A Soldier's Battle

A soldier's Battle
Will you risk your life for a friend?
“Just two more weeks”, said Brian with a sigh of relief. He was in the middle of his room on his lumpy bed, counting the days until he could see his family. The sound of bullets flying and the sound of people yelling and giving orders filling the air made him sick and tired of being in a war zone. He wants to hear the sound of his kids’ joyful laughter, and be able to hold them once again. “Just two more weeks,” he said. “Two more weeks and I’m out of this place of torment!” He slowly got up from his bed and started packing his clothes he had to take for his last battle to fight before going home. He wiped his forehead with his rough hand and lifted the heavy load over his shoulder. Walking away, almost dragging his feet. He didn’t want to move, he didn’t want to go to another battle. He was in disgust with himself killing other people. “It’s a soldier’s duty”, he mumbled softy and walked away from his campsite.
Making his way into the headquarters he flings his duffle bag to the floor. “I’m home!” Brian said as he made his way to the General. “Brian!” said a tall man, with a tan uniform, towering over Brian . His long arm extended to shake Brains hand. The firm handshake made his small hand pop. “Oh, sorry about that.” Said the general joking around.
“What’s going on?”
“We are having difficulties. Some of our soldiers are captured and we need to send out a group to help them escape” he took a deep breath,
“But. . .” said Brian before the General interrupted him.
“This is a soldier’s duty soldier, it’s a dangerous mission, but I know you won’t let me down .” The General walked away to go attend other businesses.
Those words “a soldier’s duty” they struck Brian. He hated those words, his was full of rage. He began to have those “what if” thoughts. What if I do not make it alive, what will my wife tell the children, What if I . . . what if I fail the mission. Stop! He told himself, Shut up! He took his dog tag into his hand and held it tightly. “I will make it!” he said with a stern look in his face.
Run, Run! Brains mind made it clear they had to retreat. They were clearly loosing, and they had to leave! At least that’s what he thought; his stomach was flipping and turning. His thoughts were unclear in his head. He didn’t know what to do. It felt like the gun was taking control of itself. All the gunshots and fires were like a dream. The smog of the bombs made it uneasy to breath. His lungs felt like they were clogging up. His forehead was dripping with sweat, and so were his hands . “Shoot, Shoot!” He heard someone nearby him. That voice, it was so familiar. He turned quickly where he thought the voice was coming from. Nothing. The sounds of the gun fires and yelling made it difficult to tell where the voice was coming from. He kept on scanning the area and still nothing, but he could hear that voice! That familiar voice he would always hear back then before he joined the army.
“Watch Out!” said the voice. Before he knew it he was fiercely tackled to the floor . He couldn’t wake up for a minute. He felt like the wind had just left him out of breath. He felt like his bones were shattered from the awful fall.
“Are you okay?” said the familiar voice. Brian opened his eyes slowly. The voice, the face! The face he recognized instantly! He was a small man with black hair . He had warm brown eyes and had that big cheesy smile he would put on when he did something stupid. That voice!
“Ricky? Is that you?” Brian said sorely.
“Sure is” said Ricky with a big cheesy smile on his face.
“You dumb butt! Why did you have to throw me to the floor?”
“You were about to die. . . I couldn’t let my best friend die in front of me”
More gun fires were sounding. People were exploding! It seemed like the world was coming to an end.
“Take Cover!” both men jumped to the floor. Then another voice came along “We got them, we got them!” “Retreat, Retreat!” Ricky looked at Brian and both men sprinted up and ran across the battlefield like deer running from prey.
“Where do we go?” said Brian fearfully. “I don’t know, let’s just go this way!”
“Are you sure that is where the others went?” said Brian still not so sure.
“Positive!” said Ricky, still with an unsure face.
They both ran and ran and ran. It felt like the path was endless! Brains legs felt like they were going to fall off! His body was tired.
“Hold on let me catch my breath!” said Brian out of breath!
“Well, well, who we have here!” said an unfamiliar voice. The voice sent chills down Brains spine. He didn’t want to look up too his face. All he saw was the dirt, and a few inches away from that boots. And on top of those boots was something that almost made Brian wants to grab his gun and shoot himself. He saw the opposing team’s uniform. That ugly uniform that he had to kill. That uniform that kept him from seeing his family! He reaches to the side of his pocket slowly and gently.
“You wouldn’t want to do that,” said the raspy voice interrupting Brains concentration.
“Guards, take these gentlemen!”
Before you knew it, two big men with the same uniform came behind Brian and Ricky. Roughly, forcing them to walk ahead of them. Brian refused; it felt like a nightmare, his thoughts were unclear again . He didn’t take a step. He didn’t want to go taken as prisoners. He felt a heavy object hit his head and he dozed off to sleep.
“Where am I?” said Brian drowsily. His hands were tied. He struggled for a minute. He was trying to gather all of his thoughts, memories, and feelings together. He was in a small room, tied together, but the rest was just unclear.
