OK. It's morning. Already hotter than hell. Thought maybe this was just a bad dream. But think maybe now those dreams are yet to come. Pretty numb all over. Chewed up some pills they gave us for "remote injuries" to kill pain. Without water. Don't try this at home.
Gulls are back. Or maybe some other kind of bird. Who knows. Everything over here is so damn different. God, I keep thinking about where I'd rather be. Drinking a Coke with peanuts. Who I'd like to see right now. Sorry Mom, but it's not you so much. It's actually, Aurora.
Yeah, you don't know her. Was a girl in my math class. Back at Jefferson High. Senior and Junior year. Man, could she do math! And looked like a goddess while doing it! 100% the most beautiful girl west of the Big Muddy. So sexy in that sweet, "I never have bad thoughts, so why do you?" kind of way. A pure angel, though, Aurora. She's stuck in my mind this day along with a frosty glass of water.
Heard more choppers last night but too far away. Shit! They can't get a satellite bead on a blood-soaked soldier against a white desert ground? What's up with those guys? Guess they never imagined a state champ tight-end could run a button hook so far down field, huh guys? And them chopper pilots! Hell, probably some Ivy-league-assed fly-boys who never played the in the big games. Surely not before this big ugly game. They probably just want to get back from the rescue op to play tennis. Or video games on base. Total ass-bites!
Just woke up again. Must be the heat and pills. Feeling pretty fuzzy this second day out. No water. Little movement in my legs. Kind of in and out of things. Was dreaming about Aurora again. Thinking about her drinking an icy Coke in the school cafeteria. Sucking so dainty on that light blue straw. Jesus! She never looked up. Never knew I was hypnotized by her in math class. All that time checking out her legs and ponytail gave me no time for algebra, that's for sure. But I guess she wouldn't know that. Especially now.
Aurora, if you can't save me here, at least look up. And smile, girl. I might die happy just with that. Might die by tonight.
Feeling faint again. Laterz, guys.
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YOU ARE READING
Aurora: A Soldier's Brief Diary
Short StoryA chilling four-day diary left on a soldier's cell phone tells a tale which pushes the boundaries of our understanding of the human heart. What nineteen-year-old private Harmon was to learn about the powers of desire in the last moments of his life...
