The Grounded Flames
Interrogation Room 413:
"Just start from the beginning, John," the man behind the light said to me.
"I can't," I said. "I keep seeing all of it… I can't focus on what was happening."
"What are you seeing all of?" the other man asked.
"All of the fucking blood," I said. "The bodies of my closest friends exploding in flames from the mouth of that monstrosity… the pink mist formed by that thing's fire-belly…"
"Focus, John," one of the men said. "We need to know what Sgt. Maj. Simms ordered you and the other eight members of your team to do…"
"SHUT UP!" I yelled. "I'm remembering…"
================ Canada
Simms and the Nine =========================
================== Operation: Smokey Bear
=========== 1967
I looked through the scope and watched the carnage unfold. That bastard found some unfortunate family that was camping by the lake. Its flames burned the family before it ate them, still crying as they were burned by three thousand degree flames.
"Troopers," Simms said over the radio. "It is time. Go kill that flame-breathing bastard at any cost."
I watched Simms come barreling out of the woods to the south of the snake, directly in front of it. Six troopers followed. I made last minute adjustments for wind and air density. Guzman did the same. We were supposed to take out the eyes. We did, but it didn't do any worse in fighting because it smelled us to fight. Simms died first. Three of the four carriers of C4, two of them I went to grade school with, lit up in flames. Guzman and I knew our orders. "No one suffers," he said secretly to him and I when we were camped on a cliff. We shot them in the head as they burned, saying goodbye to each one separately.
"Bye, Macavoy," I said. "Rest in peace, Angston…"
"Peace out, Charlie," Guzman said.
Everyone soon dropped like flies. Not a single explosives pack managed to get inside that son of a bitch. Guzman grabbed our C4 and charged down the hill. I followed. It began to move away, so I shot it. As it flared up three-hundred feet away, I felt the heat. It rushed towards us. It was a yard from Guzman when it opened its mouth.
"GUZMAN OUT!" he yelled and jumped into its mouth carrying the C4.
There wasn't an explosion…
I pulled out my pistol as it charged at me with its mouth open. I saw the pack of explosives sitting in a burnt rib cage. I raised the handgun and fired…
Interrogation Room 413:
"Simms did nothing," I said. "It was a massacre. Don't make me remember any more… please…"
One of the men turned off the lights, and I realized they were facing away from me at a television screen. The TV had wires that ran to plugs at my temples.
"Oh my God," one of the men said as he started to cry.
"I resign," the other man said, but he seemed unable to get up.
On the television were pictures of my memories just as I remembered them. The snake's mouth wide open, fire coming out of its throat.
"Rest in peace, guys," I said and saluted upwards.