so.
“When’s the next time you’re going back? Is it in one week?” I ask.
He nods, “Yeah, this is the last leave I’ll get before I’m home for good.” Lucky bastard. I’m here until the rest of my term. “I can’t wait to go back home, permanently. Six months seems like a lifetime away.”
“Nah, it’s not so bad. I plan on re-enlisting,” he announces.
What. The. Fuck!
“Why would you want to do that?” I ask, seriously.
“I actually like being here. I miss Mom and Allie, but they need me,” he says, nodding his head towards the Iraqi children playing soccer.
“Yeah, well you enjoy helping them. Your ass is on your own this time. I’m never leaving Allie again, ever.”
He chuckles and walks off toward the other soldiers who are playing football.
***
One of our soldiers lost her life last week, and I haven’t been able to hear her voice since then. My heart goes out to her family; she was a wife and mother of two. I couldn’t imagine being the husband receiving that news. Kyle and I have been lucky as shit while we’ve been here. We’ve escaped death multiple times, and this dodging death shit is getting old.
I’m over it.
Kyle and I aren’t together today. He has patrol duty, doing traffic stops. And I’m on guard in one of the towers nearby. “Alright, man, this is where we separate. Catch you later,” he says, walking to his post.
“Got your back, Anderson,” I assure. He hates doing traffic stops; you never know what you’re going to get.
It’s about a five minute walk to the tower from where Kyle’s at today. I’m three minutes in when the ground shakes and I hear a massive explosion coming from Kyle’s direction. I grip my gun and haul ass to where he’s supposed to be. This is the only time I’m appreciative for the drills we do. They are a major pain in the ass, but necessary.
As I round the corner, I have to fight through terrified citizens. I see a car on fire and several body parts scattered over the dust on the ground. I skim the area for Kyle, but I don’t see him. I see a boot sticking out from under one of the blown-to-bits wooden fruit stands. I run and rummage through the wood. “Kyle!” I scream, searching through the rubble for him, but no one answers. For a moment, I’m hopeful that this isn’t him; that he dodged death once again.
I remove several pieces of metal and call for him again. “ Anderson, answer me, dammit!”
Still nothing.
Finally, I remove the last layer of metal and wood and see Kyle. He’s flat on his back, and his face is black, cut, and burned. Blood is squirting from his neck. “Fuck me,” I mumble. I’m not supposed to remove any part of my uniform, but fuck this, I need something to stop the bleeding.
I undo my vest and remove my jacket. I ball it up and place it to Kyle’s carotid, where there are two nails lodged into the side of his neck. Fuck, fuck, fuck! This isn’t good. Shit! I hear the sirens in the distance, but with all the rubble, they won’t make it in time.
“Cooper, what the fuck is in my neck?” Kyle asks, his voice just above a whisper.
This isn’t happening. God, please no. Three and a half years we’ve been here; he’s going home in a few days for fuck’s sake.
“It’s nothing, man. Just a nail or two....no big deal,” I joke, in attempt to calm him.
Ah shit, his face is turning pale. I can’t leave him to see where in the hell our help is. If I move my shirt, he’ll die quickly. I need to remove the nails, but I could do more damage than good.
“I’m dying, man,” he manages to whisper.
I shake my head, denial pulsating through my brain. “Shut the fuck up. You’re not dying,” I promise. “Listen, no more talking. Do not move. I’m going to ask you a question, blink once for yes and twice for no. Can you lift your hand to your neck?” I ask, hoping he has the strength. If he can, I’ll carry him to get help, but he’ll have to apply pressure to his neck. He
“When’s the next time you’re going back? Is it in one week?” I ask.
He nods, “Yeah, this is the last leave I’ll get before I’m home for good.” Lucky bastard. I’m here until the rest of my term. “I can’t wait to go back home, permanently. Six months seems like a lifetime away.”
“Nah, it’s not so bad. I plan on re-enlisting,” he announces.
What. The. Fuck!
“Why would you want to do that?” I ask, seriously.
“I actually like being here. I miss Mom and Allie, but they need me,” he says, nodding his head towards the Iraqi children playing soccer.
“Yeah, well you enjoy helping them. Your ass is on your own this time. I’m never leaving Allie again, ever.”
He chuckles and walks off toward the other soldiers who are playing football.
***
One of our soldiers lost her life last week, and I haven’t been able to hear her voice since then. My heart goes out to her family; she was a wife and mother of two. I couldn’t imagine being the husband receiving that news. Kyle and I have been lucky as shit while we’ve been here. We’ve escaped death multiple times, and this dodging death shit is getting old.
I’m over it.
Kyle and I aren’t together today. He has patrol duty, doing traffic stops. And I’m on guard in one of the towers nearby. “Alright, man, this is where we separate. Catch you later,” he says, walking to his post.
“Got your back, Anderson,” I assure. He hates doing traffic stops; you never know what you’re going to get.
It’s about a five minute walk to the tower from where Kyle’s at today. I’m three minutes in when the ground shakes and I hear a massive explosion coming from Kyle’s direction. I grip my gun and haul ass to where he’s supposed to be. This is the only time I’m appreciative for the drills we do. They are a major pain in the ass, but necessary.
As I round the corner, I have to fight through terrified citizens. I see a car on fire and several body parts scattered over the dust on the ground. I skim the area for Kyle, but I don’t see him. I see a boot sticking out from under one of the blown-to-bits wooden fruit stands. I run and rummage through the wood. “Kyle!” I scream, searching through the rubble for him, but no one answers. For a moment, I’m hopeful that this isn’t him; that he dodged death once again.
I remove several pieces of metal and call for him again. “ Anderson, answer me, dammit!”
Still nothing.
Finally, I remove the last layer of metal and wood and see Kyle. He’s flat on his back, and his face is black, cut, and burned. Blood is squirting from his neck. “Fuck me,” I mumble. I’m not supposed to remove any part of my uniform, but fuck this, I need something to stop the bleeding.
I undo my vest and remove my jacket. I ball it up and place it to Kyle’s carotid, where there are two nails lodged into the side of his neck. Fuck, fuck, fuck! This isn’t good. Shit! I hear the sirens in the distance, but with all the rubble, they won’t make it in time.
“Cooper, what the fuck is in my neck?” Kyle asks, his voice just above a whisper.
This isn’t happening. God, please no. Three and a half years we’ve been here; he’s going home in a few days for fuck’s sake.
“It’s nothing, man. Just a nail or two....no big deal,” I joke, in attempt to calm him.
Ah shit, his face is turning pale. I can’t leave him to see where in the hell our help is. If I move my shirt, he’ll die quickly. I need to remove the nails, but I could do more damage than good.
“I’m dying, man,” he manages to whisper.
I shake my head, denial pulsating through my brain. “Shut the fuck up. You’re not dying,” I promise. “Listen, no more talking. Do not move. I’m going to ask you a question, blink once for yes and twice for no. Can you lift your hand to your neck?” I ask, hoping he has the strength. If he can, I’ll carry him to get help, but he’ll have to apply pressure to his neck. He
Similar Books
