Short Stories

The God Among Humans

Where do I even begin? My name is Henry Goodwin, and I was part of a small scouting unit that was on a mission to see what this enemy's up to in an abandoned home out in the desert. Before I get to that, I should tell you about my unit. We all are simple soldiers in a long war. Kevin Gill and Desmond Larche oy unit. Kevin was a southern boy from the backwaters in the south. He had that odd country voice and even sometimes yelled "yeet yeet!" When he would do something extremely stupid. Desmond was the opposite though, he was an older boy than us but he was not too far off. He always kept us in line, even took the blame when we fucked up. I bet he is up in heaven telling god a good reason we shot a person or sinned. I'll miss him for sure, but back to the story. 

Okay, so we were on this mission and everything was going fine till we were spotted.  We returned fire and was fine as we retreated or parked our way out. Little did we know that we stumbled into a minefield and stopped shooting and that should have been a single from the get-go but when you are being attacked and could die. All your thought process flips like a switch and you're running blindly through everything to survive.  That's when I heard the god-awful mechanical click. The next thing I know is I hear Kevin yelling "hold on man, we get you just fine stay with me. God dammit Henry! Get your ass over here and help me get him back to the vehicle!" His voice was muffled but I knew what situation we were in. I rushed to the two and helped Kevin lift Desmond off the ground. His legs were boring clean off when what appeared to be a piece of metal in his chest. All I could hear was my heart pounding in my chest. It matched each step I took every inhale. My lungs burned yet I pushed on as I knew Desmond was not going to make it. 

Our Hummer was parked near a mountain range but on cue, it turned into a ball of flaming wreckage as a rocket zipped past us and impacted the size of the hummer, sending it tumbling into the mountain. I cussed under my breath as me and Kevin quickly changed course and aimed for the mountains. Desmond the whole time telling us to leave him, and Kevin would say something like "I ain't going to do that you see! No shut up and not up, we are going to get you through this! You're going to get that special parking you hear!" Seconds were minutes and minutes were hours as I and Kevin used all we had and climbed that damn mountain carrying Desmond between the both of us. We, fortunately, found a small indent in the mountain we were scaling blindly. We placed Desmond down as I called in support and we had a wounded and we were being chased. Kevin tried to work his magic on Desmond, giving him a morphine shot and bandaging his stumps. I tried to help Desmond and Kevin but it was just so much blood, I couldn't. They needed me but I panicked. I began to drop stuff as I tried to hand them to Kevin, then she showed up just watching us at the mouth of the small pocket. I drew my gun but my hands were slipping and my aim was shaky. This is when she said, "drop your gun, I'm American." She shined a light down on us and the conditions we were in. She sighed and said "your friend is not going to make it. I know how much you care for him but it's best to put him down now." Her words were so heartless, so cold like she had no emotion in that matter. I was ragged. She talked about Desmond like he was a sick dog. I was about to shoot her right then and there till I heard a shot go off just next to me. My heart sank, I slowly turned my head to see Kevin leaning over Desmond's body crying as he held his hand to his rest and moved the handgun from Desmond's head, and tossed it to the ground. My whole world came crashing down at that moment.  I had never had a brother but just then I lost one. My body feeling the exhaustion, I fell to my knees and dropped my gun like a ton of bricks as I fell into the sandy ground below me. I couldn't move nor speak. My body simply shut down. 

When I came to, I was in the base camp infirmary hooked up to all kinds of machines. I yanked them from me as I needed to find this girl. I needed her to pay for the death of my brother. I was held down by soldiers and nurses till my sergeant came in. I looked at him as he said "Addie's soldier, you're in good hands." I quickly yelled "I need to find the girl that made Kevin kill Desmond! I need to find them and her and make her pay for what she has done!" My sergeant shook his head and said "I guess this war has finally got to you, soldier. By tomorrow morning you will be honorably discharged and will be sent back to the United States where you will be put in a hospital to ensure you don't have any permanent damage." I was dumbfounded, something was not right with this at all. People had to know what was going on, he was just acting like they didn't exist. I returned a remark that I would soon regret "Desmond Larsen and Kevin Gill! Where are they, where is Desmond's body! I know you know who I'm talking about!" The nurse injected me as the sergeant shook his head and left the tent. I could feel my body going numb as my vision went to black. While I was out I began to remember parts and pieces of what happened in that cave. I recall a conversation while I was out cold. I don't know how but while asleep I could recall them talking. "I apologize for your friend, you don't have much time before they reach you here. Kevin then said "but what about Desmond's body and my other partner? I can't carry them both." The girl then said "I can maybe help, I'll fight them off in return, you will find my ashes as they shall be black as night yet shine in the light like a star. Collect me and have you or your friend bring me back home. Back to the United states." Without hesitation, Kevin said, "what do you mean ashes?" Footsteps grew closer to me as I felt a gentle female hand rub my face, except it was hot to the touch like you placed your hand on the outside of an oven while it was on then touched someone shortly after. It was as if someone placed a heating pad on my face. The girl then spoke again and said " I have been here far too long, dying and dying, forgetting all I had done, all those I have saved. I want to be in a place where I may not die again, a place possible away from all forms of life. I have been cursed to walk these lands and upon my death, I will turn to ash and rise again only to forget all I have done. As if another me was to live my life for me. I simply wish to be left alone till I finally remain dead." The cave grew quiet for a moment before the girl spoke again "do we have a deal?" Gunfire in the distance grew only closer. Kevin then said "okay deal, just save us please." I could feel the heat rising as if I was placed in a furnace soon-to-be baked alive. Kevin then said "in God's green earth, what are you ladies?" She chuckled and said, "something long ago forgotten, but never died out."  

That's all I can recall, I was discharged and sent home but I never could shake the feeling that Kevin made a deal with something of a god-like being. All parts of his life are erased the same as Desmond  Larsen. So I am the final piece to be erased by our government or by what Kevin talks to that night. This place is the best place to post something like this. It will go under the radar and probably be seen as a story or something someone made up. At least now I know there are Gods among us.