November 12, 2133
Creole, Lousiania
27Please respect copyright.PENANAcXF3xJziTS
27Please respect copyright.PENANAvsIRaSgHW8
Taking Hill B-502 proved to be pointless. The hill provided no tactical advantage for our artillery, since we had already secured more effective, sloped hills.
27Please respect copyright.PENANAvOSAEHN3i2
In the two hours we were on the hill, we lost 133 men. Alpha Killer Division was almost eliminated, while Scroll Division had lost 95% of their forces. We suffered very few losses compared to our sister Divisions. All of our new guys were killed, Timothy and Zach were also killed. I always thought Zach would make it. I was wrong. Hill B-502 was later renamed Burg Hill due to it being a meat grinder.
27Please respect copyright.PENANAUc390dsTuc
Daniel didn’t recover after Timothy’s death. He blamed himself for a long time. Daniel lost himself and commited suicide one night. I walked in seconds before he fired a shotgun into his lower jaw. With Daniel’s suicide, Command sent us to Cameron for R&R.
27Please respect copyright.PENANAz4ZMr8rq4P
Alpha Sector was more civilized than our sector. There were towns and small farms that were willing to support the NCC. Cameron quickly rebuilt and the Mayor welcomed any and all NCC troops. A lot of troops went to Cameron for R&R. Troops at Creole built trenches and mortar positions, troops at Cameron built bars and clubs.
27Please respect copyright.PENANA7vnkTxEEPs
While at Cameron I met someone. She was a bartender. Her and I had a similar vibe. I’ll never forget her.
27Please respect copyright.PENANAVlM416YTwe
I sat down at the bar for a drink. A beautiful woman came to me and asked, “can I get you anything?”
27Please respect copyright.PENANApdHdyloDZG
She had long red hair that touched her shoulder blades and glistening blue eyes. She was curved like a back road at home. She held her head up with a smile and shirt in a knot on her side. She wore tight jeans with a brown belt. She was wonderful. I almost forgot about the war for just a second. I relished that second.
27Please respect copyright.PENANAaM0zDPqq0l
I told her, “I’d like a lite.”
27Please respect copyright.PENANAP7uqO5GJ6U
She nodded, pouring a lite beer into a glass. She asked, “you from around here?”
27Please respect copyright.PENANAXE1f2LJRia
I shook my head, “I’m from Georgia.”
27Please respect copyright.PENANAH3Txxmo3yq
“So you’re with the NCC I assume.”
27Please respect copyright.PENANAfGz4Giq778
“You assume correct.”
27Please respect copyright.PENANApdFzkiVrni
“Well, my name’s Katey. Friends call me Kate.”
27Please respect copyright.PENANAcEn8hfx5wf
“I’m Matthew. Friends call me Kid.”
27Please respect copyright.PENANAmAcYPAQ3Mv
“You don’t look like a Kid. Nor Matthew.”
27Please respect copyright.PENANAGenOOa1x71
“Well, Mom always had a bad naming scheme.”
27Please respect copyright.PENANA6yuNY1D9A2
“Yeah. Moms huh?”
27Please respect copyright.PENANABpBkTFwxrz
“They’re the best.”
27Please respect copyright.PENANAftWdptZJpj
“Or the worst.”
27Please respect copyright.PENANAv0FznUuSxj
“Depends on where you sit.”
27Please respect copyright.PENANAZrdCJOisV8
“I never sat too close to home.”
27Please respect copyright.PENANA4FkUCgDLCV
“I wish I stayed home.”
27Please respect copyright.PENANAaVVdELyBzp
“You’re a draftee?”
27Please respect copyright.PENANAjrDIW8Lvw4
“Yeah.”
27Please respect copyright.PENANAhyGYXCyP2c
“I’m sorry you had to get involved.”
27Please respect copyright.PENANAlkjkCr30Hg
“If it led me to you, I’m okay with it.”
