37 Days In A Strange World

by Dave Hazel

“That’s not what I meant.”

  “Are you offering us a deal that if we take you home you’ll keep quiet about everything?” Larry asked.

  “Yes, yes,” he answered. Edwards face lit up.

  “That’s a good one LT,” Larry laughed.

  “Why? I don’t understand.”

  “First of all, Sir,” Mykal stepped forward. “I’m glad you’re man enough to own up to being a piss poor leader and a coward, but I don’t wanna have to worry that one day later in life your little notebook is gonna come outta nowhere and we end up getting screwed over.”

  “I wouldn’t do that. I’m no longer concerned with those issues,” Edwards said and reached inside the Bronco. He tossed his notebook on the ground in plain sight. “I just want to go home as much as you do. Please believe me,” he begged.

  “Just so you know LT, no one here feels that you deserve to go home.” Mykal gave a sad smile.

  “Why? But why? I don’t understand.”

  “Cuz you’re a motherless friggin coward,” Boris spat his words with burning venom. “Because of you so many good people are dead. Why the hell should you go home? Why the hell should you even get to live?”

  “Do you wanna know why we’re here?” Larry asked.

  Rich and Sam started to laugh.

  “Why?” His voice was on the verge of panic.

  “Airman Kurt Jones wanted to come over here and kill you.”

  “But why?”

  “But why!?” Sam’s voice showed shocked disgust. “Cuz you left the four of us out there to die.”

  “We were under attack. The Sosos were going to kill us,” Edwards tried to explain.

  “You’re a damn liar,” Boris raised his voice.

  Others started to gather. Something seemed to be building. Some were people from Mykal’s world. Some were people from Towbar’s world both soldiers and townspeople. There were some Dwarven people gathered as well.

  “If Sgt Black and Airman Putman were here they would tell you what happened. But they were killed by Sosos.”

  “Airman Knox is still alive,” Mykal reminded him. “Do I have to bring him over here to explain what really happened?”

  Edwards looked to the ground as if searching for words that would counter his dilemma.

  “Yeah, I didn’t think so you back stabbing coward,” Boris spat on the ground. “You left us out there to die.”

  “But anyway,” Larry continued. “Jones wanted to come over here and kill you. During this last attack both he and Smith were killed. Kurt died saving the lives of two children.”

  Edwards quickly glanced at those standing before as if sizing up the situation. He looked frightened for his life. Danger seemed to be at hand.

  “Speaking of that last battle, where were you when we came under attack?” Mykal asked.

  “I didn’t really know we were under attack until it was too late,” Edwards lied.

  “Yeah, he was busy holdin’ down the ol’ fort,” Rich laughed sarcastically. “Ya just can’t leave the ol’ command center unmanned. Someone’s gots ta be watchin’ out for all us people,” Rich added with an exaggerated wink.

  “Kurt wanted you dead,” Boris smirked. “Me and Sam want you dead for leaving us out there to die. We came here to fulfill Kurt’s last request you scumbag.”

  “No please. Mykal, don’t let them,” Edwards begged clapping his hands together as if praying. Mykal didn’t look like he would stop them. “Nooooo,” he groveled and suddenly reached inside the vehicle and grabbed his GAU off the seat. He had been ready for such an event. With his shorter version of the M-16 on full automatic he pulled the trigger and sprayed wildly at his enemies dressed in the same uniform. He wanted Mykal most of all because Mykal seemed to be the source of all his problems.

  Mykal and the others were not prepared for a coward such as Edwards to react this way. As soon as Mykal saw him reach into the vehicle and grab the weapon he dove for cover to the side of the vehicle. He desperately tried to escape the paths of burning lead that flew wildly in all directions. The burst of gunfire lasted only moments. To those fired upon it felt like an eternity.

  When the gun fire ceased Mykal heard screams of pain and yells of fear. Mykal dropped his rifle when he dove to the ground. A moment of panic gripped his mind as he realized he was armed with only a handgun, while Edwards was armed with an automatic rifle. He pulled his .357 magnum from the leather holster. Mykal couldn’t believe he allowed himself to be caught off guard. He heard the sounds of Edwards reloading his rifle and he knew he should jump up to shoot him, but he knew by the time he got to his feet he could be hit with thirty rounds.

