"Will he be okay?"
"I can't be sure. He lost a lot of blood."
He lay in the hospital bed, eyes closed. He couldn't move, he could barely breathe, and he could hardly hear voices.
What happened?
He was almost in too much pain to think. The voices speaking were slipping away.
"…..critical chest wound…blade pierced…..heart….low chance…..survival. The bullets…..shoulder….right kidney."
Then he remembered. His chest bucked upward as memories flashed through his mind. Quickly, but clearly.
"Take the flame thrower!"
He nodded at his sergeant, strapping on the tank and unleashing fire onto the Imperials like a blowtorch. He almost laughed in victory, before a bullet grazed his shoulder. He stumbled back, clutching his shoulder and falling on his butt. A second bullet passed through his chest like soft cheese, wedging itself in his right kidney. His sergeant rushed to his aid, blowing the offending Jap's brains out with his Colt.
The sergeant was pushed aside.
"BANZAI!"
He felt the blade pierce his heart as he shot the charger in the face, collapsing.
He flinched in pain. He slowly opened his eyes, making out two figures blurry. One wore a white coat, while the other wore what appeared to be a Marine uniform. They seemed to have panicked at his sudden movement, and seemed to be arguing.
"…..do you mean…won't make it?!"
"….sorry….too much blood lost…...lucky to have gotten here alive…..can't help him…..more."
The Marine figure grabbed the man with the white coat by the collar, yelling in his face.
"You'll make it! Just hold out!"
He could hear an evacuation convoy coming to get him, and he could feel several men trying to extract the bullets, ease the pain.
The EKG began to slow down.
Beep…beep…..beep…..beep…..beep….
The two men seemed to notice, and saw his half-lidded stare. The Marine rushed over.
"Stay with me!"
Consciousness began slipping away.
Then the room was filled with the sound of the EKG flatlining.
And Private Miller took his last breath.
Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep…..