Aadvika’s articles

1939

I placed my tassel on the right and threw my hat.

I just came outside the building from graduating college with a bachelor degree in mechanical engineering. The sun was hot as usual when I graduated from Navy College. I walk home in the blistering heat listening to music while people walk around all over Hawaii.  I arrived  home and reached into my pocket for the keys. I unlocked the door and opened it. No parents. What a wonderful surprise. I drop myself on the couch and rest for a little while. That’s when I heard the doorbell ring. I jumped from the couch and opened the door. 

“Hi Dad and- oh hey Milo.” I finished. 

“Hey Kristy!  Finished with graduation?” He asked.

It wasn’t who I was expecting, but it can’t be better than my best friend. Milo was friends with me ever since 3rd grade. Now, we’ve become the best of friends. He stepped into the house and aimed to jump to the couch from the door. He went back a few steps and ran until he had enough space. He jumped as far as he could and his jaw hit the edge of the couch. 

“Ow! I think my jaw is dead.” He said.

I helped him out and got him an ice pack out of the freezer and let him sit on the couch.

Few days later

It’s the day of my interview! I am walking to the Pearl Harbor naval base right now!  I am interviewing for a job! Oh, and Milo is ok now. It took a day to heal, but I just came back from his graduation! He looked like a shining star from a distance. It was amazing. I’m walking from my house to the naval base right now. I walk in Hawaii’s hot sun all the way to the naval base within 30 minutes. I entered the naval base and met someone. Colonel Ernesto. He said he wanted to privately walk me through since I’m the youngest on the team (If I make it). 

“Come, let’s go to the dock,” said Ernesto.

  We walked outside of the dock and talked to each other. 

“So, how old are you?” He asked.

 “I’m 19 sir.” I answered.

 “Wow, you’re very young!” He said in a proud voice.

 “Thank you sir?” I said. I’m pretty sure it was a complement.

“What degree do you have?” He asked.

 “I have a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering.” I replied. 

We walked on a boat and entered inside. It was a bit wobbly but I got used to it.

“Stand here.” He pointed at the middle of the boat.

 I walked to the middle and stood there. The colonel walked to the other side of the ship and pulled down a lever. I was confused at first, until I suddenly realized I fell in the water. I was gasping for air when the colonel threw a life floatie to me. I grabbed on and was ok. He sent down a ladder and I climbed up the ladder. I stood again in silence in front of him.

 “What is the mechanism of the sliding door that you just fell through?” He asked.

 I was thinking hard. I got my answer and whispered in his ear.

 He approved the answer and said, “Tomorrow, 5 AM at the place you met me.” 

He went to one of the drawers inside the boat and opened it. He walked toward me and said, 

“Here’s your uniform, you’re recruited.” 

He left the boat and I started dancing! I got the job! It was a super important job to me and I got it! 

In excitement I ran home in a breeze. I opened the door and I found Milo inside costing on the couch. I couldn’t contain my excitement so I ran to Milo, jumped on him and gave him a huge hug. I released him and he looked at me confused. He’s right, I never do this, ever. We just punch each other’s shoulders or just give high fives as our goodbyes.

 I got up and muttered, “Um, I got the job.”

 Apparently he heard that and jumped up on me, hugging me.

 He released me and said, “Great job! I’m so happy for you!”

  He gave me another hug, but was interrupted when my mom opened the door. We quickly released each other before she knew what happened.

 “Mom!,” I squealed, “I got the job!” 

My mom dropped the grocery bags and gave me a big hug. She kissed me so many times on my cheek then released me. 

“You are going to be the most important person in our family! The first woman to give us women a name.”

Yup, I’m the first female to work there! 

