How It All Ends

“Nate get over here,” I said. “What…what happened?”

“Haha dude you got layed out, answered Nate.” “Right as you went up for the ball you got racked. A middle line backer came across the field and boom you were out. He really must have hit you hard, do you remember anything?”

         “No, not at all… uhm what’s my name?” I whispered.

         “Your name is Ryan, Ryan Odair,” he said.

         “Alright yeah this is bad, uhm just start filling me in on everything,” I told him.

         “Okay then, my name is Nate Walsh, it is Monday, the date is March 27, 2552, your 18, your birthday is November 16,we are in Los Angeles, you applied for the military, your girlfriends name is Stacey Everdeen, and  you two have been going out for four years.” He told me.

         “Wait, wait, wait you said I applied for the military.”

         “Yep, sure did. Once I got drafted you volunteered to come with me. And you got accepted.”

         Alright then… uhh that’s not really what I expected to hear.

         “Yeah there is a whole world war going on right now. It has been going on for two years now. The U.S has just been smart enough to stay out of it for now. Sooo were on reserve right now until we get involved in what is going on around the world.”

         “So it is possible we could be going into war any seco…”

Burrrr!!! Burrr!!! Burrr!!!

         “What is that,” I screamed?

         “Okay Ryan I need you to shut up and follow me okay.”

         “Okay,” I said.

Nate yanked me off the streture, as we sprinted through the Hospital and outside we ran as hard as we could to the underground bunker about one thousand yards away. Once we were about five hundred feet away from the bunker we could both see it flying through the air…an F-17 Stealth Fighter, F-22 Raptor, and an F-117 Nighthawk all ready to drop bombs. Just as we reached the entrance to the bunker we could see the ground being lit up with bullets from about a mile away. We started jumping down the flights of stairs moving as fast as we could then we felt the first bomb drop the sound shattered our ear drums and knocked us both to the ground. Any closer to the surface and we would be dead. We kept moving getting deeper and deeper into the surface of the earth. We heard another bomb hit.

         “They are taking out the hospital,” Shouted Nate!

         “But why,” I said?

         “I have no idea,” Answered Nate

         Even though the bombs stopped dropping several hours ago they not dare leave the bunker.

         “There is an underground military base about 27 miles from here, lets head over there and get some answers,” Suggested Nate.

         “Alright sounds like a plan. Since everything here is destroyed were going to have to set out on foot until we reach a restaurant or something right,” I asked?

“Yep,” Nate said.

As we climbed out of the bunker we were blinded by the bright light of the sun after sitting in total darkness for six hours. Everything in sight was gone, there were craters everywhere from bombs shattering off the ground. The hospital seemed to have just disappeared. All the grass and trees were within a three mile radius were blazed with fire. Smoke was rising off the ground from what looked like nothing.

“This is bad, this is really bad,” whispered Nate.

“Yeah, yeah it is I wonder where they’re going and why their over here,” I wondered. “I better call Stacey and make sure she’s okay,” I said.

Buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz…no answer.

“Geez she better be okay...” I said.

         “I’m sure she’s fine,” Nate said calmly. “ Lets get down to the military base and find out what is going on right now outside of California.”

We both ran for about four miles and walked another two. They finally made it to a rundown restaurant and there was an old junker car for sale.

“Well would you look at that,” said Nate. “Haha there is an old Mustang just sitting there they don’t even make these anymore… lets go see how she runs.”

“How are you going to do that we don’t have any keys,” I asked?

“I learned how to hot wire a car about two years ago. Never really thought I would need but thank god I learned when I did because we need it now,” he told me.

Nate got the blue and white 2008 Chevy Mustang fired up in about fifteen minutes.

“She sounds great,” I exclaimed!

“Yeah we’ll be at the base in no time.”

We jumped in the Mustang and took off towards the military base. We were there in around twenty minutes. When we arrived at the base everything was demolished.

“So they bombed here too,” I said.

“Sir what’s going on,” Asked Nate?

“I have no idea, but get ready for war,” answered Sergeant Peppercorn. Those fighters that just flew in were from Japan and Germany. They tried to bomb us here but we are so far underground we were not affected.”

