Marine Under Siege

ole life, something that drove every bone in my body, it was the sole purpose behind every single thing that I did. I always belie

ty-five I am told that I can no longer serve. I am on a bus back home now, to say that I am not dev

when he wanted me to become a doctor and now I am going to disappoint him again. Not like this is something I could have controlled. The thing that is going to be the hardest is that th

already see the heads turning. This is such a small place, b

exactly wh

t through the front gate. "Clay, my god you are home. Why did you

ny little hugs, I can barely utter a word. "Mom, does

squeezes me for

that he can, nothing near as warm as a hug but a firm handshake. "You know how t

s as she is still squeezing me firm. "Come, let your

t girlfriend is in the loun

y things like that",

l five cents worth in. "Denice the child has a different girl

e he is young. Not like Clay here that ha

is not done yet. "I still say you should have become a

nto the kitchen to go make us some coffee. I sneak

s around in his chair to

I hear mom says you

ands up from the couch. "Clay, bro, what a

e old man is going to fl

ot kicked out?", he

say I sor

from the cold but from the excitement he perceives is about to happ

bout what the old la

ave not heard from you s

xt to him cannot hear. I watch him as his face goes pale and his

what happened? You g

t joke about s

ck the tears. "Mom is going to be

ot want the old lady to stress. You know how she can

you going

few months and

age. I am tired of this shithole anyway." He chu

l?", I desperately try

he moved into to

not waste any time. W

her for me",

hing but trouble?", I

only get from a naughty school girl. "

the bad boy of the town but then

man in uniform", She w

ts up as he gets an idea. "Bro, c

hit and I break

girls you will get if you wear that shit? You might

my curiosity. "Who i

go. She has not spoken to an

perty, she gets the grocer to de

Snob to me", is the first t

t I said", Elle agre

ath just throw it out there that you are in the Marines", Matt tries to en

erything to get laid",

s", Elle slaps him

into the lounge. "

hrough my mind is "Please don't touch me, just don't touch me." But she just casu

nge. "By the weight of that

seen that everything I own is in there. What could n

ell you guys", I get the courage to tell them

of the fucking Marines!" My dad do

mom has to repr

s done nothing wrong. "I told him he should

nk whatever he wants. He is the most hard-headed man I know, bumping heads with him is like trying

sgraced me, Clay. I a

long before he is going to sh

what happened", my mom takes my side against him.

I speak again. "Yes I do mom but it is not

me a doctor. You are still young",

day and then the next. I will tell

is not like you

ots my dad a look that I sure can almost

d snap to the left. "It is fine mom, if you will excuse m

ke you up

get up and leave the lounge. The truth is, I a

ck my bag, I discover that even my old clothes from when I was eighteen are still hanging in here. Mom has always

, I get ready to lay down on the bed for a few hours.

u some extra blankets", my

them from her. "

Don't worry about your dad,

r the covers. I soon drift off t

.

llets fly over my head. "We are u

cover us as best as he can. "I can't go back!

rive!" I order the soldier to get us out of the range of the fire

enough. "This truck won't make it on this dirt road so fast.

gunfire that is now coming in fast. "Just

losion, the tuck flips and

er as my body as thr

soldier tries t

utter. My head is still zinging f

ou oka

tion but my first instinct is the safet

going to have to make it out

e out of her

pull me out. "I can

t him in shock as I realized my leg is st

?" The soldier looks

y fucking leg." There are fear and a

.

a panic and

the same it has been every day since then. The pain that I felt after that surgery was wor

y. My leg. I am supposed to be a hero but I am not, I am a broken man. Nobody wants a broken man, they need a hero. A broken man does