There we sat. In a wet spot of this vast green hell scape. It was pouring rain down on us. What little layers I had were soaked all the way through and my hands were freezing, despite the constant humidity and heat. It felt like I was wading through molasses. At that moment, it was starting to get dark. Most of the other boys here were starting to get scared. At night, those demons came out. Right now, they wouldn’t try and kill us. It’s too dangerous for them. With our Phantoms and Specters, we’re far too deadly to them, but when they could hide under the cover of the dark, our powers were useless. The ground was their domain. The sky was ours. Even so, our elders started this battle. For their sake we fight. Not for glory or for personal fulfillment, but because they told us too.
As night fell, the rest of the boys huddled close together. The constant rain soaked us even with our layers of clothing, or maybe that was just the sweat. We set up a small camp. A perimeter was made with a few of our boys watching, while the rest slept, or at least tried to sleep. Those boys who were watching us had one of the hardest jobs in the world. Stay awake in the most monotonous possible situation, yet If one sleeps, he could see him and all his friends perish in a matter of minutes. I couldn’t sleep. The ground was too wet for it to be comfortable. As a laid against the near by tree, I looked up to the night sky. Obscuring it was the double canopy jungle. This place was hell. Even if one didn’t see it yet, they would in a matter of weeks, if not days. I closed my eyes and thought back to the start. When I first arrived here, I remember the distinct humid punch I got the moment I stepped foot on the concrete base. The sky almost had a constant tinge of orange. I walked with the rest of my luggage to someone. I can’t remember who. That was so long ago. It’s been ages since that day. Now, with just a couple more months left, I count the days till I leave. Till I get back to the world.
In the distance, I could hear the creek of insects. The slithering of snakes, or maybe the steps of a leopard. My eyes were tired. I couldn’t pay attention. Slowly, my mind drifted to a new reality. I could see my family. My mother sitting on the front porch. She sat like that for hours. I always asked her why she just sits. She always told me the same thing.
“Come here. Take a chair and sit with me. Maybe today you’ll understand.”
I never did. My father was sometimes with her, smoking his pipe while reading, or maybe he was inside doing the same thing. My younger brother might have been playing outside some days. Laughing and running with the endless energy that children always have. I yearn for that same enthusiasm. The excitement for even the little things. It’s a reality I wish I was in right now.
Slowly the image was fading.
“Wait. No. I need to stay. I can’t be in this hell hole any longer. PLEASE!”
The image faded into white, and I was being jolted awake. A hand on my shoulder violently shook me.
“WAKE UP!”
“What? What’s happening?” In my slightly groggy panic I wanted to know who disturbed my precious slumber.
At that very moment that I finished the sentence an object bolted less than an inch from my head. With a slightly delayed crack following it. I reflexively jumped to the side with fear. At took a second to look around and everyone was awake and up in arms. It was still dark, and the only light came from the wizzing metal projectiles coming at us. The guys around me were scrambling with their weapons to try and respond to the hail of fire coming our way. I was still disoriented but I knew what to do. I clambered my way to a defensible position and prepared to fight back. In the pitch black night of the jungle, with the soaking rain, and the rolling hills, I fought with the adrenaline that remained in my system.
A second later, I felt a massive burst of heat, then a bang louder than anything I had ever heard, followed by the shock wave acting like a sucker punch. I fell back a couple feet and collapsed. That explosion rocked my head. It felt like my brain was vibrating in my skull. My head couldn’t stop spinning. In a moment, my eyes began close as my head fell from the world. It felt like my brain just passed out, and my body was barely acting on the last signals it got. My arms and chest were screaming in pain from the shrapnel piercing my flesh, yet I couldn’t move, or scream, or do anything. All I could see was the distant light. Was I dead? Is that Heaven? Is it, Hell?
No. It couldn’t be. I can’t go yet. I can’t rest my soul in hell!
“As the man ascended, he viewed Saint Peter standing before him, and the man simply said, just another Soldier reporting for duty. I already served my time in hell.”