Bosco had awakened to the cold night air. He looked down in his lap and noticed Nikki sleeping peacefully. He thought, 'how in the hell could I have fallen asleep at a time like this? The enemy could've easily found us.'
Nikki turned over slowly and Bosco decided to wake her up. Now was probably the best time to walk, it wasn't hot.
"Nikki, get up. We gotta get moving."
"Just a few more minutes."
"No, we need to go now."
She looked up at him through her hair that covered her face. "Why?"
"Because I said. Let's go."
He stood up and waited for her to be fully awake. She brushed her hair behind her ears and looked at him, pissed off from having to get up.
"Bosco, I meant to ask you earlier, where did you get that string that you used to kill that guard with?"
"From my BDU's."
"BDU's?"
He shook his head. He had forgotten she was a civilian and probably didn't know what that was. "My Battle Dress Uniform."
"Oh, ok."
They began to walk into the dark night. The cool air felt good on Bosco's skin. It had been forever since he felt cool air like that and he was enjoying every minute of it. Nikki on the other hand was freezing.
"Why don't you wear that jacket that we put over your wound?"
"It's covered in blood."
"It's better than nothing, don't you think?"
~~~~
Faith sat with Charlie at the kitchen table and was attempting to help him with his homework. She couldn't comprehend the questions or really understand what they were saying.
"Mom, do you understand?"
"Yeah. I'm sorry Charlie."
"You still thinking about Bosco?"
"Always."
"I told you mom, Bosco is going to be okay. Stop worrying."
Faith ran her hand over his soft black hair. "What makes you so sure that he is?"
"Because I've been praying for him. I've had dreams. I've dreamt that the army found Bosco in the desert, nearly dead, but they save him."
"Charlie, why haven't you told me this before?"
"Because you were already so upset, I didn't want to make it worse."
Faith stared at her youngest child; amazed that he had dreamt stuff like this. It was startling but reassuring that at least someone was having positive dreams. When Faith did sleep she had nothing but nightmares.
~~~~
Daybreak reached Iraq and Bosco and Nikki were left with the hot desert sun beating down on them once more. Bosco was already hearing enough of Nikki's complaints, and they still had the whole day ahead of them.
"Bosco, how much farther?"
"I don't know Nikki."
"My leg is really starting to hurt."
"Well, my head hurts from your damn complaints. Do you hear me whining to you about it?"
Nikki stopped and watched Bosco as he continued to walk. He turned around, wondering what he was going to hear this time.
"Bosco, do you have to be an ass?"
"Do you have to be such a cry baby?" He turned around and continued to walk. He knew Nikki would follow shortly after. She wouldn't stay out there by herself.
"How much water do we have left?"
He shook the canteen. "Enough for about two drinks each. Save them for when you are really needing it."
"Two drinks each? Bosco, we need to find some water."
He turned to look at Nikki.
"Listen to me Nikki. What are we in the middle of?"
"A desert." She looked at him confused.
"Okay. What are some characteristics of a desert?" The tone in his voice was evident that he was annoyed with her.
"Um, heat."
"No Nikki! It's dry. There's probably no water for miles!"
They continued to walk. The farther they walked the heavier Bosco's feet felt. His head felt heavy and all he wanted to do was lay down. He stared back at Nikki who looked like she was almost dead.
"Nikki, are you okay?"
"No."
"Okay, let's rest for a second. I'm not feeling so hot myself."
They sat down beside each other.
"Boz, I'm sorry about earlier. It's just that, it's just that this really sucks."
Bosco nodded. He noticed that she had called him Boz. Thoughts of Faith flooded his mind. He missed hearing Faith call him Boz.
"You just called me Boz." He said it quietly.
"Yeah, do you not like that?"
"I do. It just brought back some memories for me. My partner calls me Boz."
"Your partner?"
"Yeah. Her name is Faith. She's my best friend."
"You'll see your best friend again. You'll hear her say Boz again."
He stared at Nikki. Her words were a form of inspiration for Bosco and he didn't know why. Probably because she had been so negative this whole time and now something positive was coming out of her mouth.
~~~~
Faith had fallen asleep on the couch. The TV was off and the house was silent. Fred was gone to work and the kids were at school. This was the only time Faith had to sleep, and she actually dozed off for once. Unfortunately the phone awakened her.
