At War: Short Story

Day One

Today was the day. I wasn't sure what to expect when I showed up. I'll be honest, the path to get here terrified me. Once word of the severity about the globe war spread, my dad told my brother and I that we had to go make this country proud, but it was mostly for him. A patriot at heart that felt inferior as age crept onto him like the plague. My brother was sent off when he was just 16 and ever since he came home injured, it was never the same. Soldiers were dropping left and right, I was thankful that he even got to come home. My dad, however, wasn't.

My dad looked up to Steven so much; always told me I should be more like him: brave and courageous. But those were his qualities, not mine. A global war that was only getting darker and darker as storm clouds stayed permanent over the dusty sky.

Stephen used to tell me horror stories about his days spent buried in the mud, wondering if the enemy would stumble upon him. About how he hated closing his eyes at night, worried that the last night that he would ever see me was in his dreams.

I started to understand his pain as nightmares flooded my thoughts, wrecking havoc on my sleep, the passed couple days. Almost like my brain was foreshadowing for today.

The ride here seemed like it took forever. Ever second ticking by like a prison sentence. Steven sat like a statue in the passenger seat as my dad drove with a mission.

Crows surrounded this place like flies to a carcass. It reeked of fuel and burned wood. Mud clenched to the pants of my uniform.

My body is throbbing and it feels like my brain is smashing against my skull. Maybe it's because I'm not used to it yet; the yelling, the screaming, waking up at 4 am to do drills, the general reminders that everyday I wake up prepared to die. I've been told that it takes time to adjust to, so I'll give it time. Hopefully, tomorrow will be a better day.