The Proposal

It was a nice day except for the constant sound of the bombardment. Two sergeants run with heads hung low hanging on to their helmets. They run past the major generals’ tent.

“Sergeant”!  The major general’s head appeared out of his tent. Both men turn to address the general. They salute.

“Sir”, they say in unison.

The general addresses the older of the two men. An overweight mid-thirties cliché.

“Was I talking to You”?

“Sir, I – No sir.”

“Then why are you still here?”

A shell explodes nearby. The general stands tall but the sergeants duck. The fat sergeant holds on to his helmet as he runs toward the sound of gunfire. The general watches him go then places his hand on the young sergeants back.

“Come in John, I need a word with you.” The general pours two drinks. “here, this will help calm the nerves. It is going to be a hell of a long night. Sit. I have some good news and some bad news and then maybe some more good news. First, Captain Frank, uhm – “

“Marshal, sir. Frank Marshal.”

“Yes – well he is dead. By the way, how is our boy doing? Have you asked her to marry you yet?”

“No sir, I don’t know what you are talking about sir “

“Well, why the hell not? Everyone here knows about you two. Do you agree with this don’t ask don’t tell bullshit?”

“You mentioned Frank Marshal sir – “

“Yes, I did. He is dead. And our boy Amanda is going to be promoted to Captain. Then she’ll be your commanding officer. Have you ever tried to boink a superior officer?”

“No, sir.”

“Well don’t, it don’t end well - ever.  Anyway, I am going to make this easy on you. The boys have been talking and not in a good way. So, to put an end to all the rumors, and in light of the don’t ask don’t tell new-fangled damn laws that I must follow I am ordering you to ask her to marry you today. Give her this ring and do it in front of the men. That is a direct order. Uh uh – no questions. Cowardice is not tolerated in my unit. Just do it.”

“Sir?  - what was the good news?”

 “First you are getting married and you are marrying a captain. I don’t have to tell you that the first time she starts barking orders – well, you’ll stand at attention. And, she took the helicopter pilot position just so she could fly into this position to be near you. So, if you two want to be together so damn bad then we are having a fricken wedding. She is on the next scheduled incoming – due right now. Get your ass over to the pad.”

“yes sir.”

Sergeant John left the command tent head low dodging bullets as he ran. The General was not far behind yelling commands and directing soldiers, occasionally shooting a bad guy. John reached the private directing the landings.

“Amanda – has she landed yet,” he yelled above the din.”

“Who?”

“Amanda, the new pilot.”

“The fag – no, not yet.” John stood stunned and still. A gruff hand grabbed his collar.

“What the fuck are you doing? There – get in that bunker. They are massing there.” The General continued to direct traffic.

John took to the bunker.

"Fracken great," said the man in the bunker - the live one. "The bride is here." Then he returned to firing his gun.

 The enemy was everywhere. The position was all but overrun. He heard the bunker to his left fall silent; then the bunker to his right. He fired his gun but for every enemy he hit, two more appeared. He looked behind him. The General was fighting for his life. The field was a mix of friend and foe. His bunker partner was hit. He felt alone suddenly. On the verge of panic. The enemy had massed in front of his lone bunker. They charged. He fired. They kept coming.

He fired again. What else was there to do? And then they fell. Not one or two. But all of them. To his left and to his right they fell. He pulled again and more fell.  A miracle? No, but close. An Apache Helicopter was right above him and full of ordinance. A fricken flying tank. And she had brought her sisters all dressed to kill.

The enemy fell back. Reinforcements disembarked. The general was still barking his orders but for the moment all was well. And then he saw him: Amanda taking off his Helmet shaking his hair in the wind. Breathing. Alive.  

Sergeant John knew that the General was not kidding. If he failed to follow his direct order, however bigoted it was there would be hell to pay. So, he made a quick decision: if he was quick he could do what he needed to do and maybe nobody would notice. He grabbed his badly wounded bunker mate and carried him to the ‘copter. He placed the man on a stretcher and without hesitation, he dropped to one knee and offered Amanda the ring. Surprised Amanda stood to his full height. Then he fell, gasping for air, blood spurting from a chest wound. He reached out, offering his hand as an answer to the unspoken question. Sergeant John placed the ring on the finger. Then another shot and the hand fell limp.

Later when asked Sergeant John would say that he had no memory of the next few hours. He was told that he charged at the charging enemy killing dozens, disrupting their coordination. The general got the machines in the air again and he himself organized a charge. But they could not keep up with John. When he ran out of enemies to kill, he charged into the woods until he found more. When he ran out of ammo, he used the guns of the men he had killed, if he had no gun, he killed them with his knife and when that broke, he used his bare hands. He followed the trail of the enemy all the way back to their base camp a hastily made wooden palisade. The bewildered troops, surprisingly, did not fire

Sergeant John picked up a rock, the only weapon that was within reach and he threw it at the gate. It bounced off. He threw another, and then another and then the gate exploded. Repeated airstrikes destroyed the camp and ended all resistance. Sergeant John had fallen to his knees and screamed and cried and screamed and cried. Unable to calm him the medics shot him up with morphine until he just passed out.

He awoke days later in an army hospital. He was given medals. The general had even thought to retrieve the ring.

“You know son,” the general had said while handing him the ring. “You saved countless lives that day. If we had more men like you, well we would never lose a battle again. I just wanted to say thank you and you will always be welcome in this man’s army.”

“you know sir, what happened that day, well – at least I know who I am and what I want to be. And you sir, are an asshole.”

Later that day the sun set, just like it did on every other day and the world continued as it always did.