Hostile

Chapter 11

Claire looked at me with a horrified face and Gilbert just waved his hand across his face and said, "oh, she's fine, we're not going back for her now, it took 9 hours to get here." I looked at him enraged and yelled, "damn it Gilbert, there's a war going on she's not fine, she's probably worried sick wondering where the hell we are, we would be lucky if she survives a day! We're going back for now, or tomorrow." I shouldn't have given him a choice, but what was said, was said. Gilbert sighed and said, "fine, we go tomorrow." I nodded my head and we went to go see Jerry.
      
Once we found him in this old hospital tent he was sleeping. "Jerry," I whispered. Jerry's eyes came fluttering open and once he saw us he gasped and tried to hug us, but he was in terrible shape. The left side of his face was blown off, his legs looked like they were about to fall off and were hanging on by a thread. The bandages that were also helping them to stay intact were soaked with blood.
 
       "It's good to see you, Tom," said Jerry. I was surprised that he could speak, most people would have had damaged voice boxes or would lose their voice completely. "It's good to see you too, Jerry, you're lucky to be alive." He laughs even though it wasn't funny and says, "I should have died, nobody else would have survived that explosion, so why should I?"

  "I don't know? Maybe it's a sign that you're meant to do something amazing?"

  "Like what?"

  "That's for you to figure out, not me."  
          
Hours pass and Jerry is fast asleep. I was sleeping next to his bed, when Gilbert came running in and said, "Tom, wake up!" My eyes fly open and I head outside to see the U.S. military sergeant. My head was spinning, I already knew where this was heading.

  "Private Tom," said the sergeant. "I'm Sergeant Cash and you're now being drafted to the U.S. army."  I stood there, mouth open and in complete shock and horror. A shiver ran down my spine, my mouth went dry and I could barely speak, but I forced myself to say, "but sergeant I..."
 
"Don't 'but' sergeant me, you will fight in this war and you will obey my orders period." He walked away as I stood there in terror, wondering if this was the last day to spend time with Jerry and Claire.
     

      
When I went back to tell Jerry the horrible news, I saw Rose and Ariana standing next to him. "How the hell did you guys get here?" I asked as I hugged both of them. "It's a long story," said Ariana. As they were talking and laughing with Jerry, I stood there knowing that it was the worst time to tell them, but I had to. "I got drafted." I said interrupting them. "They need more men now than ever, so the sergeant-" Arinana cut me off as she hugged me. Tears were streaming down her face. "Please, don't go," she said, her voice shaky. "I have to, I don't have a choice, Arinana."
  
"Yes you do, Tom."
   
  "No, I don't, if I did then I wouldn't go. I know that I'm going to die, but at least I'll die trying to win this damn war for you, for all of you."  Soon after sergeant Cash came and said, "it's time, Private, wrap it up, we have to move!" My heart skipped a beat or 2, my blood ran cold. Ariana hugged me once more, Jerry tried to do the same, but Claire wasn't ready to say good-bye, probably for good. "I'll be fine," I told her. In tears she ran towards me and kissed me for the first and possibly last time. "Tom!" yelled the sergeant angrily. "We have to move, now!" I ran out of the tent, heart pounding in fear. The war has just begun, but my life as we knew it is coming to an end.