  Mykal crept closer. People kept screaming and crying out. Others scrambled in all directions. He peered through the rear window of the vehicle to spy where Edwards stood. Off to the side he saw Sam rolling on the ground in pain. Blood covered Sam but Mykal couldn’t tell where his wounds were. Mykal didn’t know where the rest of his friends were.

  Edwards crouched down beside the vehicle so Mykal couldn’t see where he hid. Mykal heard the sound of the bolt slamming forward to load a round into the chamber. ‘Why the hell hasn’t anyone shot him yet?’ He screamed inside his mind while moisture wetted the palms of his hands. It was then he feared his close friends were possibly dead from Edwards’s burst of automatic gunfire. ‘This friggin guy could never fight the enemy but he never had a problem killing his own people,’ he thought angrily.

  Just as Mykal cocked the hammer back on his .357 magnum, Edwards stepped out away from the door of his vehicle. Edwards was going on the offensive. Suddenly Towbar jumped into view. Towbar gave a loud shout and swung his massive sword.

  Edwards turned to the sound of Towbar’s yell and began to squeeze the trigger of his weapon. Mykal watched Towbar’s blue glowing blade sliced through Edwards head at the jaw line. The sword slid through Edwards as easily as a razor blade through paper. His head was lobbed off in an instant and landed twenty feet from where he stood.

  The blade sliced through the head of Edwards and he sprayed wildly with his rifle. Most of the bullets seemed to be drawn to the blade. The rounds that struck Towbar’s sword seemed to burst into flames and then fall harmlessly to the ground. To Mykal’s horror he saw several blood spots burst from Towbar’s bare belly and chest on an upward angle.

  “Nooooo!” Mykal yelled. He watched his giant friend fall backward. He ran to Towbar’s limp form on the ground. “Get help!” Mykal bellowed. “Get some help. Oh no, hell no,” he said as he stomped his foot on the ground. Mykal clearly saw four entry wounds on the giant’s body. The pained expression on Towbar’s face was something he never witnessed before.

  “Mykal, no,” Towbar gasped. Towbar tried to see the wounds to his body. “I can not be helped… I have never felt… such pain,” he gasped. “This is odd,” he said. He held his hand up to stop any that moved to help him. “Please, do not try… to help…”

  “Towbar please don’t die,” Mykal begged and grabbed one of the giant’s hands. “Don’t die, don’t die,” he repeated. “Please Towbar, let us help you,” Mykal moaned as others circled around. Some of the townspeople and soldiers were sobbing. Mykal had tears in his eyes and wasn’t sure what to do.

  “You can not help me,” he whispered, his strained, pale face expressed the battle with pain he fought. “I must help myself… My friend,” he gasped. “Give me my sword.”

  “Towbar let us help you,” Mykal cried out. “I don’t want you to die.”

  “If I do not help myself,” he moaned louder. “I will die. Give me my sword,” he sounded as angry as he could muster. “I must heal myself,” he snarled. “Have everyone leave me,” he ordered harshly. “Give me my sword.”

  “Everyone, get outta here now,” Mykal yelled and realized Towbar needed to do something using magic to save his own life. “I said get the hell outta here now,” Mykal yelled and fired a shot from his pistol in the air. Everyone ran in all directions.

  He handed Towbar his h
eavy sword. He saw his friends Larry and Rich tending to Sam. Boris joined Mykal. “Oh damn,” Boris shook his head when he saw the wounds in Towbar’s body.

  “I’m tellin’ you right now Boris, whatever you see, don’t you dare ever repeat it,” Mykal warned. He didn’t want to chase his close friend away. “Help me to make sure no one else comes near here. Towbar needs some privacy.”

  “I won’t say anything. I promise.”