“The guards took us as prisoners; you didn’t want to move so the man hit you with his gun. You fell and you got knocked out pretty badly. A few hours later we arrived here and now we are tied up, waiting for what will happen next,” said Ricky in a slow low tone. “It’s my fault we are here, if we only didn’t run where I told us to run! Maybe we wouldn’t be stuck in this situation,” Ricky said. He was mad, his face was red, it looked like it was steaming.
“Hey, calm down it’s not your fault, don’t blame yourself,” said Brian calmly. Even though in his head he at least punched Ricky 5 times and was yelling with so much rage and anger. “It okay. . .”
“Well, well.” said the man. “The two men got lost from the herd, like animals”. He got behind Ricky and spat at his face. “Since your team has stolen all my prisoners, I have nothing! Nothing that I can do for fun.” He said with a smirk on his face. Both Ricky and Brian stood quiet. They didn’t move, Brian couldn’t even breathe, and he was full of terror. This man could have killed all the soldiers. He could have murdered them one by one just for “fun”. “So as you can see I’m bored, and I want both of you idiots to die!” he paused for a few minutes scratching his chin as if he was thinking long and hard about what to do. “No, I change my mind.” He said with an evil grin in his face. “I want both of you to think who will die first, and you will see the other one die slowly and painfully, right in front of you”. He looked at Brian with a gleam in his eye. As he opened the door slightly he looked at both men and said, “Choose carefully” he laughed a terrible laugh and walked away with a smile on his face.
There was complete silence, so quiet that you could hear your own heartbeat beating like a drum. “Let them kill me. . .” said Ricky with confidence. “Are you stupid? Do you want to die? This man is crazy! He is insane!” said Brian with almost tears in his eyes; he did not want his friend to die! He practically saved his life; he risked his life for him. Brian started thinking; I should risk my life as well. This kid has a lot going for him, but what will happen to my family? He thought. I would never get to see my kids or my beautiful wife. This could be the last time. All of the negative thoughts rushed through his mind. There was this little voice inside his head though, a voice that said he’s you friend, you should help him. He practically saved your life and that was not even necessary.
“You know what?” said Brian in a calm sure tone looking Ricky rite in the eye. “You took a bullet for me, so now I will take the bullet for you”.
Ricky looked down at his lap, he slowly muttered, “I hope not Brian, I hope we both get a chance to live.”
Brian looked at how Ricky was tied up to his chair. Those people are like bears all big and tough and cannot even tie a proper not, idiots.
“Wait a minute!” Brian exclaimed with excitement almost about to jump up but could not since he was tied up. A huge smile spread across Brains long slender face.
“What’s wrong?” asked Ricky, there was reason to be happy. They were both about to die!
“Nothing’s wrong, everything is completely rite, I have a great idea!” Brian told Ricky. Brian felt silly, he felt like teenagers gossiping about something they barely found out!
“Well tell me,” said Ricky so anxious to hear what Brian would say.
They both started talking very low. Talking about how they were going to escape!
A few hours past, the cell was damp because of the horrible conditions. You could hear little rats scurrying across the floor. Little insects were climbing up against the walls. Brian could have sworn he felt a bug crawl up his leg.
“Open up the door!” said the general. The two clumsy dummies took a while trying to look for the key to open the door. The general swore under his breath, “Hurry up dimwits, I want to see some entertainment!” said the general fiercely.
Finally, the door squealed open. The rats ran into their hiding place like if they were also scared of what will happen next. The general walked in, his footsteps echoed through the cell.
“Well, did you boys make up your mind?” said the general with a grin from ear to ear.
“You know what? You make me sick! You think killing people is for fun. You have a cold heart! You are full of demons! You just disgust me!” said Brian in an angry tone looking straight at the general face to face with a stern look.
“You must really want to die!” said the general with a tone full of rage! “Killing is fun, and you know what? You must like to kill since you joined the armed forces! You tell me I am full of disgust. Well take a good look at yourself! You like pulling that trigger, you like seeing people fall and die to the ground !” he spat at Brains face, “You disgust me!”
“Do I really?” said Brian he pulled from the knot and freed himself.
The general took a step back getting ready to flee.
“Where do you think you’re going” Ricky swiftly got the pocketknife from his pocket. He held rite at the generals’ throat. “Brian might not like killing, but I will have a great satisfaction in slitting your throat open!” said Ricky almost laughing.
Brian stood still for a moment and heard many footsteps rushing down through the hallway. Oh no, were done.
“Stop rite there Ricky, we can handle it from here” said the Sargent.
Brian was relieved to hear the Sargent. After grabbing all the men and the general taking them to the base, Brian was looking at the sky, thank you God, I survived another day! Sargent came in interrupting his thoughts.
“Well Brian, thanks for your services. You were a great member in our team, now go home and make your family proud,” said the Sargent with a smile on his face.
“Yes, Sir, tell Ricky I said Bye.” Said Brian
Home, the thought of being with his family once again made Brian happy. He packed his stuff in a rush. He would not miss a single thing about the army. Being with his family would make his whole life complete! He flung the duffle bag over his shoulder and walked away. He looked back once again at his place, and then looked away with a big smile. “Time to go home” he said, walking away into the sunset with no regrets.