Crouched down, I started very slowly moving towards a hole in the wall, the decaying ruins around me not doing much to conceal my footsteps. I keep my weapon, A MK. 22 "Hush Puppy", pointed in front of me at the ready. Unfortunately the suppressor for the pistol had broken a while back after one too many tranquilizer rounds had been fired, so I would only be able to use it in a life-or-death situation, or else risk giving up my position to the enemy.

I round the corner, scanning the enviroment with my one good eye, before moving on. I continued on the small path through the Costa Rican jungle, wondering to myself about the mess of things back on Mother Base, some of the men had been complaining about the state of the food that Mess Hall had been giving out. "I should keep my eye out for some better cooks on recruitment runs." I think to myself.

"Huh!?"

Shit, I've been seen! I should've been paying more attention!
I stand to full height and start to sprint away from the soldier that had spotted me, my bandanna flapping in the wind as I run.

"Enemy sighted! Requesting backup!"

"Damn!" I audibly curse, willing myself to run even faster.
I start to hear rifle fire from behind me, coming in short bursts to keep accuracy high.

I reach a bridge before I see them. Large, heavily armored, brutes coming from the other side.
I was trapped!
I raised my pistol and fired a shot at the squad leader, the tranq round harmlessly bouncing off his thick helmet. He raises his M16 and does the same to me, with considerably more effective results as one of the rounds enters my left thigh.

The pain is excruciating, but I fight though it, looking for an opportunity to get out of this mess.
I quickly turn around, desperately hoping the route back into the jungle would be clear, but instead finding more heavily armed soldiers.

They start to raise their rifles to take the shot as I see only one alternative to maybe get out alive.

I quickly turn to the side and hurdle the safety ropes of the bridge, feeling a vague sense of nostalgia as I plummet towards the rushing river below.

It was faint, but I could almost hear Kaz's voice in my ear.

"Snake? What's wrong? Snake!? Snaaaaaaaaake!"

I woke with a start, the faint glimmers of early morning sunlight shining through the window.
I quickly reached up and felt around my face.

No eyepatch, No bandanna, No stubble.

I sighed in relief before flopping down on my pillow again, hoping to catch a little more rest before-

"Beep-beep, beep-beep, beep-beep."

I sigh deeply before getting up and silencing my alarm clock before starting my morning routine.
I get up and strip out of my nightwear of a tank-top and boxer shorts before slipping on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. Then I brush my teeth, as I do this, I look in the mirror of my bathroom and see myself staring back. A rather scrawny 15 year old with messy hair and a sour look staring at me from the reflective material.

Unfortunately, no. I am not Big Boss. I didn't kill The Boss to earn my title, I didn't thwart the San Hieronymo Takeover, and I didn't stop Peace Walker and create Militaires Sans Frontières.

No, I am James, just a depressed teenager on my way to high school.

And disappointingly, absolutely nothing else.

More to come later, by the way.
Yes, this will be a bit of a self-insert though stupid sci-fi means, and it will have some scenes in real life that contain bullying and homophobia. I actually understand if you don't like reading stuff like that, but this is just something for me to pass some time and frustration with. So I'm not really going to be hurt if you don't like it.

Speaking of, next chapter is probably not going to have a lot of Metal Gear stuff in it, but it's building up to it.

Next time,

-James