Welcome to the Suck
Rebounding
"What the hell?"
Those were my first words I uttered as I looked up at the perfectly white abyss. I could see clouds and ... a Sprinkler? It took me a second, but it clicked. I remember snapping, Getting shot and passing out. I refuse to say faint. I looked up and realized what I initially though were clouds, turned out to be curtains folded up. Hearing the rhythmic beeps of what I guessed were heart machines. It didn't take me long to realize, I was in the infirmary. I felt the ever soft sheets of medical standard. Relishing cotton softness. Whoever thought up the color scheme to the hospital. Did it as a sick joke. For one moment I was almost relieved. If dieing was like waking up. Then I much rather have just had the bullets pierce. The place hurt just to look at.
"Oh your up!"
I searched the room for the owner of that voice in my subdued state. My eyes instinctively traced the sound of the voice. They rested on a nurse to my immediate right. The heart beets from the surrounding patients sounded out of time as she checked a chart. Her youthful face gave her away to be in her early twenties, late teens. With sandy blonde hair and pale Blue/Grey eyes. My vision was hazy, but I was able to make out the name Ilia on her name tag.
She turned back to me after looking at what I guessed to be my chart. The stale hospital room air
"Hey my names Ilia, You gave us quite a scare there soldier. You looked much worse than you actually were when your squad brought you in." Her hands rested on her hips while the other one still held the chart.
"Hold one second all right? Sergeant Dragmire wanted to know when you were awake." She turned away from me and pulled out a phone. My eyes subconsciously traced her body down. Had I just been dumped. I would probably be all over her. I'm not arrogant, but I'm good looking. And I know it. It just wasn't worth it now...
I searched my pocket for the ring I had gotten Malon while Ilia listened to the dial tone. I twirled it around. Thinking about how it went oh so wrong. Ilia spoke again
"Sergeant Dragmire? Hello, I'm Nurse Ilia. Yes, I'm calling to tell you hes awake..." She paused as I heard some chatter on the other side.
"Actually yeah he can walk out of here right now. He looked horrible when he came in here. But For the most part hes just got some bumps and bruises. He is insanely lucky to be alive. If he had been hit 2 inches lower. Then his stomach acids would have deteriorated his wound. He'd be beyond help."
I heard chatter on the other side. "All right, I'll tell him. Yes sir-Sergeant." The line went dead and she hung up. Gannon absolutely hated being called sir. She was pretty damn morbid seeing as I'm right here. Going into absolute details as to what would entail if I had been hit just a little bit lower.
Ilia cheeks flushed red as she turned to me. She gazed, sympathetically for a moment, before opening her mouth to speak "Maaaaaaaaan hes pissed. Is he your Sarge?
I laughed a bit, little shots of pain ran up through my stomach and chest.
"Yeah hes kind of a dick. But hes an amazing leader. We havent lost a single man since I was deployed six months ago."
"Oh no doubt, the man is a legend here. This is his 6th tour of duty. Hell, He was part of the initial invasion. Your damn lucky you got him." She paused as she saw the ring. Her face melted into one of adoration.
"Awwwwwwwwwww is that an engagement ring? Whats her name!" She sprung to life excitedly.
I looked at her with suppressed tears. It took me a moment to get myself under control. "Malon..." I started off . "Or rather was... I got the letter the day before yesterday..."
"Oh... Dear John eh?" Sympathy soaking through every word she spoke.
"Yup... She found someone else..." The words stung even more coming from myself.
The awkward silence passed.
The hum of the fan whirled above us mixed with the ambiance of the hospital. But even those sounds faded away as if to emphasize the awkwardness.
"I'm so sorry I didn't mean to-" She said at long last, but I cut her off.
"No really its fine, Shes happy now, ya know?"
She smiled sadly at me. Her eyes housing compassion. She spoke again with her usual childlike charm.
"Well look on the bright side! Your a studly, single Marine! Chin up their soldier! Besides, what kind name of Malon? Your gonna like go back home in your dashing BDU's with your overseas badge. Then what is she gonna do? Shes totally gonna try and come crawling back. The whole nine yards, you know those clichéd war films. Their true I tell you!!"
I laughed for what felt like the first time in awhile. "Thanks, I needed to hear that. " I replied.
"Sure thing soldier. But I have to get your crazy ass out of here before all the new guys come in. I'm pretty sure you over heard me on the phone. So Your pretty much fine, but You need to rest for a few days all right? Don't go and try to be a hero right away. You hear me?" Her voice complimented with a light grin.
I smiled lightly at the small bit of humor she threw my way.
"All right, How long have I been out for though?"
"About 12 hours, a couple of your friends tried to wait up for you. There was short Blonde. A HUGE black haired one. And some extremely Odd violet hair guy. Never really seen that before. I didn't pay much attention to them. We were a bit busy at the time."
I smiled as I heard "Its alright I have a pretty good feeling who they were."