It’s the first day and I’m in my uniform. I’m walking in the cool breeze of the early morning. It was easy to walk there since I got more energy in the morning than in the afternoon. The time I arrived there it was 4:59 AM. I was almost late for arriving but I ran at the last minute. I was gasping for air, but I arrived on time. All the boys were so surprised I was there. A girl in a naval base? Yup, I’m the first female. Colonel Ernesto started with introducing me to the group and started giving assignments. He said that I had to go to a specific boat, the AJR BB8. A blonde-headed boy showed me the way to the boat. He was 21 years old and kept on mimicking whatever I said, so I asked him to bend down. He bent down as I asked and I asked him to close his eyes. He looked scared, he should be. I was about to punch his face, but he was so scared I just kicked him. He stumbled and fell on the concrete. I helped him up and still let him lead the way. We climbed on board and he took me below the boat. Down there were engines, weapons, and so much more! The engine was broken and that boy didn’t have to tell me. The engine looked deformed kinda. It was broken and he wanted me to fix it. Apparently he was my “Supervisor” for the first day. The engine just needed a wrench to fix the pipe and it should be running. I got a wrench and did my magic. It was super easy and for the rest of the day I had to fix engines like that on different boats. The Colonel was impressed. The AJR BB8 was the hardest ship of all to fix! Fortunately, I was there to fix it. The day ended around 7pm and I started heading home. I was drenched in my own pool of sweat. I walked home and took a long shower. I went to eat dinner and the most fanciest dinner of all. I had my favorite food. King crab! We had a feast and I was satisfied. Soon enough it was the next day. 

Few Months later

Aloha! It’s been a few months since I got my job and I love it! About 2 weeks ago, I got a new friend! It was a girl! Finally, someone I talk to every single day! Her name was Clarissa and she was super nice! I taught her everything you need to know about and I also became her bunkmate! Just last week I got my lesson on fixing explosive weapons. Working in Pearl Harbor is actually fun! Learning something new with the explosives was something I would never be able to learn in college. When Clarissa joined, I told my parents that I would stay there. In the dorms. They absolutely did not agree, but I was a grown woman and they realized that. I usually visit them twice a month, but no more than that. Work has suddenly become harder. We had one of our hardest workers quit because he wasn’t getting paid enough. I was doing double the work and getting the same salary. I’m not fussing about it. Everyday’s the same routine. Wake up, get ready, work, eat, sleep. Suddenly, all of that changed too. One day I was doing my regular duties when all of a sudden Colonel Ernesto came.

 I saluted and he said, “Release. Now, come follow me Kristy.”

  I followed him to the same boat that I dropped out of. He led me to the steering wheel. 

“Congratulations Kristy, you are getting a new job. You are now going to practice being a Marine.” 

Marine echoed through my ear. I. Couldn’t. Believe. It. 

“Sir,” I asked, “Can I have the day off?” 

He took 1 second to answer, “Absolutely.” 

I ran home in the heat. I burst through the door and there they are, my parents surprised to see me.

 “Honey,” My mom said, “Why are you here?” She was confused. 

I. Got. A. New. Job. There, 5 words to say it. Milo was on the couch and just heard what I said.

 “I got a job to be a Marine!” I said.

  Mom, Dad, and Milo jumped up and hugged me.

“Also, I have the day off!” I said. 

They spent the rest of the day with me. We went on a Ferris wheel in the evening and ate ice cream. The afternoon they just hugged me for hours! Let’s go back to the Naval Base to start a new day.

May 1941

Hallo! It’s my birthday today! Right now I am at home and I’m cutting a cake. Now, it’s night so I decided to stay at their house until the next day. I get ready the next day and leave. I’m now a fully trained Marine and I have 2 jobs now. Half the day I work in the middle of the ocean and the other half is fixing the engines, repairing explosive weapons, and restocking them. That’s my schedule now. I have a busy life being in the ocean and fixing things. Though now, our hardest working member came back. So I can focus on being a Marine rather than being an engineer. In the Marines, I am the one usually finding the discoveries. Oh! Well got to go to work now! Bye!

December 7th, 1941

It’s an interesting day. I’m on the radar in the ship of the Marines and I see something appearing and disappearing. I alert the captain and he has absolutely no idea. After a few minutes, we saw boats and the Japanese flag on them.

 The captain looked at me and said, “Alert the Naval Base.” I didn’t want to do this.

“Have a great life Captain.” I said. 

He nodded and urged me to go. We had a backup boat and drove as fast as I could to the Naval Base. On the way, I heard explosives and turned around. I got my binoculars and saw through them. The explosive blew up the boat in half. The weapons they were using were air-dropped bombs from above. That’s when I realized the planes. I started the boat and drove as fast as I could. 

I got there! I ran as fast as I could to the Naval base. I opened the door and yelled out,

 “Get out! The Japanese are attacking!” 

Everyone looked confused. It took too long and I ushered everyone out. It was too late for me as the air-dropped bomb was dropping on the roof of the naval base. I knew I had to do one thing. 

“Colonel Ernesto!” I yelled out.

 He turned around. 

“Tell my family I loved them, and… it was good serving you sir!” I yelled. 

I saluted and he saluted back. At that time, the bomb landed.