"Hello?"
"Hey Faith, it's me Fred."
"Hey."
"You watching the news?"
"No, why?"
"We have it on CNN here, turn it on."
She searched for the remote and found it under the couch. She quickly turned the TV on. She couldn't believe what she was seeing.
A reporter spoke, "To our amazement, both Specialist Boscorelli and the journalist have both been recovered. They were found 5 miles south of an American base. They were both unconscious and in desperate need of medical care. Both are in critical condition at this moment."
Faith wanted to scream for joy. "Oh my God Fred, they found him!"
"I know Faith, let's just hope he gets taken care of. By they way they are talking it sounds like they weren't in good shape."
"I know, but at least we know he is back in American hands."
Faith hung up the phone. She was so happy, but still worried. The desert was a harsh place to be.
"God, let Bosco be strong." She looked up at the cross above the TV.
~~~~
Some military doctors and Corporal Manor stood over Bosco's bed. He was still unconscious.
Manor spoke up, "What do you think?"
The doctor checked Bosco's IV and looked back at the Corporal.
"He's in pretty bad shape. The next 6 hours are vital. If he makes it through he'll be okay."
"And the girl?"
"Same with her. Her leg wound is pretty infected but I think it'll be okay."
Corporal Manor stood over Bosco's bed and squeezed his hand. "You make it through this Specialist Boscorelli. It takes a brave man to make it through the Iraqi desert."
Chances Are
Bob Seger and Martina McBride
Chances are you'll find me
Somewhere on your road tonight
Seems I always end up driving by
Ever since I've known you
It just seems you're on my way
All the rules of logic don't apply
I long to see you in the night
Be with you 'til morning light
I remember clearly how you looked
The night we met
I recall your laughter and your smile
I remember how you made me
Feel so at ease
I remember all your grace and your style
And now you're all I long to see
You've come to mean so much to me
Chances are I'll see you
In my dreams tonight
You'll be smiling like the night we met
Chances are I'll hold you and I'll offer
All I have
You're the only one I can't forget
Baby you're the best I've ever met
And I'll be dreaming of the future
And hoping you'll be by my side
And the morning I'll be longing for the night
For the night
Nikki turned over slowly and Bosco decided to wake her up. Now was probably the best time to walk, it wasn't hot.
"Nikki, get up. We gotta get moving."
"Just a few more minutes."
"No, we need to go now."
She looked up at him through her hair that covered her face. "Why?"
"Because I said. Let's go."
He stood up and waited for her to be fully awake. She brushed her hair behind her ears and looked at him, pissed off from having to get up.
"Bosco, I meant to ask you earlier, where did you get that string that you used to kill that guard with?"
"From my BDU's."
"BDU's?"
He shook his head. He had forgotten she was a civilian and probably didn't know what that was. "My Battle Dress Uniform."
"Oh, ok."
They began to walk into the dark night. The cool air felt good on Bosco's skin. It had been forever since he felt cool air like that and he was enjoying every minute of it. Nikki on the other hand was freezing.
"Why don't you wear that jacket that we put over your wound?"
"It's covered in blood."
"It's better than nothing, don't you think?"
~~~~
Faith sat with Charlie at the kitchen table and was attempting to help him with his homework. She couldn't comprehend the questions or really understand what they were saying.
"Mom, do you understand?"
"Yeah. I'm sorry Charlie."
"You still thinking about Bosco?"
"Always."
"I told you mom, Bosco is going to be okay. Stop worrying."
Faith ran her hand over his soft black hair. "What makes you so sure that he is?"
"Because I've been praying for him. I've had dreams. I've dreamt that the army found Bosco in the desert, nearly dead, but they save him."
"Charlie, why haven't you told me this before?"
"Because you were already so upset, I didn't want to make it worse."
Faith stared at her youngest child; amazed that he had dreamt stuff like this. It was startling but reassuring that at least someone was having positive dreams. When Faith did sleep she had nothing but nightmares.
~~~~
Daybreak reached Iraq and Bosco and Nikki were left with the hot desert sun beating down on them once more. Bosco was already hearing enough of Nikki's complaints, and they still had the whole day ahead of them.
"Bosco, how much farther?"
