In the bunks of the soldiers headquaters, in a remote part of Afganistan, where army posters plaster the walls and the camoflaged green suffocates the room. Every part of the room relates in some way to a warzone, whether it be the green bunks and uniforms, or the weapons scattered carefully across the room in memory of fallen comrades.
On one of the bunks there sits a man. His complexion dimmed and pale, his blonde hair placed gently around his chizzled face and his hazel eyes scream out nothing but pure innocence, the eyes of a 'mummies boy'. He surrounds himself with a lake of army equipment and magazines that to anyone else would have been scary, but to him are a bitter sweet torture.
"My name is Dylan smith. I was a private on the day of the incident. Im here to tell you of the terrifying events that took place on the 11th of october. That day was enough to make even the strongest man crumble with fear." The tall man speaks as the life is beggining to be sucked out of him slowly, and he shudders at the thought of re-living that day.
"it was a day like any other. Five o'clock start, we were getting ready to head out into oblivion again. We lined up at the cream gates ready to leave the comfort and safety of our quaters, and enter the warzone that we called our job.
we went to our places. the men carried £120 worth of kit as they squelched their way through mud and rock to a safe distance. they were now in the firing line of the enemy. No where was safe. No where to run. No where to hide. It was a game definately not for the faint hearted.
almost immediately.... "BANG!"
"Medic, medic! man down!" Brent roared to the captain letting him know, his voice took on the tone of both fear and panic, as the dainty and strangely unaware medic ran towards josh. His leg oozed with blood, it trickled out carefully. Almost as if his leg had been dipped in blood.
The captain and I ran towards them. Matt, the platoon captain, cocky and arrogant, yet still caring, ran towards them and slapped josh's cheek "oii, laws you stay with me alright? dont you go dying on me!" he shouted.
Me and Matt pressed hard on josh's leg trying to stop the blood flow as Chloe rang for an air ambulance. The panicked and blood covered Chloe reached for her radio just as one of the soldiers behind her was shot, and also became injured.
"I need transport for the two casulties here,NOW!" she shouted as she began to drown under the immense pressure she was being subjected to.
She tried frantically to treat both casulties now, and both of them were beggining to get very panicked. although josh managed to mask it better than lauren. "Chloe, help me, please, i dont want to die" Lauren said in a whisper as her voice cracked and a waterfall of tears cascaded their way down her pale cheeks. the tears of fear and desperation.
Chloe then got a radio call back. "Okay, we've landed in the field. Bring them there," a man's deep voice roared down the phone, so all members present could hear.
Me, Matt, Chloe and Brent were carrying Josh and Lauren to the helicopter.
when....
A loud crackle followed by a deafening bang, and then a cloud of muddy dust. Rocks and weapons were flying about everywhere, in all the commotion you could just hear the cracking and snapping of bones as Matt's fragile body was thrown to the ground furiously.
He had stepped on an I.E.D and had truly become the enemy's victim.
Chloe wrapped a cloth around Matt's leg and calmly carried him to the helicopter. he was covered in blood, he was shaking and sweating. nothing but pure pain was evident in his features. He tried to hide it but all of us knew that it was hurting him.
"Everyone alright?" Chloe shouted to us, her voice was shakey, we all muttered a chorus off "mhm"
Lauren, Matt and Josh were put into the helicopter and airlifted to the camp's hospital.
We returned to our places. "Enemy ahead, enemy targeted ahead!" Brent shouted suddenly. We all had our guards up and weapons at the ready. We shot at the enemy continuously but he got back up. He was indestructable. We were fighting and loosing battle. For the enemy were master crafts men at what they do. They had been trained millitary style since they were young.
Eventually, he walked away. Must had decided he'd played with us enough for one day.
Afterwards, we walked back through the cream gates, back to reality if it's even worthy of being called that. We sat down as Chloe came over and said that Matt, Lauren and Josh were being operated on and had a strong chance of survival. We errupted with excitement but soon the nerves began to set in.
"What if they don't pull through?" Brent asked, he stared blankly at the floor, trying to blink back tears. "they will." i said patting him on the back reassuringly before going off to get changed.
It had been about half an hour before chloe returned. "alright lads, sit down" she said as she stood in front of us, we did as she asked, staring up at her like lost puppies.
"they didn't pull through guys," she said calmly and then she fell to the floor. Tears streamed down her face uncontrollably and the rest of us sat staring at the floor. A deafening silence swept the camp.
That day was unforgettable for all the wrong reasons. You can hear and see people drowning in blood and fear and there is nothing you can do about it.
we lost three members of the platoon that day. A devastating number by anyone's standards. Josh, Lauren and Matt are now nothing more than stars in the sky that form constellations. All just a shadow of the life they once lived.
I was later medically discharged from the army on the grounds that i have post traumatic stress disorder.
I still have night mares about that day. The truth is when you see something like that it will never leave you. It will haunt you until the day you die. It will consume you're mind and become all you think about." He says as his voice cracks, he salutes and leaves, before saying "So, for the last time i will say, my name is Private Dylan Smith and despite the horrors that took place on the eleventh of october, it has been an honour to serve my country.
*
A/N
hey guys! hope you like this one! please comment and vote, let me know what you think of this! x
