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“I can’t wait to get the fuck out of here. This place is one hot ass motherfucker.”
“No shit.”
“We’ll approach from the north, enter here, bing, bang, boom, and leave here.” A faceless man pointed to the image on the screen.
“And exfil?”
“Ready when we are.”
Everything went dark, and then it was like an explosion of fireworks.
“This is not a drill. We clear on that? You're a go! You’re a go! Get the fuck in there!”
Heavy footsteps running, trampling. Banging from doors being blown through. Explosions. Gunfire. Grenades. Smoke everywhere.
"There's another one! On your six!"
“Kill 'em and get out of there!" a voice boomed.
“These motherfuckers are everywhere!” Another loud voice bellowed over the bullets spraying all around us.
I pulled the trigger on my gun, but nothing worked. I try and try to fire, but my fingers are like taffy. I have to find safety. We need to retreat.
"Bacca!” I heard someone calling for me. Someone else called my name, and the world started to go black.
When things came back into focus, I was on my knees. There’s a syringe in someone’s hand and a gun to my temple. A pair of dark eyes watched me in silence.
I attempted to return the hostile stare. I did fine until that shithead stuck me with the needle.
I heard the voices. I wanted to open my eyes. I couldn’t. I tried to move. I was frozen—no, strapped down. I did my best to remain still even though I was panicking. I take my mind to my training. I have to focus. I have to survive. I have to make it through this hellhole. "Motherfucker!" I yelled, but only in my head. Now came the throbbing agony I remembered. Everything fucking hurt. The pain was everywhere all at once. Every square inch of my body was on fire. My mind could process the pain but nothing else.
I woke up drenched in sweat. Again. I opened my eyes, gasping for breath and hoping I didn’t wake Hailey. I turned my head. Still asleep, thank God. I tried to stay quiet and still as I allowed my heart to calm and settle down to a normal rhythm.
The rain outside fell in a torrent, pounding on the roof and against the glass. The rhythmic sound might have been calming for someone else. For me, I was a jittery ball of heightened energy. I looked out the window to assess the situation. Everything was dark except for the light bouncing off the blacktop from the streetlights.
I tiptoed through the house, checking all the windows and doors. My paranoia was from my nightmare, not the rain. Maybe I was overzealous and a little obsessed, but my family’s safety was the only thing I cared about. I would protect them at all costs.
The nightmares came on over a week ago. My dreams and daydreams were filled with grotesque images, ghoulish faces, and garish words. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something big was about to happen. Good or bad, I needed to be prepared. No matter what, nothing could happen to my family. They were the only ones who mattered.
I opened the medicine cabinet and read each bottle until I found what I wanted. I downed three headache relievers with a bottle of water. I walked out to the kitchen and stared out into the night. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Everything was exactly as it had been moments before.
Soft footsteps fell behind me. I turned. Hailey padded in on quiet feet. She watched me for a moment. Concern was written all over her face. This wasn’t the first time this had happened. “What are you doing out here?”
“I’m okay. Everything is fine. I just have a headache.”
“Again?” She hurried over, pressing the back of her hand to my forehead. “You’re burning up.”
“It’s okay. Just a headache. I just need these pills to kick in.”
“This isn’t a headache, Vince.”
“Hailey,” I sighed, exasperated.
“Talk to me.” She snuggled into my arms. “I worry when you get like this. Please, baby. Talk to me.”
“I had a dream.” She stayed latched onto me, quiet as could be. “A nightmare.”
“I know you did. Don’t lock me out. I worry when you try to ignore it. Was there anything new?”
