Hero (Camren)

Chapter 2

"Jauregui, talk to me" Sergeant Lovato grabbed her bag straps, pulling her close. "Talk to me or shoot back at those son of a bitches, I don't give a fuck but don't you dare just sit there waiting for some miracle to happen."

"I-I can't" Lauren was stunned with everything going on around her. She never shot any human before and today was the first time she was brought out into the war zone.

"Never say you can't," The Sergeant pushed the heavy AA12 gun into the green eyed girls body. "This is your life now and-" An RPG hit five feet away from them, causing the two girls to be launched away from where they were with debris falling harshly on top.

Lauren felt her left cheek, which now had a big bloody gash on it thanks to a flying rock. She was covered in dirt and ashes, and sweat from the disastrous heat.

Her ears could barely make out the sound of the endless amounts of gunshots, and everything sounded numb. She looked to her right, seeing her Sergeant stuck under large objects, including another Marine's lifeless body.

"Jauregui" The woman held out a hand as Lauren read her lips. "Help me."

"Sergeant," Lauren's hearing started coming back as she stood up and ran to help her. As soon as she pulled her Sergeant out from under, Lauren realized that Demi's legs nearly tearing from her body. It had been shot multiple times and she was left to bleed out.

Lauren couldn't help but be clueless, so she stood up to run for another medic nearby. Two feet out, she felt two sharp pains going through her right arm and leg.

"Motherfucker!" The eighteen year old screamed out, crawling back to take cover.

"Jauregui," Demi shook her head as blood started spilling through her mouth. "In my bunk, there's a n-notebook. You're going to get out of here alive and when you do, I need to get that to my wife. Alright?" The Sergeant told her Private who was screaming out in pain.

"I-I can't feel my body" Lauren informed, making her friend chuckle out for the last time.

"It's the first time you've ever been shot." Demi said quietly, handing the green eyed girl a soft hand to pull her close. "Happy birthday to you, Jauregui."

"Best one yet." Lauren joked as she saw her Sergeant cough up more blood before slowly closing her eyes. It was the first time she'd seen anyone die right in front of her.

"Jauregui let's go!" A voice nearby screamed out. She lost a lot of blood already and she felt dizzy and faint. "Jauregui, come on!" She turned around to see her friends waving her down by the escape helicopter. "Lauren!"

"Lauren!" The green eyed girl sat up quickly, regaining her harsh breath. She had been sweating in her sleep, feeling like she was back in Afghanistan fighting. "Hey, are you alright?" Lauren looked up and realized she was safe inside the home in Georgia, seeing Normani's sympathetic expression.

"Yea," She sighed out as she swung her legs off the couch she fell asleep on. "M-May I please have some water?"

"Yea sure" Normani didn't know how to react, but she complied to the Sergeants request. Lauren sat and regained her breathing, covering her face with both of her hands until she received the bottle of water. "Are you sure you're alright?"

Lauren nodded as she drank. Normani took the chance to comfort her, sitting down and changing her tone of voice.

"Dinah used to be like that too, you know." She said, finally meeting Lauren's gaze. "I can't fathom how important it is for you to talk to someone about it. Bottling it all up to yourself isn't healthy. She was gone for six months the first time it happened and well, you were out there for years."