"Well I'm sorry I cant stay and chat with you. I've gotta make my rounds. Hopefully we wont meet again eh?" She said with a playful smile dawning on her lips.
"Aw but I'm oh so much fun!" I responded trying to lighten the mood from the previous conversation.
"That you are, If you leave here knowing one one thing though. Let this be that one thing. Bullets are bad for you. Try to avoid them. Running out like a hero is not good for the preservation of your health. Take that to heart and I will see ya around!" Ilia, opened the curtains again, revealing me to the hustle and bustle of the Hospital. Flashing me one last smile, she casually walked to the other side of the room and checked on another patient.
I looked down at my bruised and aching stomach.
"That they are..." I mumbled to myself, referring to the bullet comment. I sat up and got myself out of bed. I swung the curtain back around my area or some privacy. My uniform was resting on the chair to the right of my bed. Reaching down, I picked up and slipped on my Boxers. I had flown in a few pairs of loose fitting. boxers. Theres just no way in hell I'm wearing the standard issue whitey-tighteys. And they of course put me in a hospital gown. Exposing a little bit more than I wanted to, seeing as I surrounded by mostly guys.
I love how easy it was to put on take off military clothing. Now that the uniforms had Velcro instead of buttons. You just zipped it up and stuck em on. I envied the Army men. Not only was the ACU amazing at blending in, you could wear it just about anywhere and blend it in. They actually encouraged their soldiers to get a little dust on it. It helps blend in with the surrounding area.
Not the Marines though. We had to Press and Starch our uniform to perfection. Not only was it a pain in the ass to have to starch the thing every time you got back. But It made the uniforms hotter and light up like a firework in Night vision. Hopefully someone on the top of the brass would come to their senses and say "Holy shit! Its completely unnecessary and its getting Marines killed!"
But it wouldn't, The way command talked to us was answer enough.
As I put one leg in through my trousers. My thoughts went back to the event that caused me to be so reckless to begin with...
I put the other leg in. Why the hell did she tell me she found someone else? Is that supposed to make me feel better? Or worse? She knew I cant just exactly come home. She could have told me she needed to move on cause it was to hard or some bull shit. But no, She decided to rub the shit in my face. As if I dont have enough going on. Was she cheating before hand? Did she actually care when I talked to her? I definitely know she loved me before I left... Tears threatened to fall. But I wouldnt let them. I'm a Marine. I'm one of the best damn soldiers in the most advanced fighting force known to man.
I zipped up the pants and buttoned the top buckle. The list goes on... I smiled despite the heart ache. All the things my recruiter told me... Few and the proud... Its funny how well that all works. I slipped one arm through the jacket.
Before I knew it, I was fully dressed. I slid the curtain back again. And not a second to soon. Sergeant Dragmire walked through the door far across the room. Ilia was right. He was pissed. I stood at
"Follow me." His voice was filled completely with authority and control. You do not disobey him when hes like that. I could see Ilia across the room. She looked up, seeing the scene unfold. Feeling the compassion and sympathy that any human being should feel for me, She mouthed the words "Good luck!" I responded with a silent "Thank you!" as I followed Gannon down the middle of the room. I could see the rows of beds on each side of the room.
I followed him of out the sickly white room filled with beds. Stepping into a white hall way. The red, orange and brown carpet had been compacted to a concrete like thickness from the years of use. The hall way stretched straight on, passing endless doors and people. We finally reached the long awaited exit. He forcefully opened the rusty door, as it creaked and moaned. Outside into the alley way that smelled of gasoline. The light was blinding at first as I looked down to my jack pocket. I opened the pocket, hearing the Velcro rip away, as I whipped out a pair of Oakley's .It was filled with hastily constructed buildings packed right up next to each other.
He stopped and stared at me before speaking. His voice wavering with restrained anger.
"Kid, you've been here for 6 months already. Never once have you ever done something that fucking stupid. Now I am this fucking close" He held up his thumb and index close together. "To putting your ass in a military prison for a few years. You endangered the mission and almost got us killed when we had to cover your ass. You got that? I will tell you when to risk your life and when not to.
I stared at him with dull eyes.
"You fucking got that soldier?" his voice begging to scream, but his voice down.
"Yes sergeant." I responded in monotone.
He crossed his arms. His voice mellowed out.
"Now your free of any sort of punishment. Especially since I will begrudgingly admit that it got the job done and you took initiative. We could not have stayed there while they slowly chipped away the barriers. But why in Gods green earth did you do that?" He was still pissed, but I could sense he was a bit concerned.
I said nothing, but I opened my top pocket and produced the letter Malon sent me. I handed it over, ring and all.
He grabbed in silence. Unfolded the already opened letter and reading it through. His expression softened a bit.
"A Dear John letter... Thats a tough break kid." His voice beginning to show some sympathy.
I nodded silently. A burning lump already formed in my throat. But once again. I'm Marine.