“Yeah they bombed the hospital not to far away from here as well. Why would they do that?”” wondered Nate.

“Well they bombed the hospital because that’s where we send our wounded men. And they bombed the base because they know we have nukes. Every country wants nuclear bombs out of the picture and since we were the only country not in the war we could still produce them. So the first thing they had to do was drag us into it. And now they did. They have probably bombed every base in the U.S by now. We’re about to be sending some of our own men into war, including you too, were sending you over to the tip of Japan in about a week. By that time we will have most of Japan under our control. So just make sure you guys are in shape I know its short notice but get it done this is what you signed up for. Your commander will be Jake Hawthorne.” Peppercorn told us.

“Alright sir, no problem,” said Nate.

“Same here,” I said. “Let’s get back home and start getting in better shape.”

“Definitely,” agreed Nate.

Once we got back home I called up Phillip to see if he would want to run with us. He runs cross country and he has to start conditioning to so he will probably be good to go.

Ring! Ring! Ring! Hey what’s up,” he said

“Nothing much,” I said. “I was just wondering if you would want to come and run with me and Nate?” We are leaving at the end of the week.”

“Uhm, yeah I would love to come. How far we going.”

“Me and Nate are going to run about five miles, if that’s cool with you?”

“Yeah sounds good.”

“Alright I will be over in about half an hour. See ya.”

“Okay see you then,” Phillip said.

         “What did he say,” Nate asked?

“He said he’s going. So let’s get packed.”

         “Alright what do you want to grab.”

         “How about you grab some protein bars and shakes and I’ll pack the weights. Sound good.”

         “Yep sure does.”

         “I packed two bags with fifty pounds in each we will run with these for the first two miles then no weight the last three, alright.”

“Yeah that’s fine. I packed eight special k bars, two chocolate protein shakes and a few turkey sandwiches with miracle whip.”

“Oh yes, thank you Nate!!! You know what’s good”

“Haha yeah I do”

“Well then let’s get in the piece of crap Mustang and head over to Phillips.”

“Let’s do this!!”

The next day we lifted you know benching and squatting, you know all the good stuff. Then we ran with Phillip again on Wednesday and on Thursday I spent my last day with Stacey. Me and Nate were meeting with Peppercorn tomorrow to head over to Japan. He was right we already have more than half of Japan under control. At about 10:30 P.M. I kissed Stacey goodnight and told her I would see her when the war was over. I jumped in the Mustang and drove home. I tried to go to sleep but I couldn’t. I thought about what it was going to be like in the middle of all the gunfire. People , all around me, being shot. My eardrums pounding at the screeching of bullets whizzing by my head, I thought I was ready for this but I’m not nobody is ever ready to head into war… even when you think you are all that confidence leaves you at the moment you most need it. And Stacey what about her was I ever going to see her again… I don’t know I’m just going to forget about this and try to fall asleep.

The next morning I woke up everybody was gone mom and dad were at work and Amanda was in school. I called Nate and told him I was going to come pick him up. I got in the mustang and headed over to Nate’s house. I knocked pretty hard and he opened up.

         “Hey what’s up,” I said.

“Nothing really I just got done eating.”

“Nice what did you have.”

“French toast, it was pretty good.”

“That’s awesome you about ready to go.”

“Yep let me just grab my bags and I’ll be out.”

“Okay.”

I headed over to the car and sat there. It was about five minutes until Nate came out the door, and he jumped in.

“So you ready for this,” he said.

“No not at all,” I answered.

“Yeah I know what you mean. I was up all night thinking about what we are going to do.”

“Yeah I know same here!”

After that there really wasn’t much to be said. We got to the base in around twenty-five minutes. We met up with Peppercorn there.

“Hey Sergeant Peppercorn,” me and Nate said simultaneously.

“Hey boys you ready fire your first M16A4!!!” Sergeant Peppercorn exclaimed.

“Yes sir,” Nate said.

“Sure am sir,” I shuttered.

“Alright then you will get them when you reach your barracks.”

“Alright,” I said.

“Well boys just get on that plane there we will be transporting three-hundred forty-seven troops over to Japan with you boys.”

