Essay On Sargent's Struggle: A Fictional Narrative

We are walking late on a misty night.
“ Man! I’m starving.” Henry complains.
“ Stay focused and keep a close eye for survivors.” Sargent yells.
“ Sir yes Sir!” We all reply.
We began marching all around the rice paddy. The putrid, musty smell to it making my nose twitch. In the distance we hear a moan- faint and soft. We all freeze. Sargent motions us to the sound and we proceed silently to the noise.
“ Bernard!” I yell dropping to the ground like the dead leaves from the old maple tree.
He lies there with what seems to be a twelve-inch staff-made of tree bark. Blood crimson red gashed out of his body.
“ What happened to you?” Henry asks on the brink of tears.
“I… I…” He tries to talk but chokes on his blood.
We try lifting the

staff out of his stomach, but it’s to deep.
“ No… It’s okay.

Tell… Maggie I love her.” He says.
Those were the last words to escape his mouth. We say a prayer over Bernard crying here and there. We make our way back to our hide out.
“ I can’t wait to see my beautiful wife and two kids with one coming.” Keenan says smiling with hope.
Who knew Keenan wouldn’t be there for the birth of his third child? Immediate gunfire began.
“ Fire! If you can run, Run!” Sargent says before he gets his head blown off making his brain splatter on our faces.
“ Sargent.” Henry yells.
“C’mon” I run making shots at Charlie.
All of a sudden from the corner of my eye I saw henry freeze.
“ Hey. What’s wrong? Lets go.” I urge.
He stays put.
“ Hey Henry. What’s wrong?” I ask.
I look down then I saw it. He was stepping on a mortar. We both know if he lifts his foot up it will

explode.
“No… No!” I yell.
“I can’t stay here for the rest of my life. It was nice knowing you partner,” He says between sniffs.
I hug him for one last time. I back up, and then he steps off. Boom! The deafening sound of the mortar pierces my ears like a shrieking sound of a baby’s cry. His blood
I had remembered the time we first met.
“ Hey. You!” I screamed at Henry.
“What do you want?” He asked. Henry retorted.
He punched me in my face.

My lip began to bleed. It tasted bitter and bland. I kicked him in his shin.
“ Why are you guys fighting over me? I like neither one of you.” Molly laughed walking away.
“ Wow… wow!” Henry and I looked at each other.
“ Good punch man.” I complimented Henry.
“ Good kick. I think you left bruise.” He chuckled.
We high five each other.
“ Would you like some pizza?” I asked him.
He nodded and we walk to the pizzeria.
The loud sound of a gunshot snaps me out of it. I shot more shoots at the Charlie.
“ Over here.” Jonathan waves over to me. As I’m running a bullet grazes my arm. I hide behind a bush and wait. Wait for Charlie to show up so I can shot them. Right in the head. Hoping they get damned to hell. Jonathon hands me the canteen of water. It tastes old and rancid.
“ Hey. If I don’t make it, give this to the Mrs.’s.” Jonathan hands me a piece of crumbled paper.
His hands rough and dry. I hand it back to him.
“You’re going to make it. Whether Charlie like or not.” I assure him.
Although I wasn’t close with Jonathan. I had to give him hope.
“ Alright?” I ask.
He nods.
“ Yes… Yes.”
Charlie shoots Jonathan in his stomach and his blood flies into my mouth. It taste

salty
“ Johnny. Johnny. Um. Johnny.” I sob holding him in my arms.
“Don’t panic. Just go hide and wait… till the chopper comes.” Jonathan says.
I get up. Watching my step for any traps. Everyone is dead, but me. I found Bernard’s body lying in the same spot. With all my strength I lift him up laying him over top of me so it can look like I’m dead.
It’s almost been ten hours since I've been here. I am starving. That’s when I hear it. The helicopter. I slowly get up. They help me on the captor and fly away. To safety where I can be with my family. It’s over. Finally. A lot of my comrades died on this painful journey but I will keep standing for them.