Chapter 5, The Game

I was happy to see Jamie again, he looked about the same aside from his uniform being torn and falling apart.

I noticed his helmet his helmet had tally marks so I asked him what they mean. "These?" He pointed then he begin smiling "It's a game from my unit how's this Tony, whoever has the most kills wins and loser buys us beer"

He placed his helmet down and begin to explain each tally mark "White ones are normal kills, red ones are for armor like tanks and snipers" He smirked at me while he explained "Once our tour is over we'll see who bagged the most"

"Doesn't this seem...Messed up?" I asked while he looked at me then laughed "This is Nam Tony we're in War it's all messed up" I sighed then took the two markers.

I tally my helmet with a few white marks and one red which Jamie counted.

"Not bad I'm still ahead but you'll get there" He says patting my back.

After the town was secured we returned back to base, I was very tired and sat down on my bed rubbing my eyes.

A soldier came in and handed us our mail, I held my mail as I was given some letters from my family back home.

One was from my Mother she wrote; 'I hope things over there are doing fine there Anthony, watching the news seems very scary and I worry every day for your safety. Please write back soon as possible sweetie' I couldn't help but smile then I read one from my Father it told me that he says similar to my mother that I was doing well over Nam.

I missed them very dearly, so I wrote letters back to them while I listen to my teammates. Paul was saying on how he got shipped some mags "Wooo! I got christmas early!"

Kyle was laughing with Marshall as they played cards, Bucky was taking a nap. I smiled at them so as I wrote my letter to my family I wrote about them and Jamie on how their interesting guys as we all have each other's back.

After I finished I rubbed my eyes then lay down and closed my eyes letting sleep overtake me.

What seemed like hours I was awaken by Bucky telling me to get up as Sarge wanted us. I yawned and checked my watch as it was already Ten P.M. I was so tired I slept throughout the day.

I followed Bucky and the rest of the group to our Sergeant except it wasn't our Sergeant it was a Sergeant but not ours.

"Gentlemen I'm Sergeant Gillian you'll be volunteering for a Night Patrol mission, there's a possible VC activity that we need Intel on" He says suddenly Scully asked what happened to SGT. Nolan.

We were told our Sergeant was being shipped to Saigon and he's taken command of our unit for now. We followed orders and walked into the jungle.

SGT. Gillian was a man whose at least 5'8 and his eyes were also fierce telling me he's been through worse.

While we continue to search for any signs of Charlie we found nothing which was lucky for us, suddenly I stepped on something making a clicking noise.

Everyone in my unit turned to me with a shocked expression even the SGT. Gillian. "Private try not to move" He says drawing his knife as he slowly slipped it under the ground til he hit something.

I was thinking 'Oh God I just stepped on a mine! I'm gonna die! I'm gonna die' "Slowly move your foot" He tells me which I did while he removed the deceive.

Once he took it out turns out it was an old Cola can. I felt my heart skip a beat, I was so terrified thinking I was going to die.

However we heard voices so Scully grabbed me and pulled me into the bushes with him while everyone else hide. We heard voices and I took a peak I couldn't see who they were, it was obvious they weren't speaking English.

SGT. Gillian slowly held his rifle and took aim while Kyle and Marshall did the same. Gillian whispered a count down.

I swallowed hard holding my weapon preparing to fire but then Gillian told us to hold fire as he stood up shining light of the figures.

Turns out their ARVN who were patrolling the area and we nearly mistook them for NVA. Gillian order us to keep moving so we did.

Soon enough we came across pile of leaves and bushes covering a hatch so naturally we have to clear it. I volunteered, I lead down while Scully held my ankles while I checked the ground which was safe.

"Good Luck Private" Gillian told me, "Come back to alive buddy" Paul said as I nodded and went into the tunnel.

I shined my light around while I walked forward, i aimed my revolver infront of me while checking behind me to make sure no one is sneaking on me.

Then my light shine on someone's leg, I pulled my revolver's hammer back and aim at the person however it was a already dead VC.

He was holding a pistol in his hand while he slumped over, he committed Suicide perhaps he couldn't handle the war anymore.

I sighed then keep walking honestly I felt bad for him that he took his own life, I needed to focus find any weapons cache and blow it up.

I came upon a wooden door and turn off my flashlight and slowly opened it. Inside where at least three VC playing cards, I checked my revolver of course I had six rounds meaning I could take them out but there could be another somewhere.

Taking a deep breath as I focus my aim and fired, one of them fell backwards from his chair hitting the ground. His friend looked with shock running for their rifles but I was able to firing into one in the back watching him drop fast.

The one I missed sprayed bullets at me forcing me to hide behind the wall while I reloaded, I listen to him firing more til he reloaded then I fired back but he hide.

Stepping down as I slowly walked towards his position, then he poked his head out and fired again. His head fling back as he fell into the dirt wall.

I checked his body after my shot, his head was bleeding heavily and his eyeball looked to be popping out. I looked away to avoid getting sick then I came across their weapon cache which I placed down explosives then walked back through the path I took.

While I went through the tunnel I stopped and threw up, I took a couple of breaths before wiping my mouth and continuing to move.

I hold out my arms while Kyle and Paul pulled me out, I hit the detention blowing the tunnel as smoke filled it and reached the top.

"Well done son, you did good" Gillian said as I nodded and marked my helmet with more tally marks.

"Thank you Sir...Thank you" I said tiredly.