27Please respect copyright.PENANAhA96b2dfuN
She smiled and brushed her hair back. She said, “I get off in twenty. I can show you around Cameron if you want.”
27Please respect copyright.PENANAsrIRW4xIuN
I chuckled, “are you just trying to get a good tip?”
27Please respect copyright.PENANAeEuR5PUenH
“No. I can show you a few tips though. Joana’s bar closes but it re-opens at midnight as a night club. Fun stuff.”
27Please respect copyright.PENANAmp9lB3cwfW
We traversed the town all night. She showed me where she had her first kiss, where she went to school, and where her father bought a business. Eventually, she took me to her apartment.
27Please respect copyright.PENANAXK4e1p4ncA
We sat on the couch and watched a few movies together. I never had sex with any woman before, so I didn’t know the sudtle hints she started sliding at me. She asked questions, I answered.
27Please respect copyright.PENANAbu1lzUxZv5
One question she asked was difficult, “am I just a one night stand to you?”
27Please respect copyright.PENANA8EqZm6s887
I didn’t know what I wanted. For my entire life I was told what to do. I was told where to go, when to do it, and how to. Now, I had someone asking me to make my own decision. I didn’t know how to answer.
27Please respect copyright.PENANA7aH0kgGHOq
She asked, “what do you want?”
27Please respect copyright.PENANAsFksSpjiRB
All I wanted was her. The first woman I was ever attracted to, and I found her in a goddamned warzone. I looked into her ocean blue eyes and said, “I want you. Just you. Whatever that comes with.”
27Please respect copyright.PENANALpOAtcL6bh
I left her apartment to let her sleep. I snuck into the barracks, trying to not wake Tent. While I was getting into my bunk, a hand laid on my back. Instinctively, I reached for a nearby rifle. The figure grabbed the rifle and tore it from my hands. Tent whispered, “it’s me Rogers!”
27Please respect copyright.PENANAm7sE9OeGi6
I sat down in my bed, “I’m sorry Sergeant. I’m so sorry.”
27Please respect copyright.PENANA4ts4jvMK4F
He sighed, “that was my fault son. I’m sorry. Where have you been? I was about to put in a missing person report.”
27Please respect copyright.PENANAChY44QP9Em
“I was hanging out with one of the bartenders. I really like her.”
27Please respect copyright.PENANAT3LxCRAEQZ
“Well shit. Why are you here?”
27Please respect copyright.PENANAPW0f311GY8
“I didn’t want to get in trouble.”
27Please respect copyright.PENANARVg37iNG0B
“What?! Come on. Are you going to see her tomorrow?”
27Please respect copyright.PENANA2gYXzccUH6
“Yeah I’m trying to.”
27Please respect copyright.PENANA8L1fODNkJk
“Okay. I’ll wake you at 0700. Be ready.”
27Please respect copyright.PENANAEqsB76PpAv
He patted my shoulder, “goodnight Rogers.”
27Please respect copyright.PENANAyJLJDKtbM6
I nodded, “goodnight Sergeant.”
27Please respect copyright.PENANABCqsxM8Wq9
In the morning, Tent woke me up and brought me outside. We crossed the town into a lush field full of flowers and cows. Tent picked a few of the flowers and gave them to me. I asked, “what’s this for?”
27Please respect copyright.PENANAnwqU4jvdjx
“For her. Of course.”
27Please respect copyright.PENANAce26ZHt8co
“Oh. Thank you Sergeant.”
27Please respect copyright.PENANAMR4WNKq8HM
“I had a wife once, I said the same thing as you when I met her. My Sergeant did the same, so I might as well carry on his legacy.”
27Please respect copyright.PENANAmyYcJhIirq
“Sergeant?”
27Please respect copyright.PENANAd2Z6IaZogf
“Yeah?”
