Finally, I got this written. It took me awhile to get this chapter out and I'm sorry for keeping you guys waiting.

Hysteria

The smell of burnt flesh stringing his nose caused him to vomit at the exit that would lead him away from this hell. He could hear Big Boss's malicious voice taunting him but three words still repeating in his brain caused him to vomit even more.

"I'm your father."

No! He is lying. I have no father. Never have. Never will.

Images and flashes of the first time he met Big Boss swarmed his mind. It was like time went back. An image of Big Boss overshadowing him with his cigar blowing smoke in the stale air of his office flashed in his mind.

"So, who is our new recruit?"

"David, sir!"

"No last name?"

"Never had one, sir."

"Well, do you think you are ready for Foxhound?"

"Mmmm"

"You think your experience in the Green Berets has prepared you for this."

"Yes, I believe that it has."

"Such arrogance…kid. Do you think walking through all those deserts and jungles with your squad was all you needed to prepare for Fox-hound? Foxhound goes through your soul and seeps your body. You will have to do better than your best…beyond human stamina. In this organization, you have to be an animal with one goal in mind…the mission."

I looked up to him as a CO. I revered him.

"Sir, the guerillas are headed our way."

We were both struck in a trench together…he kept me going.

"Don't lose your head, kid or you will lose it literally! Just get your pistol ready and fire when I say so!"

"Yes sir!"

"Now!"

He taught me CQC. When he taught me the motions…holds…flips…, I thought I will become as great as he was.

I feel violated…used…propped…all those feelings of respect switched to abhorrence. After Outer Heaven…he made me distrust people close to me.

"I didn't expect this much especially from a rookie!"

"Big Boss! Please tell me that Kyle lied. That you didn't betray us. It was all a big misunderstanding, right?"

He laughed at me….me! How dare he!

"It is true! I'm the enemy that your government seeks to destroy."

"My government? It's yours too!"

"No…I'm no longer a puppet…no longer an expendable pawn in a political game."

I never understood him but in my eyes, he was a traitor…a monster.

"You used me, Big Boss. You never believed in me, did you?"

"No…to me…you're just another dead soldier…You are nothing to me!"

I took one more look at his corpse and ran towards it like a hot boiling bullet train. His eyes were still watching me as I glared at him.

"You are not my father!"

Kicking his abdomen, I screamed as my black polished boot imprinting his scorched body.

"I'm not you!"

I'm still kicking.

"You're a traitor…a menace to society…"

Still kicking, I damaged the skin he had left. His blood wasn't red no more…it was the color of darkness…ink.

"I hate you!"

I beat his stomach hard as burnt organs crashed beneath my feet.

"I hate you!"

I laughed hysterically like a mad man. Suddenly, I felt hands on my cheeks as a blonde haired woman stared at me with teary eyes of pity, remorse, and disgust.

She saw the whole thing, "Holly!"

"He can't hurt you no more. He can't…please let it go."

Her voice was like an angel and for a moment, I felt like stars were on my head. She held my hand tightly…to let me know she was still here. I noticed on her other hand black ink dropping from it. I touched my face as it became clear to me how victorious my kicks were.

I looked over his stomach. There was a hole…like his heart.

"Let's getting out of this place," Holly pleaded with me as she caressed my brown hair softly.

As she pushed my body away from the corpse, his eyes stalked me. The doors behind me closed slowly leaving me the lingering feeling of relief that my nightmares will disappear.

Holly smiled at me as she saw my face glow with delight.

"Let's get out of here!"

Dents on the walls and wires sparking in the air caused me to stop. Holly forced me to walk inside the room...where my friend laid dead. Blacken walls, which before were spot clear with silver, lead my eyes to the ground. The mines...I set off weakened the structure of the ceiling. Debris was on the floor scattered around. An arm with streams of blood crept under a pile of debris.

"We can escape through the crack."

I didn't hear her. I took off my bandana and placed it in Fox's unclenched hands. I closed his knuckles and saluted to a fallen soldier. "Rest in peace, Fox."

"Snake! Didn't you hear me? We have to go."

Climbing on the roof, I heard guards yelling in resentment for the lost of their leader. The helicopter rotors were a sight for sore eyes. As the helicopter we escaped in flew us farther away from Zanzibar land, I slept with peacefully on the seat. I was content with burdens lifting from my shoulders.

No consequences but yet I grieved for my friend, "Fox, I'm sorry."

I had to kill him. He was in my way... the mission was at stake...if I didn't. There were no hard feelings between us. We were professionals and we treated each other like that to avoid personal attachment. My heart ached though.

The first thing on my list when I got back to headquarters was to confirm the words that still dug into my mind with anxiety and panic. I hope he is lying because if there is truth to the words of a maniac, God kill me.

Snake kicking a corpse? Oh man! I'm getting morbid.