Battle: The Last 5 Seconds

Chapter 2: The Departure

I woke up the next day before anyone else because I couldn’t sleep, I just kept thinking about the call I had gotten last night why did they need me so badly. I decided to just go with it and stop worrying about the whole thing so I made some breakfast for the kids and Laura and while I was cooking at that exact moment I realized that I was leaving tomorrow. After everyone ate and me and Laura cleaned up I decided I should get all my stuff ready. Everyone went back to their regular lives doing what they usually did no one said a word about me leaving and it made me kind of forget about the whole thing.

That night I couldn’t get to sleep I kept thinking about the whole thing of me leaving, and would I be safe and make it home all in one piece?

Then just like that it was Sunday morning time to go to the airport and catch my flight I was so devastated that I had to leave my family. We walked into the airport got everything ready and then we had to wait we sat and waited it seemed like forever and then the speaker said my plane and I thought oh joy I get to leave my family now it was a terrible moment the kids and Laura stood up with the saddest looks on their faces I gave them each a huge hug. Then I turned around and there stood Laura balling her eyes out and then I started to cry with her we hugged for a while but it felt so short, I then gave her a kiss goodbye then I looked straight ahead and started walking toward the gateway so I could board the plane.

The plane ride seemed like forever it smelled like mildew and old people, there was a little boy behind me just sitting there kicking my seat every few minutes. It finally landed and I couldn’t not wait a second longer to get off that plane. I was waiting in the airport lobby when I then saw walking toward me Captain Barkley so I met him halfway and said,

"Hello Captain its nice to see you it seems like forever since we had last seen each other"

He answered " Yes it has been a while, well why don’t we go into the car and talk some more"

We were in a really nice black limo with a TV, hot tub, mini fridge, ignoring it all I asked the Captain

" So why did you need me to come on such short notice"

He answered" Well John we realize you are very good working with bombs, frequently in Iraq there have been many bomb sittings and we need you to help us out if you are up to it"

I sat there listening and then when he was done I thought do I really have a choice if I want to or not I mean I am already here? So I just improvised and said

" Well of course I will I mean you said it yourself I am one of the best'

He was ecstatic and replied" That it great news well you will be going to the training center tomorrow and you will meet your team and work on deactivating some bombs so you are ready when it is the real thing but right now we are going to the hotel so be ready for an early rising so we can hit the road"

I just sat there thinking well this is great I would much rather be with my family watching movies, laughing and having a great time I almost started crying but I held it back because that would have been really embarrassing.