The Foundation

A struggle for holding on and survival

 

The Foundation

By Jack Pollard

2004/July 8

2200 Hours/Iraq Bagdad

Our chopper roared over the city as the knights embraced the words from “Till I collapse” to pump us up. The usual solider anthem. “Hey Sam.” Sitting across from me was my brother from another mother, Tony was offering me a stick of gum.  “No thanks I’m not that cleshay.” I replied and he just chuckled

Yup that’s my best friend since we were kids, even went to school together. We definitely got each other’s back no matter what the cost. You know it’s like the great wisdom of Eminem “Till I collapse” “What’ll you boys think of this compared to your little ‘Halo’ game?”  The old timers from any of the ‘90s operations which in my opinion wasn’t enough a war like this, just battles like that civil war s**t in Africa. But anyways this war was a whole new level of Saigon s**t. Some nights the skies were riddled and lit up with bullets. Bombs setting off everywhere enough to level a Scwarzenegger. So I believe me and Tony got more balls from just two tours then these old f***s.

                “Yeah I’m f*****g loving every moment man.” I replied to the old f***s, which they thought was bullshit by the gist of their laughter but I was so ready. “Were almost at the DLZ.” The pilot said              We were heading twenty miles outside the city, to one of the terror cell’s underneath some foundations belonging to the Al Qaeda that intel believes a s**t load of chemical explosive to be located. Which is one of the reason why where in this dried up s**t hole in the first place. OH that and maybe “Sam twenty bucks says we find that skinny bearded f**k.” Tony said with a twenty dollar bill out. “Yeah sure why not.” I agreed because it’s not like I’m going to lose either way, I mean I’ll probably get the reward money from Tony anyways due to the amount of  wages he owes me. Who knows though I could be kicking myself later because he could even be hiding on American soil as doctor or even a CIA desk worker that thought always worried me.

I know it’s a fool’s dream but I always wanted to be that American hero, Sam joined the army mostly because he’s a crazy mother f****r not that he doesn’t love his country or anything it’s just that he played a lot of games, video games. As well as other trigger happy activities such as paintballing every weekend, arcades of course and hunting as soon as we got old enough. Even then we were still shooting 22’s at birds since we were twelve those little fuckers were tough targets.

                Now we were hunting in the desert far from deciduous trees and crystal blue lakes and into the heart of hell. I mean war was already hell enough but this is just pushing it. So here we are at the teeth of the devil himself as the troops beside me lock and load as well as Tony across from me. Which he was mostly stoked but I can sense a bit of fright coming from him but me I’m use to this already from just two tours, tell you the truth I’m no longer even scared or insanely stoked for it anymore just board. I need something more to happen because it’s always the same here and it’s always going to be the same back home too.

                “Thrity seconds the pilot yelled

Then I checked my M4 assault rifle once more and looked down the line, they had their bows and arrows steady and ready by their side too.  Also it wasn’t just paint balling and games that brought me to this s**t hole it was Tony and his goal to be the American hero to make his folks proud because just like me he hasn’t found his calling card yet.  Now I’m here to watch his a*s make sure he comes back in one piece.

I could already see the other US bird hovering over the foundation, deploying their knights down the ropes. Tony then prepared a knuckle bump and said “Hey Sam till I collap……” When suddenly Tony’s head as well as everyone else’s jerked back and forth, left and right to a massive volcanic explosion ripping from the lab underneath through the foundation into the sky then punching belly of the other chopper.  Engulfing that entire chopper with its torrent of fire as it mushroomed over that chopper giving them a chance in hell.  And if it wasn’t fun enough with the shock wave smacking us a bit it then threw the other bird at us swinging out of the massive inferno then smacked into our chopper completely taking out the cockpit of our chopper now leaving us pilotless. As well as hanging and spinning in the air with just one propeller on the tail of our bird; throwing us into a nasshish blur of a strawberry ride. Were all I could see and hear was red lights flashing, an alarm blaring and everyone with their eyes closed sticking to the walls.  “BRACE FOR IMPACT!” The pilot shrieked

It seems the closer we were spiraling to the ground the loader everything got, the alarm the engine revved like a banshee from hell. “Tony Tony, just keep your head down! Don’t look up just keep your he….” As soon as we smacked the ground with the belly of the hawk its sound exploded with such a tremendous force loader than any bomb that set off near me. Then the shock trembled through our bones instantly knocking me out.  

