The commander can feel that we are unsettled. He gives us a few minutes to say our goodbyes. We do our best to smile, to make jokes, we offer oranges. We all know how the others are feeling. A silent handshake. Those who are leaving don’t envy us. They know that we’ll be following them in a few days.
The vehicles are moving. A last wave. An outsider wouldn’t notice that anything has changed. But on this day it has happened to us. Those who used to be recruits are now soldiers.