" Laid To Rest "

Day 4 - 05:12:32:

CSgt Gareth 'Gaz' Riley (KIA)

22nd SAS Regiment

Georgian-Russian Border

Lay me down, In the cold cold ground…where afore, many men have gone

When they come, Ill stand my ground…Stand my ground…Ill nay be afraid.

Thoughts of heaven, back away my fear…sweat and blood, hide my veil of tears.

Once a year, say a prayer for me, close your eyes…and remember me.

Gaz dreamt of pain, of suffering and sadness. He was a young man, attending the funeral of his father. SAS beret crushed in his hands he stood their with his mother and his younger brother Tommy, Simon was no were to be found. He knew how his father died…and why Simon wasn't there. He felt no sadness, just pain for what his mother was going through, even through the beatings and the drunk nights she still loved him. He was standing in the same spot years later, only instead of one casket it was two. His brother and mother were brutally murdered what the police could only identify as thugs His brother was listed as missing in action and the only other person attending the funeral was a priest. Still Gaz stood strong and laid them to rest with the rest of his family.

Opening his eyes to a slowly revolving ceiling fan Gaz wondered how he got from the armory to a bedroom. As the grogginess passed he remembered Svetlana helping his fatigued self up the stairs. Getting up he walked downstairs stepping over bodies and feet slipping on shell casings. Grabbing a intact pot of coffee of a table he poured it into a Styrofoam cup. The coffee was cold and bitter but gave him some renewed vigor. Gaz finished the cup and looked around the room. Bloated bodies of men a day old, spent casings and bullet holes riddled the floors and walls. Even a grenade lay beside his feet pin pulled out, a dud.

Kicking the grenade aside Gaz walked downstairs to the armory and down further stairs to the hidden hospital. Inside his brother lay on a hospital bed, bloody fatigues now replaced with a hospital gown. He was connected to every beeping machine in the room and looked like he was breathing steadily. He turned to see Svetlana lay curled up on the ammo box he had fallen asleep on previously. Gaz lifted her up and carried her out of the room. She was light even for her five foot six height. He walked into a bedroom across from the armory, setting her on a bullet ridden bed. She stirred but did not wake. Gaz turned and walked to the door stopping to look at her one more time. She had a simple beauty about her, she was quiet, but kindness always carried itself in her eyes.

Walking out of the room Gaz came face to face with the body of Gary Sanderson. The man wore a calm expression even through the burns and damage to his body. Gaz turned and headed outside to begin the tiresome task of burying the bodies.

He spent hours gathering the bodies of men dead and in pieces. He used an old tractor by the barn to dig shallow individual graves. He buried the Russian with no remorse only soldierly custom. Gaz took special care of the SF men with task force one four one stitched on their gear. Ozone, Scarecrow, Two ghillie clad snipers Toad and Archer…and Gary Sanderson. He laid them to rest gently sending them with a soldiers prayer. He placed a picture of the mans family on his chest and crossed his arms before using the tractor to bury Gary Sanderson. For some reason he felt responsible for the mans death, and in truth he was. Taking a long walk back to the house he tried to come to piece with his decision, but he never would. Walking downstairs he heard struggling "Get me out of this fucking bed!" Gaz ran down to see Svetlana trying to hold down his struggling brother. "

"Simon!" Gaz yelled over the commotion. The room fell quiet as his brother fell silent and the doctor stepped back. Stepping closer to the bed Gaz laid eyes on his brothers face, It was covered in scars and burns, but cold blue eyes stared defiantly back at him. "Gareth" His brother spoke in a hushed voice. "Yeah Simon, its me". "How?" Simon struggled to raise his hand. Gaz stopped him "Ill explain later, your hurt bad Simon, you need to be sedated, she's a friend". His brother nodded as Svetlana administered a sedative, but then turned to Gaz again "Roach?" he gasped. Gaz shook his head "Rest…all will be explained" Simon tried to keep awake but the sedative took effect and he fell into a deep sleep.

Gaz walked into the next room and collapsed on a couch, his brother would be okay, he would be scarred from the burns, but his face was already scarred from something else. If anything they looked now more alike than before. He turned to see the doctor sit down beside him "He will be okay, the bullet entered his left lung and exited through his back clean, I managed to re-inflate and save most of the lung" Gaz nodded "I just wish we could have talked more". She placed a hand on his shoulder "I'm sorry, he will be able to talk tomorrow." He turned to face her "Thank you…for everything" She smiled her face creased with exhaustion "Your welcome". "You need some sleep, Ill go watch him". He went to stand up but she stopped him "Stay, please". Gaz sat back down "all right" She placed her head on his chest.

Gaz watched her fall asleep, her breathing slowed to an even pace. He was tired and closed his eyes, knowing he would soon be haunted by the ghosts of his past.

Authors Note - Sorry LionTalon, I just went with my gut. Hope it didn't turn out to bad. Next chapter will be much longer and have way more dialogue. As always reviews are welcome.

Thanks for reading - Anticleides