Brotherhood

Sparks and flashes in every corner of my vision, missile impacts so great they shake the very core of the earth, a sea of bullets whizzing by, just barely missing the heads of our helpless regiment. “ Sarge! They’ve broken through our left flank and are pouring in right on top of us!”Sarge cursed angrily, after a brief pause he spit into dirt and stood up over the bunker cover, firing many rounds into the enemy’s direction. Hot brass and fiery rage spewed from this man, the only person I knew to have such courage to scream in the face of the reaper. He emptied his magazine and kneeled back behind cover, “ To hell with all of them devils! We couldn’t get reinforcements if God himself cleared a path!” Sarge looked around the bunker at the men he had left, roughly 20 men remained from the previous enemy attack. “Focus fire on the left fla–” Sarge was cut off by the explosion of mortar fire that eviscerated the right side bunker and any man standing in a 20 foot radius. Small fragments of concrete and soot caked the air, debris of every kind distorted vision like a cloak of death encircling us. My ears rang severely from the close explosion, I was completely disoriented… Helpless…. Bullets still fly though the cloudy air like angry hornets as I try to gather my bearings, I reach around blindly for my rifle, but it is lost in the endless rubble around me. I hear a faint voice yelling and a dark figure approaching me, death? Is that you? Have I met my end? The voice gets louder and the figure becomes more clear, it's Sarge. “ Get your ass up and get a move on, they’re closing in fast!” Sarge grabbed me by the underarm and almost carried me back to the machine gun post. His uniform was covered with blood and dust, he had a large gash in his leg slowly leaking, but most of the blood on him was not his.

 “ What happened?” Sarge angrily responded, “Mortar fire, can you fight?” I nod my head and he throws me his rifle. “We lost everyone in that blast huh?” Sarge sternly looked at me, he grabbed me by the buttons of my uniform and yelled, “ YES! WE LOST EVERYONE! IT’S ONLY ME, YOU, AND THE STAIRWAY TO VALHALLA!” He paused, still clutching my uniform he continued, “ FORTUNE FAVORS THE BRAVE JACKASS! IT’S TIME TO BE BRAVE!” 

Sarge let go of my uniform, he was fuming with pride and determination, he loaded an ammunition crate onto the 50 cal machine gun, put the first cartridge link in the chamber of the barrel, closed it, and racked it with a mighty pull, it seemed as if he was waiting for this moment his whole life. I quickly scrambled to my feet and tended to my rifle, cleaning dirt out of the barrel and making sure I had sufficient ammunition for the assault about to take place. Everything lay silent, the bunker stood still, no sign of the enemy, Sarge looked intently upon the bunker, not taking an eye off it for anything. After several moments of silence, a low rumble grew from the direction of the bunker, shouts could be heard, it sounded like several hundred men were headed our way.

 As soon as we saw the first enemy’s bootlace appear in the sunlight exposing himself to us, We let loose the thunder of Zues upon their unsuspecting heads. An endless rain of bullets hailed in their directions, hot metal piercing whatever was in its way, taking soul after soul who dared challenge us. We fired upon the enemy for what seemed like days, a number of body’s accumulated at the base of the bunker opening. We were under heavy fire and I ducked under the sand bags of the gunner post to reload my rifle. I had one magazine left for a multitude of enemy’s storming at us, I look up at Sarge fearlessly laying down fire to anything he sees move, a hail of bullets racing in his direction and not an afterthought of danger in this man, “ fortune favors the brave”, I say in my head. In that very same moment Sarge takes shots to the chest and arm, a puff of blood shoots from his body, he shutters back and slumps down in the post. I scramble over to him, holding the leaking depressions in his body, bright red blood running warm and plenty out of him. He pushed me away with the last bit of strength, he pointed at the steaming 50 cal machine gun and mouthed “go” with an uncomfortable face.

 I stood up to the machine gun looking towards the bunker, the enemy started to flood out, running toward our position, still firing plenty at our meager souls. “ Fortune favors the brave”, for a second I believed if I said this enough we could make it out of this mess alive, I racked the 50 cal machine gun and started firing. All I could see was fire spewing from the barrel of this monster, it felt like a mighty dragon blowing fire on any mortal man who dared challenge. Enemy soldiers jump out the way and take cover behind anything they could find, some paying with their lives for their indecision. The enemy still slowly closed on our position, and worst of all, the 50 cal ran out of ammunition. The enemy advanced relentlessly, without any means to retaliate they had an easy stroll onto us. The only weapon I had left was my side arm and a couple of magazines, I looked over to Sarge and he had his side arm out as well. “Fortune favors the brave, fortune favors the brave”, I keep repeating to myself as I prepare our last assault. The enemy shown their evil faces over the sandbags of the gunner post and we fire as they come, shooting frantically at the wall of enemy in view. They shoot back without relent and this time they dont miss, they can’t miss. I pull the trigger until my body goes weak, the dry click of my empty gun still gives me hope of survival, my body ridden with holes, equivalent to a slice of swiss cheese. I slump over onto Sarge who is now long gone and just try to breathe, the enemy now stroll past our position with victorious posture. 

“ Fortune favors the brave'', the only thing I could think in my head at the moment, I believed with all my heart that it was true, but seeing Sarge’s lifeless, Godless body lay to waste makes me feel like a lie. As I start to fade I ask God where is my fortune, what undeserving soul did he give it too, I did my best… hopefully my fortune is waiting for me at the gates of Valhalla…