Dreams of the Taliban

Adria ^^^^

Once again, as every story begins the protagonist is awakened by a noisy alarm clock or a sleepy boyfriend waking them up gently. This is not a regular story. This is Adria's story so I will let her tell it.  On which memory should we begin? Ahh, this one. Let us begin. Let the story begin.

Adria's memory of today and yesterday and on and on.

I was back in Afghanistan fighting the Taliban. I was too young to naive. Instead of running off at sixteen to join the military, I should have been at home facing the scrutiny of my bisexuality head-on. But, instead of feeling sorry for myself I just stood there watching the massacre. Then and there I decided I couldn't turn back and leave my brothers and sister of arms to die in a crater of despair with burnt flesh and screams echoing off my conscious. So I did what any hero would do, I saved all 154 of my brothers and sisters. But one. My innocence I had before the battle was gone. I had received a Congressional Medal of Honor for my "bravery". I still felt empty inside. I knew I forgot something in that battle but I didn't know what or who. 

I sat up in alarm. The Seargent was calling my name. I jumped out of bed already in uniform and walked to the Seargent's tent.  When I arrived the Seargent didn't look very happy.

"Adria I have just been informed that you are only sixteen years of age. Is this true?" he asked coldly, void of emotion. I gulped. I knew what was going to happen.

"Yes Sir." I replied not trusting myself to say anything more.

"Adria, why?" he croaked. Silent tears began making tracks on his sorrow-filled face.

I let out a shaky breath. "When I was fourteen," I began. "I came out as Bisexual to everyone. My parents were Catholics and hated me from then on. The other children bullied me and hit me till I passed out. By fifteen I started hanging out with the wrong people and started underground fighting. With the money I made from the fights, I ran away. I lived with my best friend until my sixteenth birthday when I enlisted in the Military with a fake I.D. That's when I was shipped off to Afghanistan and saved 154 people. Then I was given a medal for my "bravery". Then was shipped here." I ended with tears gliding down my dark skin into my jet-black hair.

"Adria I'm sorry. You are the best Marine I've ever had and if I had the choice I would let you stay here. But, that's not my decision to make. Tomorrow you will have to go home." he said.