First of all I wanted to thank my followers and readers, I really hope you enjoy the story. Thanks to Frostbite for the short but nice review and as you wish here´s chapter 3.


Ghost was sitting in front of the hospital and was smoking a cigarette, looking down to the city, which was mostly undestroyed. 2 hours ago Julia (the nurse) told him that Gary was awake. He wouldn´t admit it but he was more than happy that Roach was getting better. He just wondered what would happen when Gary sees himself in a mirror. The first time Ghost looked into a mirror he wasn´t really shocked because he was used to the scar on his face and some brand marks on his face wouldn´t change a thing. But Gary´s face was faultless, almost very beautiful and attractive to many people. What would he feel when he looks in the mirror and sees how ruined his face was? Would he be able to face that he looked different now? Or would he end up like Ghost; hiding his appearance under a creepy mask so only close people could see his face? Ghost shook his head; why was he even thinking about such stuff. Roach was a strong person, stronger than he ever thought. He never cried no matter what pain he felt, physically and mentally. Ghost took one last drag on his cigarette and threw it away.

"You are going to catch a cold you know?" Ghost turned around and saw the doctor showing up behind him, he sighed. "Oh I think I got enough heat not long ago." He simply replied. "Mr. Riley! This isn´t funny. Why aren´t you glad that you're still alive?" the doctor asked. Ghost laughed. "I´m the happiest person on earth." The doctor rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say! I just think you should appreciate you´re not burnt to death. It´s like a miracle." "Oh yeah someone must really love me." Ghost replied cynically. "Mr. Riley I saw enough pain and people who don't want to die but you don´t have a choice. You must take it as it is. You´re the lucky one who survived." The doctor stated. "You call it luck? Look at me. Do I look like someone who should be happy that someone thought it would be my wish to survive when everyone else dies? I know a lot of people who had deserved to life on, people without a disturbing past I had." Ghost was getting angry at the doctors statement. He didn´t wait for a response from the medic in front of him. Ghost just turned around and went back to the hospital shaking his head of the stubbornness of his counterpart.

Ghost headed to his room and slammed the door. He went to the bathroom to take a relaxing shower and wanted to forget about this absurd conversation. He almost showered about half an hour without getting his mind free, he thought about the doctor's words. ´Lucky´ he smirked; nothing he went through was even half close to lucky. He preferred to call it hell. But how could this man know; his only interests were to get him and Roach out of this godforsaken place so he could go back to his family. Everyone in this place seems to hold a grudge against each other. The staff didn´t know that Ghost felt their dislike against all the patients they had to take care off but their behaviors were clear to him. Ghost heard them talk about their families back home and how excited they are to go back home and life a normal live. Only Julia never complained of being here or said that she wants to go back home to her family and friends.

Ghost got out of the shower and dried himself changing a look with his mirror image. He controlled his entire body; there were brand marks all over his chest and abdomen and a deep slowly healing bullet wound between his shoulder and his collarbone. ´Wanker! How did you become a general with such bad shooting skills? You could've killed me with just one shot but you failed. Idiot´ he coursed. After he got dressed he decided to go and take a look at Roach, to make sure he was doing fine.


He quickly arrived at Roaches room and opened the door silently. He stepped in and saw Roach still sleeping. He took a seat beside the bed and checked the young man. His face was pale and so the brand marks seemed to be more intensive then they actually were. He looked to Roach´s arms which where bandaged just as his legs were. He looked a little bit like a mummy. Ghost smiled; he must have looked almost the same when he was lying in bed. His eyes drifted to all the machines which were placed around the bed. There was one which recorded his vital functions, one for his oxygen-content and one for his heart sound. There were also several Infusions that supplied him with nutrients and liquid.

Ghost looked back to Gary and realized that his eyelids were moving. He got closer and whispered "Roach?" Gary slowly opened his eyes and looked around a bit confused. When he saw a well-known face he started to smile. "Ghost? You´re ok?" "Yeah I´m in one piece." He replied and smiled. Gary was so happy to see his friend and tried to pull him into a hug but was held back by a throbbing pain in his stomach. He let out a small whine and laid back to comfort himself. "Take it easy mate. You´re too weak for moving like you want." Ghost chuckled. "Yeah whatever you say." Gary pouted. Ghost just chuckled louder; the sergeants expression was too funny to take him serious. Gary shot him a killing glance and Ghosts chuckle died down. Ghost looked him straight in the eye and saw his questioning look. "What? You´re looking at me like I´m some alien." Gary looked down at his hands ashamed. Ghost craped his hand and Gary looked up again. "What´s the matter Roach?" he asked seriously. Roach took a deep breath. "Your face… "Now it was Ghost who looked away. " I know." "Couldn´t they fix it. I mean the brand marks." "No, they tried but it doesn´t work." Ghost smiled slightly. "What about me? Is my face ok?" Gary asked. Ghost´s eye widened. He didn´t know what to say. Gary noticed the fear in his lieutenant's eyes; his heart beats faster. "Ghost? Tell me is my face all right?" "Gary…I.." Ghost couldn´t find the right words. Fear grew up in Gary. What was wrong with his face? "Hand me a mirror." He demanded. "But…" "No, give me a mirror. I want to see my face." Gary began to scream. Ghost knew there was no way he could change his mind. He got up from his chair, walked to the nightstand and took the hand mirror. He walked back to his friend and handed it to him. Gary slowly raised the mirror and looked into it.

What he saw wasn´t what he expected…