Marine Mate

The Boy

I've been in the desert for about six months now. I'm used to the hot and dry sweat drenching sun again, the weight of my gun and ammo, and a routine. My life at home seems a lifetime ago, it's been the longest of my tours.

My mate and twins are seemingly happy, causing me to miss them even more. I want to experience happiness with them. I also know they are drifting away from me. I don't get letters like I used too, and our video chats become shorter each time.

I know I can't do anything about it by being over here, so our next video chat, I'm going to bring it up. Hopefully that will change, I don't want to lose my family.

Patrolling the north side of the village with my gun in hand, and my team behind me telling jokes and laughing but still taking in their surroundings.

"Dude!" Monreo gives a belly laugh. "You were screaming like a little girl!"

Pels snorts loudly. "You would of did the same thing if you almost stepped on that poisonous snake!"

"Yeah, but I wouldn't of screamed like a girl, but screamed manly like!" Monroe demonstrates a 'manly' screamed.

The rest of us burst with laughter. Bradford laughing the loudest as he pats Monroe on the back. "That sure was a manly scream."

"That's not what your moth..." In the middle of Monroe's your mama joke, gunfire and screams of terror rings in the air.

All joking aside, my team and I run toward the gunfire. Swarms of villagers run, stampeding, their way from the gunfire.

Bullets fly, hitting the stone walls. Breaking from the crowd, terrorists shoot from the streets behind vehicles, and from rooftops in the square.

Taking cover behind the stone water fountain where the women collect water, my team and I start shooting at the terrorists.

Our bullets hits their target, causing fire to rain down on us. In the mist of the battle, a cry pierce through my ears from behind me.

Taking a glance, I see a boy not much older than six, sobbing and shaking in complete terror.

Not even thinking, I order my men to cover me. Not waiting for any answer, I run towards the boy.

Puffs of sand fly through the air as bullets hit the ground, but I think nothing of it, as I grab the boy around the waist, pulling him into my chest, I sail through the air as a bang goes off.
A burning pain hits my back, neck, side of my head, but I don't let go of the boy, not even when I hit a hard surface.

I feel and hear the cracking of my ribs. Sliding down the hard surface, I land on the ground. My eyesight is hazy, and dots of lights dance before my eyes. I can't hear anything as my ears ring loudly. I can't even hear the sobbing boy.

Groaning, I stand on shaking legs, using the wall for support. The boy runs off into the nearest house, looking for cover. I can't focus on the boy. I need to get back to my team, but the pain.

Oh god the pain! It's by far the worse pain I've ever felt, it's worse than any torture I've ever been in. I've always hated getting burned, even by just touching a hot pot.

The blistering pain, the heat, combine that of broken bones, it's excruciating pain, taking control of every cell in my body. I know the bang was from a grenade, I can feel the shards embedded in my burnt skin. Around the shards, blood pours.

I'm disoriented, as I try to step towards my team. With my eyesight so blurry, and the ringing in my ears, falling to my knees.

The pain becoming to much, that black dots surround my vision. I feel myself falling face first into the sand.

I don't know how long I laid there, not knowing what's going on around me, but after what seems forever, I'm lifted up.

Four hazy outlines, that I know are Monroe, Franks, Pels, and Bradford, lifts me up, my arms wrapped around two shoulders, before I'm dragged to something.

I feel myself lifted up and laid back down, the vibrations of a vehicle, tells me that I'm being brought to the nearest hospital.

The bumping hurts my bones and burnt skin. I have to bite my lip to keep in the screams.

Black surrounds my eyesight, then it engulfs my vision. I dream of nothing but darkness, but in a snap my eyes open, bright lights shine above me, bye my vision still hazy, and ears still ringing. The pulling of my skin, indicates the shards are being pulled out.

I'm fall in and out of consciousness, the bright lights always there when I wake. Every time I wake my hearing and eyesight clears a little, but my consciousness doesn't last long as the darkness takes me again.

The next time I wake, my eyesight is clear, and the ringing in my ears has stopped, reduced to a low humming. The burning pain not as bad as before, but I can feel the pounding of blood flowing through my veins where my wounds are.

I glance down to see that my shirt and pants are off, leaving my in my boxers, but my chest and right arm and leg are bandaged, and from the itching, I can feel my neck and the right side of my face, ear, and cheek are too.

I must be in bad shape. As I think those thoughts, a doctor walks through the flaps of the entrance.

Seeing that I'm awake, he grabs a canister of water. With the sight. I realize how thirsty I am. Holding the canister to my dry lips, I drink all the water to sooth my dry throat.

Setting it aside when all the water is gone. The doctor stands beside my bed. "Lt. Johnson, you are very lucky to have survived."

"What are my injuries?" I croak out. My voice sounding awful.

"Your right side of the body was hit by the flames and shards of metal. The shards were picked out. Your leg, arm, cheek, neck, and side of the head, including ear, will have permanent scaring." I don't show any emotions to what the doctor is telling me. What's a few scars going to do, they make no difference to me, I'll just add them to my collection.

The doctor continues. "Now on to the left side. You just have three broken ribs. It's a miracle that you didn't break an arm and/or leg when you slammed into the wall. Just some bruising, but you're all fixed up, and will be on the next flight home."

Shock is what I feel. "I'm going home? But why?"

The doctor looks me in the eyes. "You are in no position to serve anymore, you are to go home and heal. You have been medically discharged. You're family has been contacted, and are waiting for you arrival."

I'm-I'm going home. I will get to see my babies and Leon after so long! No more hot desert, letters, video chats, and guns.

I'll get to hug my twins, kiss my mate, see everyone in person! I'll reenter civilian life again, take my babies to the park, shop for clothes and toys for them, play with them.

Leon will have me back, no more raising the kids by himself, we can be a family again!

"When do I leave?" I choke out.

"Tonight at nine o'clock." Doctor grins. "Put on some clothes, and go pack and say goodbye."

He helps me sit up and unto my feet. Stumbling at first, I step a few until I'm walking just fine but with a limp.

I'm finally going home, even though I was injured, I'm still excited that I get to go home. I couldn't get even more happier.

I'm going home!