  “Take the top of the hilt off,” Towbar gasped as he held his hand upward. “I can not remove it from here. “Give me some powder,” he gasped. “Put two pinches in my mouth,” he groaned painfully. “Put some in the wounds. Hurry please,” he sounded like he was fading.

  “Any normal person would be dead right now,” Boris said.

  Mykal did as Towbar requested. “Now what?” He asked and showed his desire to help.

  “Place the top on the hilt. Hand me the sword,” Towbar whispered weakly as he held both hands upward. “My friend, I shall… go beyond the wall of sleep… only if the gods wish it to be… Please leave me. I hope… we shall meet again, my true friend,” he gasped weakly with his eyes closed tightly.

  “C’mon Boris,” Mykal said and his voice cracked. “We gotta give him some room. Please get better,” he begged and pumped his fist at Towbar as a sign that he wanted him to fight with all his massive strength. Mykal couldn’t stop the tears.

  “What if he dies?” Boris asked while they walked away.

  “Oh man, I don’t know,” Mykal answered, stunned at the possibility that the giant may die. “We gave Edwards too much warning. We should have just killed him, that scumbag.”

  They turned to Sam. Larry and Rich had Sam sitting up. Sam moaned and bled from two different wounds. His left shoulder had been hit and the round had struck the bone. Sam had also been struck in his left side. Both created a lot of blood loss.

  Larry had Sam’s blood all over his hands. “It looks like the one in the side just went straight through at his side. We just need to clean these wounds out and make sure he’s patched up pretty good. I think you’re gonna be fine.”

  “Fine hell, I’m in a lot of friggin pain man,” Sam barked back. “I need something to kill the pain.”

  “Yeah, he’s gonna be alright,” Rich laughed.

  “No! It really hurts. Damn it, man.”

  Mykal looked to see a few other wounded were being carried away. The dead were left where Edwards killed them until later. Edwards killed four. Three of them were Towbar’s people and one a Dwarven warrior. “That friggin jerk could never kill the enemy but he could always cause harm to our side.”

  “We’re lucky none of us got killed,” Larry said.

  “Yeah, I know,” Rich sighed. “When I hit the ground I could feel a bullet rip right past my head. I felt it push my hair. I coulda got my damn head blown off.”

  “That was stupid of us,” Mykal repeated. He was angry at himself. “We shoulda just walked up to him and shot him dead.”

  “Yeah, but who woulda ever thought that coward would ever do something like that?” Boris asked. “Look at him,” Boris nodded to the headless corpse. “He never looked better,” he said and forced himself to laugh at the gore.

  The others laughed with him and couldn’t believe their humor had turned as dark and creepy as it had become. “You know you need help, right Boris?” Rich laughed at him.

  “Look who’s talking.”

  “Let’s go check on Towbar,” Mykal said. He feared the worst and didn’t think he could handle it if Towbar died.

  When they approached the giant his sword and his arms lay at his side. His eyes were closed and he didn’t seem to be breathing. There was plenty of blood on and around his body. By all appearances the giant was dead.

  “I can’t friggin believe this,” Larry shook his head.

  “Whadda we gonna do Myk?” Rich asked.

  “About what?” Mykal stared at Towbar’s peaceful expression.

  “If he’s dead, are they gonna boot us outta here?” Rich asked.

  “Are we gonna be on our own now?” Larry asked.

  “No, we’ll be alright,” Mykal replied. He noticed a golden, yellowish, glow around Towbar’s body. Instinctively Mykal knew something to be happening with Towbar’s body. He didn’t know what, but something magical seemed to be occurring. In Mykal’s mind he saw the bullets slowly, ever so slowly, pushing back out of the wounds. “Do you see it? The glow?”

  “What glow Myk?” Boris asked.

  “Are you seein’ things Myk?” Rich asked.

  Mykal realized he detected something of a magical nature. They couldn’t see the glow. He believed it was another ability growing in him that Towbar transferred to him during the blood transfusion he received. “Towbar’s gonna be okay. I really truly believe he’s gonna be alright,” he said with confidence.

  “Yo, Myk, you gotta get real man,” Rich said and looked at him as if he was in denial. “He’s dead. We’re on our own. We gotta get serious and figure out what we’re gonna do without him.”

