by Dave Hazel
“Come on man, get your lazy ass up,” Jake chided playfully. “I’ve been up for the past couple of hours pulling guard duty.”
“Whatta you so happy about?” Mykal asked and stretched to loosen some of the stiff muscles. “Did someone find a way back to the Pass?”
“I wish, but that knife you gave me is amazing,” Jake whispered and pulled the weapon out to show it while he discussed it. “If I throw it or stab with it, it will continually penetrate what I stab. If I throw it and I miss my target it comes back to my hand just like you would think a boomerang should. It also can--”
“Hey Mykal, you need to come here,” Staff Sergeant Fuller interrupted their discussion. Fuller’s facial expression looked like one of surprised heartbreak and sorrow. “Captain Diaz needs you right away,” the Marine added and turn to run back from where he came.
“I wonder what the hell it is now,” Mykal groaned as he grabbed his rifle and followed Fuller. “Every time these guys come and get me it’s never good,” he joked to Jake and Boris who trotted along with him. He regretted being flippant when he saw a circle of men Fuller led him to.
Fuller brought them to a gathering of all the men. All the faces were downcast and filled with utmost sorrow. Mykal’s heart sank when he entered the circle to see both Diaz and Finley kneeling beside Gunnery Sergeant Ratner who tried to find a pulse in Lieutenant Kim’s wrist. The Korean’s eyes were slightly open and the flesh of his neck and part of his face had been blackened from within. Lieutenant Kim was deceased.
“Ah damn, what happened?” Mykal asked and felt like he had been run over by a truck. He had grown fond of the Korean Special Forces officer. “Was he killed in his sleep? Is everyone else alright?”
“I’m not sure how he died,” Finley looked up from his kneeling position. “He’s been dead for a couple of hours.”
“Some think it was the poison from the spider bite he received,” Captain Diaz offered while holding his forehead. Diaz looked emotionally crushed.
“The rest of the men are fine,” Gunnery Sergeant Ratner answered Mykal. “Even the others who suffered spider bites.”
“Why did Kim die then?” It saddened Mykal to look down at the lifeless form of Lieutenant Kim. “He seemed to be handling the spider bite better than all the others.”
“Myk, we’re thinking that could be why he died,” Ratner replied. “I’m not a doctor, but Lieutenant Kim was the only one of them not to vomit. Their vomiting must have purged the toxins from their systems. That’s just a theory,” he paused and then corrected his statement. “Hell Myk, to be honest, it’s only a wild ass guess,” Ratner said and shrugged.
“Aw Man, I really liked him,” Mykal mourned. “He was a good officer and a good man.”
“Yeah, he was great with the Silent Killers,” Boris added.
“Wow, that seems like so long ago,” Mykal whispered about the raid on the Soso encampment that was only a week ago. Mykal suddenly changed his attitude so the men wouldn’t see him as a sentimental weakling. “Take whatever we need from him and let’s go,” Mykal said to Diaz. He tried to come across as cold and indifferent by Kim’s death. Deep inside Mykal felt broken and hurt. Kim wasn’t as close to him as Boris or Jake, but he liked the man and knew he would miss the Korean.
Mykal stopped at the two remaining Koreans in the group. Lee-Lon sat on the ground and tears rolled down his cheeks. Bak Kwon stood beside Lee-Lon for support but he looked near tears also. Mykal gave a sympathetic pat on Lee-Lon’s shoulder. He gave a sad smile to Bak Kwon and nodded. He wanted to say something to the man, but was truly at a loss for words. He turned and walked away.
“We gotta get the hell outta this forest,” Mykal moaned to both Boris and Jake. “This place is getting to me. It seems like every time we turn around we’re losing someone. It’s just a matter of time before we’re all dead. This is our fifth day being lost on this side of Towbar’s world and it’s been a disaster. I don’t wanna lose anyone else.”
“Myk, I know you’re putting some of the blame on yourself just like Captain Diaz is, but don’t,” Jake suggested. “These are things that are way beyond your control. Don’t torture yourself like that because you’re not going to bring anyone back and you’ll only make things worse if you blame yourself.”
“I agree.” Boris nodded with conviction. “If you try to be too protective and try to over think everything you may put people in a worse situation.”
“Believe me Myk if you were screwing up, I’d tell you.” Jake winked and smiled to encourage him. “If you start screwing up I’ll be the first to point it out. I’m here for you, but we gotta get home safe and sound so don’t beat yourself up with guilt. It’s not your fault that he got bit by a giant spider and died because of the venom.”
“You don’t know how much I appreciate the two of you. It just seems like this journey is never going to end,” Mykal said while looking deeper into the forest. His view was blocked by trees, and brush, and greenery of all kinds. The colorful plant life lost its vibrancy. The sound of the many different birds chirping in the trees all around them might as well be a death call.
Mykal stood and looked ahead. He wondered what horrors, what disasters, what heartbreaks would befall them as they continued on their deadly perambulation to find Zizmon-Tarl. Could they find him? Would they survive long enough to find him? If they found him, would they be able to stand against Zizmon-Tarl? If it was Zizmon-Tarl who threatened them in the green fog five days ago, could they be any match for him after all they endured thus far?
Mykal continued to look into the distance and wondered if he would ever make it back to the Pass? More importantly, would he ever make it back home? How he missed Pam and the boys. He wished his last hug and kiss would have been longer. He wished he would have spent more time with them when he was home. ‘Damn, am I even gonna be alive tomorrow?’ he wondered while staring into the trees.
The end of Towbar’s World, Book 2.
The journey continues in-
Towbar’s World, Book 3 – Mykal’s Deadly Perambulation
The Men of the Lost Patrol
Branch of Service and weapons carried:
US Air Force:
Mykal Graves (Civilian) - M-16 & .357 magnum
TSgt Eugene ‘Jake’ Irwin - GAU 5A & 9mm
A1C Robert ‘Boris’ Traginsky - M-16 & .44 magnum
Capt William Roberts – GAU 5A & 9mm
US Marine Corps:
Capt Ryan Diaz - GAU 5A & 9mm
GySgt Ratner - GAU 5A & 9mm
SSgt Moreno - GAU 5A & 9mm
SSgt Stewart - GAU 5A & 9mm
SSgt Morrison - GAU 5A & 9mm
SSgt Fuller - M-16
Sgt McTaggert - M-16/M-203
Sgt Gorman - M-16/M-203
Sgt Verzani - M-16/M-203
Sgt Evans – M-16
Sgt Kalhoun – M-16
Sgt Azarski – M-16
Cpl Howard – M-16
Cpl ‘Winnie’ Winfield – M-16
Cpl Adkins – M-16/M-203
Cpl Horton – M-16
LCpl Dowd – M-16/M-203
PFC Ferria – M-16
PFC Chandler – M-60
PFC Cotton – M-16/M-203
PFC Taylor – M-16/M-203
PFC Adele – M-16
PFC Jourard – M-16
PFC Flesch – M-60
PFC Wilson – M-16
Pvt Wickey – M-60
US Army, Green Berets:
Lt Finley - GAU 5A & 9mm
SSgt Nelson – M-16
SSgt Nichols – M-16
SSgt Campbell – M-16/M-203
Sgt Freeman – M-16
Sgt Bently – M-16
Sgt Thompson – M-16
US Army, Rangers:
SSgt Hayes – M-16
Sgt McPherson – M-16
Cpl West – M-16
Cpl Hall – M-60
Korean Special Forces:
Lt Kim - GAU 5A & 9mm
Sgt Lee-Lon – M-16
Sgt Dat Phan – M-16
Cpl ‘Smiley – M-16/M-203