“Alright then,” Nate said.

Nate and I jumped in the plane and along with three-hundred forty-seven men we were heading to Japan. Once we got there we met Commander Jake Hawthorne. He led us straight to the barracks and showed us where we would all be sleeping. He lead us through the whole building showed us the mess hall and the restrooms. Once Jake was done with that me and nate headed towards the mess hall for some food. After the eight hour flight we were starving. Meat loaf and mashed potatoes sounded great. Tomorrow we get up at five in the morning and start heading down towards the southern tip of Japan once we get down there it is wartime baby. I am so ready for tomorrow. Something just clicked once I got over here. I was timid and scared like a little girl at home and all of a sudden I am pumped and can do a lot more than I ever dreamed.

“Hey Nate what is going on,” I asked?

“Nothing really just chilling out, I am really tired training camp today killed me.”

“Yeah I know dude me too, but I learned so much today I am happy they showed me that stuff because some of those moves will save our lives.”

“Haha yeah I know it is crazy just thinking about how much I didn’t know.”

“Well all I know is I am ready for tomorrow. I finally get to put this M16

to work.”

“Well good luck to you because I am still a little worried.”

“Trust me you will be fine there won’t be anything stopping us. Well I am going to bed I will see you in the morning Nate.”

“Yep see you tomorrow”

The next morning we got all of our equipment on and we jumped in the transport plane and landed fifty miles north of where the battle was taking place. Then we jumped in a jeep and headed towards the fight. Once we got there, we dropped a smoke grenade out each of the doors and jumped out behind cover. At that point none of the enemies knew where we were. I rolled out from behind the cinder block I was behind and blew up a gas barrel taking out three Japs. Then I glanced over and saw Nate toss a flash bang at one of them and a smoke into the group of four. He sprinted over to the guys he flashed and slit his throat with a tactical knife, and jumped behind some cover. They still had no idea where we were. Then Jake stood up and blasted all four of them at once with his ACR. Once they were all taken out we were able to move out we ran into a house and moved through yards and over fences and kicking down doors. We moved thirteen blocks until we searched this one house.

“Anthony go check out that house. We’ll go check the next one down,” Jake said.

Anthony went into the house and as we were going up to the second floor of the building we heard an explosion.

“Nate get outside and see what that was…now,” screamed Jake.

“Yes sir.”

Once Nate stepped outside I heard gunfire I looked down the alley and saw three people sneaking through the street with SCAR-H’s. There is no way Nate could have seen them, I could barely see them. I shot them down as fast as I could and ran down to check on Nate. The building Anthony was checking out was leveled he had to have tripped a claymore. Once I saw Nate I ran over to him, picked him up and brought him inside the house. Derek, our medic, was checking his condition.

“It’s not good he is going to die. He got shot twice through his thigh and three times in the right side of his chest,” Derek told us.

“Shit!!!!,” I said.

“Alright keep it together,” Jake told me.

“…Alright. Lets move out.”

“Derek look out that window make sure there isn’t anybody around,” ordered Jake.

“Alright. Uhm it looks go…”

He got sniped in the head. Jake ran outside and shot the sniper of the rooftop three blocks away. I don’t even know how he knew the sniper was up there. Jake came back inside and saw there was a radio frequency.

“Hey Ryan go check that out,” he told me.

“Sure. Its Peppercorn he wants you over here.”

“Alright I am coming,” Jake said. “What is it sarge.”

“ Uhm Jake Japan and every one of their allies just launched nuclear and hydrogen bombs on us. So the first thing everybody allied with us did was fire back. They didn’t realize what they did until after all the bombs were armed and deployed. So I can only tell you this one way…it’s over. We are all done. By the time these bombs hit there will not be a living organism on this planet. Hell there won’t even be any water left. Pleasure working with you…”

“Peppercorn, Peppercorn are you there…the bombs already hit there…Ryan in about three minutes the rest of the world is going to be gone. Every bomb on the face of this earth will have exploded and we will be dead. Take my gun and shoot me with it. Right now in the back of the head…kil...”

Boom!

there…I’m next.

Pow!