                I finally came to a few hours later in the morning to a whistling of a wind, breezing through our lifeless train wreck. Dawn was nearly peeking as if the sun was scared to service. The old timers was heavier than I thought, so I had to erupt from the pile of dead. Even though I was still out of it I began to check all the faces of the dead hoping not to find him that way but some of them were to fucked up to tell. “Tony!” I yelled “Tony!” I looked down both ends of the chopper and could only see more bodies in my dazed state “Tony! Tony!” I began to panic more. Until a hand barley triumph out of a pile of bodies, which I instantly paced over the dead and ripped him out of the body pile. As the air hit his lungs it widen his eyes and punched a gasp out of him. Then I hooked him with a hug like I haven’t seen him in ages and not ashamed to say kissed him on the check.

“Ahhh what the f**k happen.” Tony asked

“I don’t know man just some turbulence. Are you ok man?” I replied

“I’m not sure (Tony took his time taking deep breaths) I was breathing dead bodies for hours.” He said

“Yeah me too. Can you move?” I asked  

He then jumped his torso forward but was the only thing he move. “I can’t..can’t move my legs.” He answered; so I rolled the last body off his legs. “How about now?” He then was still only able to throw his shoulders about. “F**k no no no.”He expressed with his eyes widening and his pupils shrinking. “It’s ok just…can you move any of your arms?” He then threw his right arm forward not expecting movement. “I..I can move my right arm.” He replied “Good, good.” I replied looking out the new entrance of the chopper. “I should go scout the area.” I said picking up an AR and brought the handle close to my heart. First I obviously just barely peeked my head out; if the sniper was good I’d be dead already. Then I emerged from the wreckage from where the c**k pit once was and kept the cool steel to my cheek as well as the cross hairs in my sights. If the sniper was shity I’d be dead by now, so then I checked the entire perimeter of the area I mapped out in my head. Which was all around the crash site and surprisingly not one soul in site, so it had to have been an accident, the explosion. So I immediately put my shoulder to my voice. “Mayday mayday this Samuel Jenkins from Alpha team of the forth battalion. I raised the walkie to my ear and could hear nothing from it not even static which then I looked closer at and it was crunched and cracked. “F**k!” I expressed

With our bird down and bravo team being the reason why we were grounded well not bravo team in general but their chopper. With all our units down, our walkies down and the place we were supposed to infiltrate is up in unbearable smoke, all signs were defiantly pointing to footing the rest of the way back. “Hey Sam.” A Tony could barely cry out.  I went back stepping backwards covering my twelve with my death sights. Then I got on one knee still keeping my M4 barrel to the exits. “What’s going on? What’s the plan?” He barely could asked

“We gonna get the f**k out of here. That’s what we’re doing.” I said catching a Glock nine at the corner of my eye, on the belt of the dead sergeant. “Can you still shoot brother?” I asked handing him the nine without getting the full answer “Yeah I think I can.” He answered holding the piece with a bit of pride. “Ok good smoke any mother fuckers if you see anybody. We’re going to have to hoof it to the nearest base.” I said which he then answered “Ok cool.” Then I made a check list, M9 pistol of course, ration bars, thing of water, grenades, my M4 and my best friend who’s got my back.      

                So then I strapped him to my back through some harness and my back pack. So that we were back to back, checking each other’s 6. “We got a long a*s way to go.” I said keeping my M4 alert. “What the f**k happen to bravo team.” He asked “You saw what happen to their chopper.” I answered with frustration and deeply sighed at the sight of the long stretching desert. So then I threw down my first step and brought on the rest. So within an hour or two of f*****g walking four miles, obviously the desert wasn’t showing us any mercy, my shoulders felt like falling off, my feet were numb with boiled noodle feeling legs and my sights were swerving. So I stopped and looked around. “We should find…someplace to rest.”  “Sounds…good.” Even Tony was drained of life but then a shad of luck came upon us; which was of course a decent sized rock providing a chunk of shad. So then I placed him upon the big rock and I rested myself on a smaller rock in front of the bigger one. First thing I did sitting down is stretching out my legs and freeing myself from my M4. I ran my fingers throw the cool sands beside me and raised a claw out of it. Then I jolted for a second with a shock of realization that hit me because I totally forgot I was carrying; so then I unzipped my bag like an animal and dug out a canteen of crystal soothing water and took a gulp like it was my last shot. “Here.” I then passed it to Tony’s only working limb. “Thanks” He replied “Of course.” I answered

Then a thought came to me that raised a smile out of me; “This is almost like that time when we got stuck at the Grand Canyon on that field trip right.” “Yeah but this time there’s no highway with passing cars and we don’t get to have a few days to chill with a stoner pal gaming on Doom all day.” Tony answered “All yeah that was a sweet week aside being imprisoned for the weekend.” I replied “Yeah cause Clarence had a pretty dope party that weekend.” Tony said

