"I see them! They're over here!"
My body hurts, even more than it did. It's hot and it hurts. A figure appears overhead, quickly pulling me away from the hole I was dropped in. The figure pats my body, harder than I'd like but the burning isn't as bad when he's done.
"Roach, open your eyes, come on mate." He pulls my helmet and mask off. "Fu-"
"Language, Archer."
"Shut up Toad. How's Ghost?*
"Still breathing, but barely."
"Same with Roach... bloody hell... bring the car closer. We have to move them."
"Where would we even go?" Toads voice sounds like it's getting further away.
"I...I'm thinking." My vest feels like it's beeing pulled but I can't focus much on what Archers doing. He pats my cheek a little, "Mate..."
A car gets closer. I feel myself starting to get pulled again. Blood fills my mouth, leading me to cough a lot and almost choke. Archer or Toad, I don't know which, get me to sit up enough for me to throw up some blood. It feels like I'm breathing easier since my balaclava's off and now lost to Georgian forest. The car moves, when I assume Ghost is in too. I hope he'll be okay.
A borrowed car with borrowed time. Toad keeps telling us to keep our eyes open but it's hard to do much of anything, let alone breath. It feels like a chore, one that I'd keep telling Mum I'd get to but forget. I hope Mum won't be mad.
Sleep seems to call more. The time I shouldn't of been given leads me to think back about what I did to get here. "You wanna be like Dad. I get it." Cal chuckles but it fades. "He'd probably encourage it if he were here..."
"You think so?" I question, unsure of it.
"Yeah of course! He'd want you to do what makes you happy. Rugby made you happy, but if it doesn't he wouldn't want you doing it anymore."
"But rugby does make me happy... I just think being a soldier would make me even more happy!"
He messes with my hair, "We should wait to tell Mum though. I'm not sure she'd like to hear that just yet."
"But why, Cal?"
"She's scared."
"Scared? Why..? Dad made her really happy. Wouldn't this make her happy too?"
"I'm not so sure... plus it's so sudden that you wanted to do this..."
"... Will you be scared too Cal?"
"Always. But I think that's just because you're my favorite brother." He pulls me into a tight hug.
"Caaaaal! I'm you're only brother-!"
"Exactly. That's why you're my favorite."
Archer and Toad's frantic talking and almost yelling over comms breaks me from that bittersweet memory. Dad would be proud of me, at least I hope. I never told Cal, but I feel like Dad wasn't as happy with me as Cal believed. I got hurt a lot, I know I was a problem, and I never knew what to say. Dad being in the military, his presence, was scary to me. As much as I was in awe that he was a national hero, I was scared I'd do something wrong. Would he be proud of me? Of a supposed criminal, in Shepherds eyes at least.
"Gary! Callum!" Mum shouts, getting Cal and i to run downstairs.
"What is it Mummy?" Cal asks, hugging her.
She smiles a little, then pats his head. "Daddy's home."
"He is?!" Cal and I shout in tandem.
We're quickly picked up by Dad. He must of been hiding. Cal and I laugh a bit as he spins us around.
"Daddy! Do you have stories?!" Cal asks as we get put down.
"Always Cal." Dad chuckles. He walks over to the couch with us. We sit down on the floor in front of him. "Why don't I tell you about some men I met. They actually told me a crazy story."
"Please keep it safe, Ollie." Mum says, warning Dad a little. He waves her off, saying he will. She sighs then leaves us.
"The story Daddy! Tell us! Tell us!" Cal bounces a little.
"Okay Cal. Now, there's this Captain, old Mac. He told me about some of his trips before. He said he helped the S.A.S. and the whole country."
"Really?"
"Mhm. Old Mac is a good guy. He's a really nice friend ands told me about a Lieutenant he has. Now," Dad starts to talk highly about people I'll probably never meet. About soldiers that saved the world and helped the Americans with the war. The story isn't one I payed much attention to, but Dad. Dad was excited we were interested in his stories, even when they could be scary. He kept them clean and now I wish I paid more attention. I miss those stories, the ones about dangerous fights and close calls. About saving squadrons that were pinned and making daring rescues. He made me proud, even when I was unsure of how he felt about me. I just wish he had more time.
"We need evac now." Archer states. "... Yes. ... Sir I know but- ... They won't make it if we wait that long!"
My eyes lift a little, my gaze shifting up towards Archer and Toad. Toads turned back towards us but seemingly panickedly sifting through first aid material. He's tending to Ghost more than me. I bet he has worse wounds than mine. I just barely manage to shift my hand over towards him.
"Roach!" Toad says a bit loud. He leans over and looks me over while I'm more awake. I quietly let him, putting more energy into breathing than paying attention. Though my hand manages to shift. It rests on Ghosts leg.
"Please be okay Simon... Please..." I close my eyes again, thinking and worried.
The car keeps moving, though I start to grow more scared that I'm running out of time.
"Gary, it'll be okay." Dad says. "Whenever I'm not here and you're scared, know that the bad guys or bad thoughts can't win. Wanna know why?"
"Why Daddy..?" I ask, sniffling a little.
"Because you're a Sanderson. You're strong. You're our little roach too." He smiles. "And I'll always be with you, no matter what. I'll be fighting with you, every time."
"A..Are you sure Daddy?"
"I'm sure."
Yet I never thought I was enough for him. Cal was always better...
"You boys are lucky we were nearby!" An American voice calls to us. The sound of a helicopter starts to come into focus. Soldiers quickly rush to us. Though the group or whoever we ran into seems to be small.
"Ajax, make sure the others know we're coming." The American says.
"You're an absolute lifesaver sir!" Archer calls as he helps push me up. I cough when he does, starting to gasp for air a little. The other soldiers, soliders with balaclavas kinda like Ghosts help me out, with Archer. They quickly start tending to Ghost and I.
"Let's get you boys to safety. Just know we'll have to lay low."
YOU ARE READING
Roach
Fanfiction"I promise I'll come back in once piece." After the death of his father, Gary "Roach" Sanderson thought that he should join the military just like his dad. He never really gave it much thought and as a seven year old, it never meant much to him. As...