He looked at me with sympathetic eyes. "Follow me kid." He turned around and started walking out of the alleyway
I did so without question or hesitation, jogging to catch up. I followed him out of the alley way and into the street.
He spoke again as we walked into the street. "Well kid you can either roll over and wallow in sadness. Or you can pull yourself up by your bootstraps and be a Marine. Which is it?
"Be a Marine?" I asked questioningly. We turned left down the main street.
"Is that a question or is that your answer?" His voice inciting me to resolve myself.
"I'm a Marine Sergeant" I responded this time with assertion. The Tents passed us in rows.
"Atta kid, you know what we do when one of our own gets a Dear John?"He asked to make sure I knew the platoon standard. I did not.
"Well..." I stalled to see if I could dig deep down and remember. But I couldn't.
"No actually, not really" I replied with honesty. We were turning right now, down our street. The Squad tents were up a few "Blocks" up.
"You'll find out in a minuet kid, we take care of our own." His voice held the pride it felt from being in the Marines.
We passed the tents that belonged to Alpha and came upon the main tent where the two squads interacted, to take their my mind off the war.
"That was pretty fucked up of her I must say. You want some revenge?" Gannon broke the Silence at last.
I thought about it for a second. My mind was in overwhelming agreement.
"Hell yeah I do Sergent."
He smirked "I thought you might. He opened the tent flap and walked in.
We were immediately hit by colder air. As the familiar olive green Tent welcomed us. Inside the tent were couches, Xbox'es, Hookah's everything to take your mind off the war. Kafei, Sheik and Darunia all broke into smiles as they saw me.
"Link! How the fuck are you doing!" they all said more or less in chorus. Their faces lighting up.
Kafei walked up to me. His voice was brimming with excitement. "Holy fucking hell Link! The shit you pulled back there was fucking incredible! That was some real John Wayne shit bro!"
Sheik began to speak from the couch, but Gannondorf cut him off.
"EVERYONE GATHER ROUND!" The deep powerful voice of Gannondorf Dragmire resounded through out the tent. Everyone fell silent. The Xbox paused, the man ripping the Hookah held the smoke in.
His voice went down in volume, but not intensity. "We need a picture of whatever girl you have at home! Capiche? Pronto! Vomonos!
The room looked back and forth between each other. The Sergeant from Alpha approached from the back of the room. He was the same age as Gannondorf, He also looked to be thirty-four like Gannondorf. But his brown eyes held wisdom of war. Him and Gannondorf go all the way back to when the war started. They were deployed in the first wave of Afghanistan and had miraculously been stationed together since. His brown hair matched his eyes and the surrounding tent. His hands felt for his wallet. Bringing the black leather out, he opened it and brought out a small photograph. The photograph showed in perfect detail a very young and beautiful woman. Her long brown hair curling just a barely so, so that it looked like waves. Taking one last look at it, he threw it in the bucket Gannon had been holding. His name tag read Nohansen.
"Chin up Kid, Theirs other fish in the sea." His words carried the integrity of a servicemen, and the sympathy of someone who has a girl back home. Before he walked off to the back of the room again.
He was followed with some of the other real veterans. The ones who had served another tour prior to this one. The Rest of the room hadn't had a clue what was going on however. Through out this entire tour, we had been lucky enough to not have anyones girl break it off. Until me that is.
Gannondorf began to get pissed as only a quarter of the room had gotten up. His voice wasn't loud, but it felt like it rattle every bone in your body. "I said everyone! This kid just got a Dear John letter!"
Then it finally clicked for the rest of them. They had heard stories about it but never had to see the it happen.. The soldiers with girls back home gave him looks of sympathy. The room began to murmur in a sea of voices.
"Oh shit"
"Damn that sucks"
"That explains some things..."
Gannon spoke up again "We need a picture of whatever girl you have at home! Capiche?"
Everyone nodded in agreement and almost simultaneously crowded around us. They brought their pictures and their most recent (Or in some cases older) pictures of their girlfriend, wife, Fiancé. Anything and everything. Most of them gave some encouraging words and what not.
Once the crowd dispersed. I stood there with a confused look on his face. Turning to Dragmire with a face full of question. Gannon simply handed me an evenlope.
"What am I doing with these?" I was completely ignorant to what was going on.
Gannon sighed. "Address it to her. Put all the pictures in it, and write. "All right, thats fine, but which one is you?"
My face lit up as I realized what was happening. And what would happen. I did as I was told. Sealing the envelope with a grin. Malon would be furious. I looked to Gannon. He spoke again.
"Just like I told you son. Marines dont stay down."
FUCKING YES! The fan fic page number for Zelda has reached 420! If the chapter wasn't descriptive enough. That is why. I spent all day taking hits and forming paragraphs. Its a pretty fun experience.
I ripped Dear John scene right out of the book Chasing Ghosts by Paul Reickoff. Go buy it! And read it thoroughly! Its an amazing story! Lol I have absolutely no Idea how tents are put together to clarify. I'm not in yet.