                “Yeah but I still got there.” I replied remembering that night in ’94 as I stuffed my blankets with pillows and a giant Donky Kong stuffed doll. “Yeah after that night I came over the next day; remember with the big a*s bag I bought of Ted.” “Oh yeah we snuck out with Terrence that night and the only movie playing at that time was ‘The Lion King’.” Tony replied “Yeah I really wanted to see ‘Speed’ but wasn’t there.” I replied “Pretty f*****g trippy songs though.” Tony add “Oh yeah I never thought I’d enjoy a Disney movie that much. “How was Clarence’s birthday anyways?” Tony asked “F*****g dope man, literally too and I got to bring home Jayme that night.” I proudly said “Nice wasn’t she a cheerleader.” Tony asked “Of course.” I answered as if cheerleaders were my usual targets. So from there on we bullshitted like that until dusk came down. So I got up strapping my best pal to my back. “Alright let’s get the f**k out of here.” I said taking my first well rested-ish steps for our twenty mile walk, well now I guess fifteen mile stroll now.  “ahhh Why is it still warm when it’s dusk out?!” I commented to the dying sun that was on my right

“What the f**k happen back there anyways?” He asked turning his head back a little. “I have no f*****g clue, either it was a chemical reaction that brewed beneath the foundation in their lab if there was any weapons of mass destruction in it.” I answered “Yeah but I don’t think it had any weapons of mass destruction though; if it did we all would have been vaporised.” Tony declared “So you think it was a trap too?” I asked “Had to have been.” He answered “Well at least were still here.” I replied

                “Here?” Tony asked

                “You know alive for f***s sake.” I answered

                “Oh yeah s**t (He chuckled a little) Of course.” He answered

“Oh my god that’s better.” I expressed as the last beam of sun finally descended and I instantly embraced that cool night air. Which worked as a relief and strength for boosting me. “So why did you join the army?” He asked me the one question I’d hope he’d never ask “Well you know why dude.” I threw some words out that he obviously saw through. “Well I know it’s not because of ‘Doom’, why did you fellow me to hell?”  He said reading me like a book without even looking at me just his voice going through my back.

                “Well f**k you know why.” I tried to throw some more words out but still didn’t work

                “No I don’t know why not really.” He replied

                “Well it’s just f**k man I just knew you weren’t going to last a f*****g minute out here without me. You said it yourself it’s f*****g hell out here.” I answered

                “Yeah but I didn’t need a baby sitter.” He replied

                “Well f**k not just that this whole wanting to be the American hero bull s**t.” I finally threw out the real words

                “That was just a drive you f**k and that’s not even why I’m here why I joined the army.” He clashed back

                “Then why?!” I boldly asked

                “I don’t know, I just thought hmm…I don’t know man it’s just that; you knew what you were going to do with yourself after school. I….had nothing in mind you did.” He answered which felt like he throwing words out now carelessly

                “What a cop no man you’re my bro dude I follow you to the ends of hell.” I replied pride fully

                “Yeah but I didn’t want that I didn’t want to hold you back from your dreams. You had something real in mind to do.” He argued

                “Dreams come and go bro you didn’t hold me back from anything you understand.   And I’ll become one when we get back. .” I replied

                “I don’t know man.” Tony replied

                “I don’t know what the f**k is wrong with you but just sit the f**k back and embrace the morphine I give you.” I finally declared

 

As the steps, the hours passed, we were only eight miles out. Tony passed out with flies constantly buzzing around him. Then I pulled out to what I discovered to be the last ration bar. Then I also discovered an old abandon house a few feet ahead of me. So then I threw one foot in front of the other towards the house and kicked the door open doing my best to keep my death sights aware. After checking each corner and what not, I awkwardly placed down Tony against an old liquor cabinet that was facing the windows. Then I threw down my back against the wall opposite to him; the way the place looked it’s like no one’s been here for years, maybe the occasional bomb maker would use the space but I think they can use a cave for now. I went through what was now feeling a little lighter; back pack, I looked over at Tony, smiled went over to him and handed the bar to him but then chucks to the floor next to his dead legs.

                “What the f**k man!” I expressed

                “What the f**k is wrong with you!” He yelled at me

                “What do you mean man what the f**k?” I said trying to hand him it back to him but he would simply drop it again.

                “Just f*****g take this and eat this…” I struggled trying to just get him to grab it

                “This is f*****g wrong man.” He said

                “Whatever dude if you don’t want this s**t I will.” I said picking it up but catching a shity eighties SUV pulling in.

