When We're All Used Up

Part 8: Malfunctions

I hear the footsteps, they're coming closer, and closer, and closer. I grab my M-14, which was put over my shoulder with help from the sling. And make sure the bayonet is attached. I aim down the sights carefully. The aperture sights dead in the center of my view. I wait, listening to my surroundings. I hear the footsteps stop, so I run over to a thick tree to my right. I use the tree as support to be able to take good shots. I stare at a small trail in front of the river at wait for them to come in. And they do, fast. I light them up, the muzzle flashes pop up, 6 of them. And when they do, I shoot at them. I only get to the first two flashes until I need to reload. I check my bandolier, there's only 5 magazines left in one of my 7 magazine bandoliers and still 7 on the other after I take one, take cover behind the tree and then I push the mag into the magwell and pull on the charging handle, just behind the carry handle. I swing back out and start shooting at the rest of them. I count 3 more before I need to reload again. I look over the corner of the tree and see only one muzzle flashes left. I reload, fix my bayonet, and started dashing at the muzzle flash. But this Charlie wasn't like the rest. He was a good shot, at least compared to the rest of them. I strafe left and right. I'm now absolutely terrified. I hear the gunfire, I hear the bullets hit the floor around me. One bullet grazes my helmet. I finally reach the VC soldier, I look into his eyes. They're one of determination and strength, they stare into my soul. I finally put myself together and pull the trigger of my rifle. But it doesn't shoot. The soldier notices it and aims his AK-47 at me. I just sit there, but right when I accept my fate. TA-TA-TA-TA-TA-TA-TA-TA-TA, an M-14. I watch as the soldier falls to the floor. I look back, "SHADOW?! WHY ARE YOU HERE?!", I yell, my ears are still ringing from the firefight. "I ran here after I heard the gunshots, and you're welcome Grasshopper.", he says, looking at my arm. "What is it Shadow?", I say as I look at my arm too. "Oh, my. God!", I yell out. I was shot right in the arm. In between my elbow and hand. I start running over to shadow and put my bad arm over his shoulder. And then, the adrenaline wears off. I feel pain in both my arm and leg. It feels like an excruciating sting, like if 200 wasps stung the same area over and over again. I look at my leg and see a gunshot, I stare at it and look at the wound. I put my finger in, I see it come right out. I lean up against Shadow and he starts walking, I use my left leg to move and leave my right leg limp. We start picking up the pace and start running together. When we finally reach the camp Shadow yells, "GRASSHOPPER'S BEEN HIT, LEG AND ARM!". Nails runs up to me and looks at my face, "FUCKING HELL. DID'YA GET THEM?". "I did...sir...I got...5...of...6...sir...Shadow got the last one...", I say putting out all my power. And when I'm finally done. I fall to the floor, in slow motion. My eyesight goes black, and my face hits the damp jungle floor.

I wake up to my squad mates looking down at me, I'm propped against a tree. I look up at Nails, compose myself, and ask, "Where to?". "We called for a MEDVAC team, they're coming with a Huey. You stay here while we take everything down.", Nails says. "Oh, and take this", Nails gives me his M1911 pistol and takes my M-14 rifle. I take the mag out before he fully holds it, I bang the back of the mag against my helmet to line up the cartridges in the mag and then hand it back to Nails. "Not doing that almost got me killed, sir.", I tell Nails, I point at Nails' magazine bandoliers. "Not gonna give me those 3, that's 6 mags I'm missing out on.", I say, handing Nails my two magazine bandoliers. "Oh, yeah, right.", Nails responds, grabbing them and tossing them on my stomach and chest. "Now, we wait for those Hueys to come by.", Nails tells the rest of the squad. I look left and right, still nothing. I look up ahead, at a tree. I see a little light reflection, from what looks like a small little circle of glass. I instantly recognize it. That's from a sniper. I aim the 1911 pistol a little higher than the light. I shoot 3 times with a short break in between each to steady my hand. "WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT GRASSHOPPER?", Nails says, the rest of the squad looks at me like I'm some kind of drug junkie that's out of their mind. "Sniper, sir, that tree right there." I point at the tree at about 10 inches right of where the middle of the camp is. "Napoleon, go check it out.", Nails commands Napoleon. "Oui monsieur", Napoleon responds. "AND STOP SPEAKING FRENCH!", Nails barks at Napoleon as her runs toward the tree. Napoleon comes out after checking it out, and for the first time since I came here, I hear him speak English, "Sir, Grasshopper said the truth, there was a sniper there.", Napoleon says, confirming my own suspicion. "Good eye kid, and what? 13 confirmed kills-", I cut Nails off, "15, sir, total. Unconfirmed and all.". "Good for you Grasshopper, keep going. But as far as I know, this is it. You've done your part.", Nails says. "I'm coming back, no matter what, I'll do anything, but this is where I belong.", I tell Nails. I hear the faint noise of the Huey and I finally let myself rest as Castle picks me up and lifts me to the Huey. Thanks for the opportunity Lyndon B., and I'll be back soon.

[CHAPTER 8, END]

(Happy Thanksgiving ! I hope you eat well and have a great week. This is the week's chapter because I want you guys to have something, while you stuff your face with some delicious home cooking, love you all. Peace)

{This is my first +1,000 word chapter, if you have any suggestions, corrections, or tips, please leave them in the comments}