Sacrifice

Day 2,806, 12:08 • Published in USA Ireland • by HarliQuinn

So much tension. Chaos. But that is the way of life on the front lines.
This started out as a fight against them. It has become a fight within ourselves. Our inner demons are scratching just beneath the surface. Lashing at any one nearby. Lashing at him. Him. The person I looked up to. The person I honored. The person I loved. My commander. My Soldier.

I don't even know this man before me now. His wild eyes are a thousand miles away. Once as bright as the blue sky. Now darkened with clouds holding the worst of storms. We marched side by side for so long. Always there to defend each other. Always there to save each other.

Now, he marches ahead. Determined to prove he doesn't need any one. To prove he doesn't need me.

The battlefield is full of surprises. I need to focus. I need to prove I don't need him. I came this far, I can go the rest of the way. I see people dropping all around me. They are picking us off one by one. He doesn't even look back to see if I have fallen. Does he have that much faith that he trained me right? Or does he not care?

Lots of gunfire. I find a place to hide. I can't help but pray he is safe as well. I don't want to. It's just become so natural. Like breathing. His life has become as precious as my own. Fuck. Why can't I just be like him? He's taught me how, I just can't.

Eerie silence. The bullets have stopped flying, you can sense people are slowly peeking their heads out of their hiding places. I slowly make my way out into the clearing. I don't see him. I can't breathe. I frantically search the new bodies scattered on the ground. No sign of him. SO much tightness in my chest. Where the fuck are you?If you got yourself killed I swear on everything Holy... Then a worse thought occurred. Was he taken? I swear to God I will cut every last motherfuc- There he is. Just ahead of me. I can breathe again. He hasn't looked back. I want to scream at him. I am right here! Turn around!

But I remain silent. He doesn't hear words right now. Only the sounds of danger. There's another short burst of rapid gunfire. I watch people scatter. Except him. He isn't moving. What is he doing? What is he waiting for? He's having trouble with his gun. Why doesn't he run? I see something land behind him. My stomach is filled with dread as I realize it's a grenade.

I don't even hesitate. I want him to know without a shadow of a doubt how much he mattered. And how he threw it away. I only have a few seconds left. I fall onto the grenade and curl my body around it. It only hurt for a second. And then there was peace, knowing my sacrifice meant he could live.