“F**k.” I expressed as the beams of light seep through the windows almost getting a glimpse of me if I hadn’t drop in time. Poor Tony though because I couldn’t move him as I quickly crawled towards the wall and threw my back to it. As their lights from their truck turned off I could hear scuffling of cargo paints and boots also clicking their AKs ready. Then I could hear them literally right above me just behind the wall I was against then they started talking. Not in English of course but whatever they were talking about I’m sure they were talking about Tony because he was right in their sites; sitting in the moons beam of all f*****g places, so instantly I knew we were fucked. Then as I could hear their voices moving along the wall slowly towards the front door I slowly silently adjusted my M4 to the door. Then as door knob turned and the door burst open I ripped open fire holding down the trigger like a gas pedal in a ‘Stang’ with an overwhelming roar. Relentlessly taking down the first two door knockers then I saw the next two guys behind them so then I hopped over a table and flipped it on its side to provide me some cover. However some lead reapers of course did seep through but then as soon as heard silence on their side which is actually shity partnership; I exhaled like a dragon slaying its knight piercing through their cover. Then I saw one body fall in the door way. I slowly make it towards the door, I look to my right and see that Tony’s still ok as he kept his death sights up too.

I popped around the corner stepping over the dead terrorist I found one last one trying to make a gate away with his elbows; at first I raised my Assault rifle squeezed the trigger but it only spits out air. “It’s your lucky day.” I said but then I pulled out my Glock nine “In another world.” Clipping him six times in the back then once in the head. I looked over at the SUV and smiled. I went back inside and said “Where going back now.” I went over to pick him up but then “Don’t do this man, just leave me.” He replied “No dude I aint f*****g leaving you here.” “This is fucked up man.” He replied “Dude let’s just get the f**k out of here.” I replied

I kneeled down to pick him up but then hurls his only working arm at me then started freaking like I was one of them. “Whao whao just chill the f**k out man.” I said trying to convince this one armed man “Get the f**k off me man leave me alone!” He replied and just kept at it so eventually; “Ok dude you know what f**k it! Your on f*****g own bro have a nice few seconds.” I regretfully said then stormed towards the truck, luckily there was already keys in it so slammed the door shut. Completely forgot these a******s drive on the left side so I adjusted myself and through in gear then started driving off into the sun rise. But as I was flooring it my mind could not leave him out of sight. As I watch the abandon house become smaller and smaller; I slam the breaks, check how much fuel I got and whirl the car around.  Yes I’m doing this and started spitting dirt in the direction of chance because I knew the moment I left him there I…I just couldn’t. Then I found myself back in that door way seeing him with his head down, already throwing in the towel. “Were going home.” Which raised his head and a smile out of him.

“Were here.” I said at the gates of the nearest Army bases.

“I’m…so thirsty.” Tony said

“It’s all good were back.” I replied

Then the gates open like tomb opening to a fortress as four guys including Sargent Krosen ; of which had a grim look upon their faces then I got out. “Jesus Sam are you ok?” The Sargent asked “We survived a heli crash, carried Tony all the way till we found that beater, give the last of the food to him survived a gun fight and now here I am.” I replied with a drained smile. However this time the sarg didn’t seem so macho. Then he placed his hand on my shoulder “We have to show you something Sam.” “Yeah let’s just get Tony out of there.” I said about to look back but the sarg stopped me. “Just come with us.”  Moments later they trailed me to a psychological department. “Sam this is Dr. Alyssa she’s a …” “A shrink I got it..” Sam cut in “I’m fine though I’m just f*****g tired and thirsty but where the f**k is Tony anyways?” Krosen sighed and looked over to Alyssa. “Look Sam I think you should see something.” The professor said “Do you remember the head gear we supplied you unit with.” Krosen asked pointing to his temple “Yeah mine broke so f*****g what?” I replied “Well it kind of didn’t. “ He said with a somber tone. Then he clicked on one of the monitors to my side. Which then turned out to be horror flick of my own sanity. As I witness myself pulling Tony’s body out of the pile of dead he was under back in the chopper. “Your head cam kept bugging in and out every now and then.” Krosen said as he tried his best to keep his eyes off the screens. “So then I called Dr. Alyssa here due to the effects of war done to you.” He continued as I slowly phased him and the professor’s voice out as their voices just became echoes in the distance. And I just took in the insanity as I looked up to the screens and seeing me feeding, yelling and holding on to something that I could not let go. “So do you understand the nature of this situation Sam?” Her voice finally phased back in. “Yeah I..I understand.” I then threw out some final words.

               

                2004/July 9

                800 HOURS

I was now honorably discharged from the United States Army and was being sent to the nearest air base then as I looked up above Bagdad I could see and feel two army choppers hovering over me but all I could think of was ‘The Lion King’ and that stupid f*****g bet. Then one of the corporals offered me a stick of gum. 

                                 

DONE     

                        

 

     

                         

 

 

 

Author's Note

Gimmie what ever reviews ya think