Gears of War: Dave Carmine's Story

The Cost

I woke up the next morning before any one else was up. i looked around... the building was still standing. that was a good sign that the world was too. i got up and walked over to the window and seen five locusts, probably a scout squad or a kill squad to finish the job, walk by. i quickly ducked. i quietly woke everyone else up and we snuck out the front door. i crept along the back wall and i looked around the corner. i seen one of them stick the chainsaw bayonet of a lancer into the gut of a dead civilian and turn it on. it all seemed like it was casual to them. I think they even chuckled. i gestured for the silent one to loop far round to our right so we could flank them.

After he was in position i sent Benjamin over. he was always clumsy, he already lost his helmet. as he was silently running he tripped over a pothole and fell strait in his face. Rios started laughing so loud it could challenge standing right next to a train. even though thats not what did it, the locusts knew we were there and got Benjamin in their sights. he just laid there with his hands behind his head waiting to die. before they got the shot off the silent one ran in front of Benjamin as a meat shield. but they took a shot before he got there. he dove to take the bullet, and he did, right below his heart.

Everyone seen that and began to open fire, killing them all in seconds. i ran over to him and took off his helmet. i was in shock... it was Stricklin... i thought he was dead... "Hey buddy..." he said faintly "i feel colder than those dead locust corpses will be in a second." "Stop talking, youll need the energy." I assured "no i wont" he replied "did i save your brother? thats all i need to know." "yes... yes you did." I said. he reached under his armor and grabbed his COG tags. he ripped them off "win this for Sgt. Johnson..." he said. "no." i replied, "ill win this for Omega Squad... not just him." he smiled as he handed me the tags and his eyes closed, his hand still in mine, clenched around the tag.

I sat there for a moment. i know about how Johnson felt. i lost another brother and the worst part is is that i didnt know who he was until that point. i looked in my hand. there was 4 tags. Two of them had his name on it. it read Private Josh Stricklin, 3rd Scouting Squad, 4th Battalion. the other two read Captain Luke Johnson, 2nd Infantry Division, 1st Battalion and Private Jim Johnson, 2nd Infantry Division, 1st Battalion. so thats what happened to them. im glad i finally found out, although i wish they would've made it. im the only person left from omega, and im now the leader of my own squad... and i just lost a man...

If my career goes like Johnson's, its only going to get worse from here. I stood back up. "command.... This is Zulu 1, Zulu 3 was KIA, requesting an evac." a short pause "well Zulu its good to hear from you, you've been away for hours without checking in, i got worried." she finished talking. "Ya, we asked for an evac but someone else was on the other end and they rejected us." i pleaded "well" she started "since COG is taking such major casualties we are supposed to attempt to evac everyone who requests. we are on the edge of extinction so we need every man we can get. im sorry for your lose." she finished saying.

A long pause followed... "wait.... you knew?" i asked "knew what?" she replied "knew that i had a man from my old squad with me." another long pause... "wait Stricklin died?..." "yes he WAS Zulu 3..." all i heard over the comms was sobbing. "he was going to be a father.... and i didn't tell him..." yet another long pause with sobbing in the back round. "He was going to be a father?" I asked with sympathy "yes... and i didnt tell him..." the rest of my squad was silent starring down at the ground. "Well in death, he saved a life..." i said softly "Well thats good... he always wanted to be a hero... Who'd he save?" she asked "Benjamin... he tripped and alerted a scout patrol that we were there. when they fired he jumped in front of their bullets and saved him. I can't tell you how grateful i am for that." i finished saying

A long pause followed "well Zulu... evac in ETA 10 minutes." she said in almost a whisper. "thank you... and im sorry." and then comms went off. "well guys." i said softly "get him in a building.... we have to hold here for a while..." when we got him outside rios kicked the wall. soon after a dozen locusts started to fire in the front window of the place. we had barely any ammo to hold them off so we had to revert to our chainsaws and knifes at one point. we were out of ammo and gas for our chainsaws and more showed up. we were able to handle the one or two that would come through the door with our knifes but eventually they just stayed out of here. then i started to think, there's no way we're making it out of here.

Then the raven showed up. the mini gun on the side attracted most of the fire but eventually they were all dead. after it landed Benjamin and i picked up Stricklin and carried him out if the building while rios,Ryan, and Clayton reloaded and covered us. once we got back to base we had a memorial to remember him by.

I apologize for how long it took me to get this part out, i just didnt feel like writing a lot so i got it done little by little but i think i did a better job this way rather than putting something out that i half-assed to meet a dead line or something like that. I hope you guys understand and to everyone thats been with this book series up till now, i thank you, with our the support i got, and without seeing how many people have read the first book, i would've never made it this far. i do this for the fans and all that i ask for in return is that you comment on how it could be better.

Or if it's perfect, tell me that so i know not to change what im doing. thanks again

-commander1