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The Last Week: Day 1
Posted By: HitEmUpper<carrotheadxxl93@aim.com>
Date: 12 March 2009, 6:04 am


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September 18, 2544
Special Operations Squad Kilo
Outskirts of Delian City, Planet Tyre

I took out the journal and selected a page dated a week ago and begin to read:

"A normal day as I used to remember it to be, is now clouded by this darkness of war and loss. Loss of things we will never get back, either it be physical like a loved one or abstract like a beautiful day. I hope that this following day will be easy, but I know that a friend of mine will fall or maybe even me will fall in the field of battle. The el-tee says the marshes will be counter attacked by the enemy tomorrow, but we lay awake in the jungles darkness ready for what we all know is comming..."

"Hartz, you ready to go?" asked Geddy

"Yea, can't wait to go home" I said in great relief.

As I walked to the pelican the last words I remember before closing the book.

"...ready for what we all know is comming"

I get in the craft and take a seat next to my friend Thomas Geddy. It was our last week in the marines, and it was tough one to get through, we don't even know how we got through it. I peer out the window and see a surface of jungle, marshland, and a city lays as a focus along with the beautiful nature that surrounds it. I revert my vision to the inside of the pelican to see soldiers, just like me, sit and talk with their friends about getting back home, becomming free again as some put it. Then a huge explosion occurs and the sense of panic that I tohught I would never feel again sets in. Our dropship begins to spin in free fall and the door opens in malfunction and the two nearest soldiers next to it fly out, their screams trailing close behind them. I hold onto my seat for dear life as we spin. The altitude begins to drop and the place we were glad to leave from, is welcoming us back. As I think of my life I remember my last week on this planet, and those last words echo in my head.

".....ready for what we all know is comming"

The only thing that I can think of right now that we all know is comming is death. I see the ground closing in on us and I close my eyes and await the end.

September 11, 2544
Special Operations Squad Kilo
The Wilderness, Planet Tyre 0500 hours

I have been in the war for 358 days, I only have a week left. The sun begins to rise over this bloody marsh, letting everybody know another round for fighting is ready to begin. I get out of my sleeping bag and grab my MA5B and walk to the communications tent. On my way I see my whole squad, the guys that had my back for over 350 days. My friend Thomas Geddy and I were once citizens, average people, but then the Covenant ravaged our planet and that made us join the marines. I've only been on Tyre for almost a year, soldiers like Lieutenant Hopkins been all over the galaxy, fighting the covies from planet to planet. Lieutenant Hopkins is an example of a career soldier, after his required one year of service was up he came back for more, he has served over seven tours of duty on almost every planet. I don't know how he likes it. Constant death and devotion I couldn't do it even if I tried.

I opened the flap to the communications tent to see Willard working the radio. He must have the hardest job here. He gets the least sleep out of us all because he must man the radio every minute to keep up with the command's communications link.

"Hey, Willard."

"What's up Hartz?"

"Nothing much."

"Same...."

"So, what's the radio been saying today?"

"Just the usual talk, but the Spartans kicked some ass again at Reddner VIII, the covies should soon be leaving that planet by the way the Spartans are doing things...Aw, hold on Hartz...getting a call from command.

As he took his call I stepped outside and the sun has risen a little bit since I got up. Then I noticed movement to my right, and I readied my rifle to see it was just Ness.

"Jesus Christ, Ness I could of shot your damn head off."

"Sorry." He replied in a low depressing voice.

Ness has been in the service for over two years, and those two years must of been hell. He has shaggy black hair and is somewhat tall. He usually isolates himself from the rest of the squad when we rest after a day's fighting. He'll go to a tree with his book and just write about what ever. He then got up and walked away and I went over to the tree he was sitting at and began to read his book.

"Yesterday the fighting was intense. I was shaking a lot like I was new to the scene of battle. I did my job and killed those little grunts if they came bear the perimeter. While I was on the line and man, his name was Clatch if I remember correctly, but he took a needle round to the neck and died in my arms. I don't think I could handle that experience again."

I dropped the book quickly as I saw him comming back. He came up to me, stared at me for a second, and went back to writing.


The Wilderness 100 hours

"Willard stay with me, stay with me Willard." Garrett was yelling as he was operating quickly on Willard's body.

The squad was ordered to go into the marshes and scout out the Covenant, and Willard was hit my a plasma beam when we were ambushed. He was bloody all over as Garrett was working on him. He began to choke on his own blood and soon he died. Garrett screamed at losing another squad member.

"Hartz to the line!" shouted Hopkins.

I ran to the front with my rifle in hand. When I got there I began shooting and a few grunts fell. After a few minutes of trading fire with the covies they retreated. We cleared the area and went back to the perimeter. Garrett and I carried Willard's body back. The expression on his face was calm, but the way he went was the complete opposite. As we walked back to the perimeter, other soldiers watched us as we placed Willard with the other body bags. I take a seat nect to my fiend Tom and we rest.

"So, Willard's gone now, huh?" tom said.

"Yea, he was a good guy. I talked to him this morning and now he's gone."

"Well that's war for ya'."

"I guess you're right. I wonder what will come next."

"Well, look on the bright side, six more days then we're out."

"Yea....six more days."





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