Drafted- A Story Of Heroes

5

The next day I went to talk to our Kino. He was doing things to get our department ready. 

"Come in!" I opened the door, knowing he'd be upset that an Olient was bothering him rather than preparing.

"Sir." He stopped his paperwork and looked up to me. 

"Yes?" 

"I'd like more information. I understand my position but my follow fifths count on me as much as they do Jones. I'm their emotional outlet, sir. How can I comfort them without knowing anything myself? How can we do our jobs properly without knowledge of the job?" He laughed.

"Son, where your going you won't need to know anything. It's all do. You don't have a job other than kill and come back." He looked back down to his paperwork. Our conversation was over. I turned on my heels and opened the door. 

"Our deaths will be on your conscious." I looked behind myself to him.

"And our families grieving will be the sounds that haunt you at night along with our screams." I shut the door behind myself and walked over to Denise and grabbed her.

"Could you come with me?" I pulled her along with me as I marched out of the building. 

"What's going on?" I kept my focus on the path ahead of me rather than her. 

"I yelled at the Kino."

"You what?" She practically shouted at me. I turned to her and shushed her.

"Not actually I just told him that if we die its his fault." 

"I'm sure the Kino knows that."

"He does, he just doesn't care." I stopped walking once we got to the edge of the base.

"I need you to do me a favor." She nodded.

"Anything. Of course." I handed her a letter I had wrote.

"I need you to deliver that to Linda Starker. 128 apple bee street."

"Is that?"

"Yes. My girlfriend." I smiled gently and kissed her cheek. 

"Thank you. I wasn't sure how I'd even be able to say goodbye." She nodded.

"Just keep your eye on coming home." She patted my nape and a tear fell down her face. She grabbed my collar and fixed it. 

"When you first came here you were nothing more than a boy. But now look at you...." She looked me over. "You're a man. Don't forget who you are out there, soldier Olient John Davis." She saluted me. I tried to smile but it was hard. 

"Nothing much to it, ma'am." I saluted her. "Denise Brown I hope your family comes home safe and sound to you."

"And I hope you come back." She finished sniffling and looked behind me. 

"Looks like you are off the hook, I don't see anyone coming after us." I looked behind us and didn't see anyone.

"Goodbye, Davis." She walked around me. Today was her last day. She'd be going home, unless they needed her again. The war was at its peak and she could only do so much. I watched her go back into the building we had just ran from. I turned and walked to the wall. A huge wall we have to learn to climb over in full gear. I struggled with it the most. I have little to no muscle. I stared at it before going and grabbed my pack. I put it on and grabbed the rope. The purpose of this exercise was to help us understand what it will be like climbing to our victory. Bullshit.

 I pulled the rope, checking it for my safety. I grabbed the rope and wrapped it around my hand slightly and started my way up. The purpose of this was to torture myself. 

"What are you doing?" I lost my grip and fell but my hand was still wrapped around the rope. I was hanging on just from that.

I screamed, Fen pushed me up by the foot and held me there so I could undo my hand. After he sat me down and looked at my hand. It was shaking and bruised. I held it, trying to stop that shaking. I looked to Fen for answers. He winced as he saw it. 

"Davis..." He trailed off.

"Looks like your going to battle with a broken hand." He helped me up and took me to the meds quorts. 

"Could anyone spear some time for my friend here?" He asked aloud. A nurse turned around. She looked down to my hand and walked over quickly. 

"What reg?" She asked calmly. 

"Fifth ma'am." I answered. Her sigh was telling me everything. And for a moment I hoped they wouldn't send me.

"I think I'll have you good enough to ship out." She nodded to herself and sat me down.

"I'll go get some things. I'll be back." Fen bent down to me and whispered.

"I got to go. I have to finish some things up. Sorry about your hand." He tried to run away but I held him in place.

"You're the one who caused this. You're staying." He knelt down.

"Yes sir." He rolled his eyes. She came back and I braced myself. 

"I hate you Olient Roger Fen!" I screamed as she set the bones and wrapped them up.  When it was dinner time Fen went over the whole story with the others. I couldn't look up from my food. My face red. Jones slammed his fork down.

"Shut it! We have a long week ahead of us and laughing before eating isn't going to help. Olient Davis I'd like a word." I stood up and walked out with him.

"Yes sir?" I held my wounded hand.

"What'd they say?" 

"I'll be able to ship out sir." He nodded his head.

"And your hand? How is it feeling?"

"Like shit sir." 

"Go ahead and rest."

"But sir, we still have two miles to run later."

"That's an order. I'll talk to Lancy about it."

"Yes sir." I walked ahead. Sleep is the best medicine but I didn't want to be treated different than the others. It'd just confirm the fact that I'm weaker than them. I slept like a baby despite not wanting to.