Date: 02/22/2014 - 07:43:16
Location: Washington, D.C.
Dean Walker
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The sun was shining brightly, and there wasn’t a single cloud in the sky a perfect day for a birthday at the park. I had just turned six, and I was having the time of my life, playing with my best friend Eric and some other kids from school. We were in the middle of a game of tag, and I had just caught up to Eric, who was panting as he tried to bargain his way out of being tagged.
Eric: “Shoot, Dean! H-h-how about we talk about this? I’ll give you my Charizard card if you let me go.”
Dean: “No can do, Eric! You should’ve been faster. Now stand still and let me tag you!”
I reached for him, but at the last second, he ducked under my arm and took off toward the slide.
Dean: “Come back here, Eric! I’ll catch you!”
Eric: “No way! Go after someone else!”
He scrambled up the ladder, his sneakers smacking against the metal rungs. I was right behind him, reaching out, my fingers just brushing the back of his shirt.
Dean: “Stop running!”
Eric: “Never!”
As soon as Eric reached the top, he threw himself down the slide, laughing the whole way. I followed, but I was going too fast.
Crash!
We tumbled together onto the ground in a heap.
Dean: “Ow.”
Eric: “Get off me.”
Eric shoved me, but when I looked at him, I couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
Dean: “Hahaha! Look at your hair! You look like a Pomeranian!”
Eric: “Yeah? Well, yours isn’t much better, afro man.”
Before we could keep going, my mom called out.
Mom: “Dean! Your dad’s here with the cake! Come on!”
I jumped up, grinning.
Dean: “Finally! Let’s get some cake.”
Eric: “Heck yeah! You got the good cake, right?”
Dean: “Of course I did.”
As we walked toward the picnic table, I heard something strange. A faint, high-pitched hissing sound.
BOOM!
My ears rang. My vision blurred. My head pounded.
I opened my eyes, blinking against the smoke and the orange glow surrounding me. The air was thick with dust and ash. I coughed, my lungs burning, and pushed myself up, only to feel a sharp, searing pain in my back.
I reached around, my fingers coming away wet and sticky. Blood. My blood.
Tears welled in my eyes.
Dean: “Mom? Dad?”
My voice was hoarse. Weak. I struggled to my feet, barely able to stay upright. The pain was unbearable, but I forced myself to move.
I limped toward where my parents had been just moments ago. When I got there, my knees buckled.
The picnic table was gone. The grass was scorched. And in the middle of the wreckage, all that remained was the necklace my parents had gotten me for my birthday.
I collapsed, curling into myself, sobbing.
Footsteps. Heavy boots. I looked up.
A massive figure loomed over me an anthro wolf soldier, his sharp eyes scanning the destruction. He knelt beside me, his expression softer than I expected.
???: “Hey, kid. You alright?”
Dean: “My mom and dad… they’re gone.”
The soldier’s face darkened. He reached out and picked me up, holding me securely against his chest. Another soldier a human was carrying an unconscious Eric.
???: “We’ve got you. You’re safe now.”
They carried us to a waiting Humvee, where medics immediately began treating my wounds. As the pain dulled under their care, exhaustion took over. The last thing I saw before passing out was the smoldering remains of my birthday party.
When I woke up, I was in a hospital bed. The beeping of a heart monitor filled the quiet room.
A soft knock on the door. A female anthro deer walked in, dressed in a doctor’s coat.
Doctor: “Hey, kid. How are you holding up? Is the pain better?”
I nodded weakly.
Dean: “Yeah… Where am I?”
Doctor: “A military hospital. You were brought in after the attack. You’re lucky to be alive.”
I didn’t feel lucky. I felt empty.
The doctor gave me a small, sad smile.
Doctor: “I have a lot of patients to check on, but if you need anything, just press the call button, okay?”
She left before I could ask more questions.
For a while, I just sat there, staring at the ceiling, my mind a mess of thoughts. Then, the quiet was broken by the voice of a man over the radio.
Radio Broadcast: “I regret to announce this, but we are at war. The entire world is. Half of the anthro population on every continent has revolted, claiming they have been mistreated treated like animals. They are fighting for their freedom, for their rights. They have formed their own governments, their own armies, and they will not stop.
“But we the people of the United States, both human and anthro will not surrender. We will not bow to tyranny. We will fight back. We will bring justice to those responsible.”
I clenched my fists, my heartbeat pounding in my ears.
This war had taken my parents.
I wouldn’t let it take anything else.
I reached for my necklace, gripping it tightly.
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Date: 07/12/2030
Location: En route to Iraq
Dean Walker, Sergeant, U.S. Army
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“Dean! Wake up!”
My eyes snapped open.
The inside of the V-280 Valor transport helicopter came into focus. My squadmates were around me Spc. Josh, Pfc. Eric, and Pvt. Zoe. Josh was shaking my shoulder, grinning.
Spc. Josh: “We’re almost at the LZ. You were dreaming again.”
I rubbed my face, exhaling sharply.
Sgt. Dean: “Yeah… Thanks, man.”
I sat up straight, feeling the vibrations of the aircraft as it cut through the sky. I adjusted my gear, checking my M7 rifle before loading a fresh magazine and chambering a round. The others did the same.
Josh looked as calm as ever. Eric was fiddling with something probably his lucky coin. Zoe, though… her leg was shaking.
I looked out the side window. The second bird was flying parallel to us. Below, the waters stretched endlessly, but in the distance, land was coming into view.
Iraq.
Fires burned across the cityscape. The sky was filled with helicopters and fighter jets. Explosions lit up the horizon.
Pfc. Eric: “Damn… Look at that.”
Pvt. Zoe: “It’s worse than I thought…”
Sgt. Dean: “Stay focused. We knew what we were signing up for.”
Josh smirked.
Spc. Josh: “Hell yeah. This is what we trained for.”
Our comms crackled to life.
Lt General: “All units, prepare for hot insertion. Expect heavy resistance. No hesitation.”
I tightened my grip on my rifle.
The ramp lowered, the wind roaring around us. My squad and I moved into position, ready to deploy.
War had taken my childhood.
Now, I was ready to fight back.
This time, I wouldn’t be the victim.
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