Marine Corps Stories: E-tool

"Disgruntled with each other, and their task, the two Marines dug into the dirt with their e-tools, taking turns goading each other, each one working harder at provoking a reaction than at moving the earth beneath them." Surrounded by yellow-brown mud, the two Marines looked up at the forest canopy.

“You just slimed your way through Boot Camp. You got the lowest score on the PFT, and you’ve got a ‘pizza box.’ You can barely pass a written test. How the hell did you get into my Marine Corps?” asked Private Deptford Vine.

“I got in the same way you did. My recruiter promised me a lot of tail and some Dress Blues, and I signed on the dotted line,” said Private Fredo Canvas.

They both chewed through the hours at the School of Infantry in Camp Geiger, part of the Camp Lejeune complex in Jacksonville, North Carolina.

“And you’re a grunt,” Vine said, shaking his head.

“I’m a grunt.”

The two of them clawed at the earth. Mud caked their boots, which displayed the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor near the heel.

“I mean you could’ve been a cook. Right? You could be peeling potatoes after MCT and MOS school. You could have been slicing tomatoes.”

“I wanted to be a grunt.”

“Obviously you’re not good at it, so far. You didn’t even build the trench at the bottom of this fighting hole.”

“I’m still a Marine.”

“But you suck.”

“I take in the Corps and I do what I can. I may not be the best Marine, but damn if I don’t do it.” He fashioned the trench.

“Do what? Besides suck?”

The E-tool sounded like a lighter failing to light after being flicked.

“I mean that you can barely finish a run. What are you going to do in a firefight?”

“My damndest,” Canvas said. The trench came about and began to take on an excellent form.

Vine fell mum for the moment. Then he started again.

“Whatever unit you get assigned to, one of the guys is going to shoot you in the leg or kill you and say that you shot yourself. Because that’s what you should do.”

“I’ll never.”

“But you should.”

Canvas dropped to the floor of the fighting hole and continued to hack at the earth to further work on the trench.

“You see,” he said, “I’d already planned to complete this trench before—”

Sergeant Rodrigo Rodriguez came upon their fighting hole. He surveyed it.

“Good trench, Canvas, Vine. Fill it all in, now.”

“Aye Sar’ent,” Vine and Canvas said in unison.

“How did you know that Rodriguez was going to be coming over here? How did you know to finish the trench in time?”

“While you were running your mouth, you didn’t pay attention to what I was doing.”

Vine jumped out of the hole and began pulling earth into the trench. Canvas followed.

“You’re going to get blown up over there.”

“If I do, I do. If I survive it with ringing in my ears, and injuries, and mental instability, I’ll do what I can to save my guys and girls. I’ll be afraid, but it won’t overpower me.”

Vine shut his mouth again. He began to speak like a gull opening its beak only to shut it. He spoke again.

“Even if you survive a deployment, you’re going to have to go on other deployments.” The two Marines continued to use their E-tools to move the earth like tiny bull dozers pushing the dirt into the hole. Vine kept at it.

“It won’t be the IED that’ll kill you. Someone in your team will make sure you go outside the wire without rounds or something. Something like that will happen, and you’ll be in a world of hurt. It’s going to suck for you.” Vine looked around. The nearest Marines were a few feet away still busy filling in their holes. He then held his E-tool to Canvas face.

“I ought to do it myself. Right here, right now. Get it over with. Beat you to death with this E-tool.”

Canvas smirked. “You couldn’t beat a speeding ticket charge. Get that thing the hell out of my face and fill in this hole.”

Vine felt deflated. He returned the E-tool to the earth and shook his head at the thought of spending time in the brig for murdering a fellow Marine. Canvas trekked back into formation leaving Vine to stew by himself for a moment.

“Are you coming or not?” Canvas said.

Vine shook off the consciousness that spooked him and followed the other Devil Dogs back to the main road.