"I don't know Nikki."
"My leg is really starting to hurt."
"Well, my head hurts from your damn complaints. Do you hear me whining to you about it?"
Nikki stopped and watched Bosco as he continued to walk. He turned around, wondering what he was going to hear this time.
"Bosco, do you have to be an ass?"
"Do you have to be such a cry baby?" He turned around and continued to walk. He knew Nikki would follow shortly after. She wouldn't stay out there by herself.
"How much water do we have left?"
He shook the canteen. "Enough for about two drinks each. Save them for when you are really needing it."
"Two drinks each? Bosco, we need to find some water."
He turned to look at Nikki.
"Listen to me Nikki. What are we in the middle of?"
"A desert." She looked at him confused.
"Okay. What are some characteristics of a desert?" The tone in his voice was evident that he was annoyed with her.
"Um, heat."
"No Nikki! It's dry. There's probably no water for miles!"
They continued to walk. The farther they walked the heavier Bosco's feet felt. His head felt heavy and all he wanted to do was lay down. He stared back at Nikki who looked like she was almost dead.
"Nikki, are you okay?"
"No."
"Okay, let's rest for a second. I'm not feeling so hot myself."
They sat down beside each other.
"Boz, I'm sorry about earlier. It's just that, it's just that this really sucks."
Bosco nodded. He noticed that she had called him Boz. Thoughts of Faith flooded his mind. He missed hearing Faith call him Boz.
"You just called me Boz." He said it quietly.
"Yeah, do you not like that?"
"I do. It just brought back some memories for me. My partner calls me Boz."
"Your partner?"
"Yeah. Her name is Faith. She's my best friend."
"You'll see your best friend again. You'll hear her say Boz again."
He stared at Nikki. Her words were a form of inspiration for Bosco and he didn't know why. Probably because she had been so negative this whole time and now something positive was coming out of her mouth.
~~~~
Faith had fallen asleep on the couch. The TV was off and the house was silent. Fred was gone to work and the kids were at school. This was the only time Faith had to sleep, and she actually dozed off for once. Unfortunately the phone awakened her.
"Hello?"
"Hey Faith, it's me Fred."
"Hey."
"You watching the news?"
"No, why?"
"We have it on CNN here, turn it on."
She searched for the remote and found it under the couch. She quickly turned the TV on. She couldn't believe what she was seeing.
A reporter spoke, "To our amazement, both Specialist Boscorelli and the journalist have both been recovered. They were found 5 miles south of an American base. They were both unconscious and in desperate need of medical care. Both are in critical condition at this moment."
Faith wanted to scream for joy. "Oh my God Fred, they found him!"
"I know Faith, let's just hope he gets taken care of. By they way they are talking it sounds like they weren't in good shape."
"I know, but at least we know he is back in American hands."
Faith hung up the phone. She was so happy, but still worried. The desert was a harsh place to be.
"God, let Bosco be strong." She looked up at the cross above the TV.
~~~~
Some military doctors and Corporal Manor stood over Bosco's bed. He was still unconscious.
Manor spoke up, "What do you think?"
The doctor checked Bosco's IV and looked back at the Corporal.
"He's in pretty bad shape. The next 6 hours are vital. If he makes it through he'll be okay."
"And the girl?"
"Same with her. Her leg wound is pretty infected but I think it'll be okay."
Corporal Manor stood over Bosco's bed and squeezed his hand. "You make it through this Specialist Boscorelli. It takes a brave man to make it through the Iraqi desert."
Chances Are
Bob Seger and Martina McBride
Chances are you'll find me
Somewhere on your road tonight
Seems I always end up driving by
Ever since I've known you
It just seems you're on my way
All the rules of logic don't apply
I long to see you in the night
Be with you 'til morning light
I remember clearly how you looked
The night we met
I recall your laughter and your smile
I remember how you made me
Feel so at ease
I remember all your grace and your style
And now you're all I long to see
You've come to mean so much to me
Chances are I'll see you
In my dreams tonight
You'll be smiling like the night we met
Chances are I'll hold you and I'll offer
All I have
You're the only one I can't forget
Baby you're the best I've ever met
And I'll be dreaming of the future
And hoping you'll be by my side
And the morning I'll be longing for the night
For the night