empty space where he had hoped, for just a moment, that maybe someone would show up. The drill sergeant had explained the ritual to them the day before. “You’ll know you’ve made it when someone taps you out,” he had said, with a note of pride in his voice. It was supposed to be the final mark of everything they’d worked for, the moment they were free to leave formation and embrace the ones who had waited for them. But Gabriel wasn’t sure what that would feel like. He didn’t know what it would be like to have someone waiting, arms open, proud to see him in uniform. Now, as the ceremony reached its peak, the taps came faster, one by one. He heard the heavy footsteps of a mother running toward her son, heard the low murmur of a father’s voice as he clapped his son on the back. Gabriel could almost feel the warmth of those embraces even though none of them were meant for him. The seconds ticked by, turning into minutes. The sounds of reunion grew softer as more soldiers left the field, arm in arm with their families. Gabriel stood frozen, his feet planted firmly on the ground. He could feel the sweat running down the back of his neck, but he didn’t move to wipe it away. His hands stayed locked in position behind his back, his fingers gripping each other hard enough that he could feel the dull ache.