27Please respect copyright.PENANAqWjqoCr5hQ
“Do you mind me asking what happened? To your men. Daniels told me…”
27Please respect copyright.PENANAq312QVyXHl
“We were ambushed. A few of my men got away but were snatched up by Tigers Breed. I was wounded and my Captain, who was also my Sergeant once, carried me across four miles of mine fields and trenches. He was shot but kept moving until he reached an aid station. He died that night, while I lived. I divorced my wife after I found her in bed with one of my soldiers who was on leave.”
27Please respect copyright.PENANA9tKJ2TOUJx
“Sergeant… I’m sorry.”
27Please respect copyright.PENANAu6zsPkmgCB
“It’s fine Kid. I figured you deserve to know.”
27Please respect copyright.PENANAoblAWO7wZC
“Thank you. That means a lot.”
27Please respect copyright.PENANA3hIBKk73HA
“Rogers, I wanna say you’ve come far. Farther than I would have ever asked you. I’m proud of you. When the opportunity comes, I want you to be Devil Dogs new Staff Sergeant. Once we get reinforced I’ll be moving up to Lieutenant.”
27Please respect copyright.PENANAOLQdhzCF8g
“Of course I will, Sergeant.”
27Please respect copyright.PENANAgCv7yE7cEo
“Good. Well what are you waiting for? Go get that girl.”
27Please respect copyright.PENANAVHRPH8tLQf
I walked to Kate’s apartment and knocked on the door. Nobody came, so I knocked again. Nobody came. I sighed, “what the fuck where you thinking Matt?”
27Please respect copyright.PENANACm8qnX52sy
I walked back down the stairs, kicking myself for falling so quickly. Why would I have emotions for a girl I just met? She could be screwing everyone on base right now. Fucking stupid.
27Please respect copyright.PENANAGg9zpty5QG
A soft voice alarmed me, “hey Kid.”
27Please respect copyright.PENANA3DFtN8iIDi
I looked up from my dragging feet to see Kate. She stood in a pair of leggings and a dark grey hoodie. Sweat drops were rolling down her face and off her fingertips. She asked, “are you stalking me?”
27Please respect copyright.PENANAeNCN0cuxPx
I shook my head, panicking, “uh… no! I came by to… to see if you had… any uh…”
27Please respect copyright.PENANAi7gJjD16pW
She chuckled, “I’m kidding. I just got back from the gym. Want to catch a movie? Burning River episode two is out.”
27Please respect copyright.PENANAuZvMhC2VHe
I smiled, “I’d love that.”
27Please respect copyright.PENANA8nEmNVmtrV
I reached into my pocket and showed her the flowers Tent retrieved. She smiled, and her eyes lit up. She gasped, “are those flowers?”
27Please respect copyright.PENANADozWgeQ6eW
I shook my head, “no no. They’re bullets. Found them in the armory.”
27Please respect copyright.PENANA4g91pvr1pL
She grabbed the flowers and smelled them. She sighed, tearing up, “I’m sorry. Geez.”
27Please respect copyright.PENANAGqnV9BzgT2
She turned away and started fanning her eyes. Concerned, I asked, “I’m sorry. Are you allergic?”
27Please respect copyright.PENANAhdzwpnMuEA
“No no-” She turned back to me, “I don’t mean to sound like a brat, but no one has ever done this for me. Thank you Matthew.”
27Please respect copyright.PENANAaFpAd0VW3r
I nodded, “yeah! No problem.”
27Please respect copyright.PENANAzOrjK8nTFb
We watched movies all day and she made me meals. She made fish tacos at lunch, and a coconut breaded chicken breast for dinner. Coming off baked bean MREs and shitty mess hall food, her cooking gave me a sense of home. Her smile gave me a sense of hope. Her presence gave me life.
27Please respect copyright.PENANA9UlzG1Jmah
That’s when I knew I wanted to make love to her. She made me feel human. For months I had to pretend to be this ruthless killing machine without my own thoughts. She let me be human.
27Please respect copyright.PENANAKZEfhtilXq
But, I couldn’t be human for long. In early September, we got orders to head for Lake Charles and secure it.
ns 172.69.7.64da2