Chapter 7: Rampage
Working as part of the strategists in the war was okay, I guess. I liked being part of it, but it still bothered me that I couldn't actually go and follow through with any of the ideas we talked about. They didn't bomb the banks like I said, but the head of the team said he was saving it for something. Being the youngest part of the team I was made fun of a lot, and I wasn't taken seriously, but, hey, I'm only seventeen, what do I expect? I mainly thought over their ideas, pointed things out they may have missed, but let's face it 30-year-old verses me; they didn't miss much.
With my birthday only months away, I stayed behind after work every day and trained. Only the head of weaponry knew.
One day he looked at me weirdly and asked "What's so exciting about war?"
"How much it changes the world" I said simply and honestly.
"What about how much it changes a person?" I was perplexed. It must've shown on my face but he just shook his head. I'll never understand him.
-0-
Finally my birthday came, and the first thing I did when I arrived was inquire to enlist. The war commander beamed, as did the head of weapons. I went to training and that was that. I was in, ready to achieve my dream…and my father's too.
Change is going to come, and it's obvious that it's not going to be through love; we're going to have to see how many people have to die before they finally get the right idea in their heads. Whoops, I got a little off track.
-0-
Everyone was almost ready to faint because we were finally ready for field missions. We had to take out a couple of the cities surrounding the capital. It's the moment we were all waiting for.
Riding in our vehicle to our destination I was almost giddy with excitement. And then the realization of dying and killing people and how terrifying it all is exploded with the vehicle in front of mine. We hit a roadside bomb, specially designed to only detonate one vehicle, although I can't imagine why.
Our vehicle screeches to a stop as the soldiers in spill out onto the road. Where a vehicle that was filled with enthusiastic soldiers was replaced by a mess of bloody flesh torn to pieces and melted fragments of metal that used to be the vehicle.
I close my eyes and turn away but it's no use because the faces and names of the people that exploded appear behind my closed lids. I think of their faces right when we set off for the mission and then open my eyes to see their broken bodies.
That's when the shooting started. Anger exploded in me; hate was burning in my chest, almost actually painful. This wasn't a video game, or a simulation. This was real; real people wanting to murder real people, real people taking advantage of people's death. I don't even know how I thought I was going to enjoy the sight, but I know I'm going to fight in it.
I picked up my gun and shot anything that supported a gun poised to kill my crew. Blood splatter and cries of agony, which usually has me worried or at least a little flustered didn't register in my mind. They tipped the balance I just made it equal. There were no guns aiming at us now.
I got in our vehicle, and waited for them to get in, because they were gaping. I realised I had killed at least 10 people in less than a couple minutes. I shrugged it off, what else was I supposed to do? Burst into tears because I murdered them, when they we're ready to kill us after they had just killed my own? I had no reason not to. Finally we drove for an hour to a temporary base camp and settled for the night.
-0-
Well, I got to tell you, today just isn't my day, and for your satisfaction, I'll explain it to you in exact detail.
As soon as we walked into camp, the first thing I noticed were the grave glances in our direction, maybe because only half of the expected people arrived and they figured they were dead; after all this is a war. I was then summoned to talk to the commander of the camp, so I figured he just wanted to hear more of the accident; he was trying to figure out as much as he could about their techniques. I was wrong.
I walked into the office and noticed everything about it was wrong. The air was tense, everyone looked mournful, people didn't look me in the eye, and everything was calm, too calm. The sergeant major had close-clipped grey hair that matched his dark eyes, which always had a guarded look in them. He always had a grim expression, his weathered face lined.
"Private, I've got bad news for you." He addressed me, as soon as I reached his desk.
"Yes sergeant?" I grind my teeth together, to keep from fidgeting, because I had no idea what he could be talking about.
"Your brother died of a similar tactic you encountered yesterday. I'm sorry."
At first I didn't understand what he was saying, because my mind could barely process what he was saying. I forgot the risk my brother was at, doing the same as I was. I collapsed in the chair behind me; I almost forgot about him. But immediately grief was turned to rage. I stood up so fast the chair flew back, and I'm pretty sure I scared sergeant.
"Calm down, Private. I have decided if you wish to take a leave, you may, but I can't guarantee another shot."
"No, you need to send me on a mission right away."