  “Let’s go, we’ll take care of him later,” Mykal said just as some of Towbar’s soldiers approached them. One of the men had been introduced to Mykal as a ranking General. “There are two things I want you to do,” Mykal said and paused to see if the General would accept his request or refuse now that Towbar seemed to have been killed and laid there lifeless.

  “Speak. We are listening,” the General nodded.

  “Have your men take that piece of garbage,” he said and pointed to Edwards, “and throw him in with the bodies of the dead Sosos that you guys burn. He doesn’t deserve to be near good soldiers. And he doesn’t deserve to be buried.”

  “That will be done.” The General nodded.

  “The other thing is make sure nobody, and I mean nobody, touches Towbar’s body. He’s gonna be alright. I said, he’s gonna be alright!” He demanded when everyone gave Mykal an odd look. “Post some guards nearby and don’t allow anyone near him.”

  “I will honor your request. Lord Towbar confided in the senior leaders how greatly he trusts and values your opinion and leadership. We will obey your request.”

  “Thank you General. Trust me, Towbar will be okay.”

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN – Day 37

  1. Thursday, July 29th 1983

  0544 hours, The Pass, at the Pit, The new Front.

  Early in the morning, Mykal felt a gentle shake of his shoulder. He opened his eyes to see the night sky dimly fading away. There had to be a problem if someone would disturb his sleep. He rolled over, stunned and happily surprised to see Towbar shaking him. “You’re really not dead?” Mykal smiled broadly. “Or am I just dreaming?”

  “I am not a dream, my friend,” the giant said from his kneeling position. “I am alive. No, do not wake them,” he said and stopped Mykal. “Let them sleep. Come, we shall eat and talk.”

  A couple of hours later they returned to wake everyone. “Come on guys get up,” Mykal said as he broke their rest. “Towbar’s alive! You guys gotta see him,” he laughed out loud as they were all pulling themselves up. “I told you he would live. Look at him. He looks great. It’s like he’s never been hurt. Check out where the bullets hit. They’re just little scars.”

  “That’s just like what happened with you when your stomach got cut open,” Sam said. “Oh damn, I friggin hurt,” Sam groaned over his two wounds inflicted by Edwards. “Why is that? Will my wounds heal like that?” He rotated his arm and shook his hand.

  “I don’t know about that,” Mykal chuckled. He knew he couldn’t reveal the secret. “I guess you just gotta live right and eat the right kind of foods and stuff like that,” he teased Sam. “But seriously Sam, how are ya doing?”

  “I’m making it,” he answered. “I’m not dead yet. Maybe I should die, cuz when ya die around here you come back to life feeling better than ever before,” he said. “Both of you did.”

  “For now he’ll be alright,” Larry interjected. “We’ve stopped his b
leeding in both places. The one in the side I think will heal with no problems, but his shoulder looks like the bone was hit and he’s complaining his arm is numb. I’m afraid of infection setting in. Other than that he’s good enough that he should be able to do his share of the work,” Larry snickered.

  “Oh thank you Doctor Kildare,” Sam scoffed lightheartedly in reference to a fictional doctor on TV. “That talk of infection shit just made my day.”

  “I just spent a couple of hours talking with Towbar, and--”

  “How the hell isn’t he dead?” Rich asked in disbelief, despite seeing the giant with his own eyes. “He took four shots from the M-16 at point blank range.”

  “He’s Towbar,” Mykal deflected with a laugh. “You can’t kill him with a little M-16,” he joked. Mykal felt jovial and he wasn’t sure why. He lost one of his best friends the day before, but deep inside he knew everything would be alright.

  “You were dead,” Rich said and questioned Towbar’s presence. “How do you know for sure that he died?”

  “I saw him, Myk. He wasn’t breathing and he looked dead.”

  “What, do you want him to be dead?” Mykal retorted.

  “Well, hell no.” Rich gave an embarrassed smile. “I didn’t mean it like that Towbar. I just wanna know what happened? Did Ski do his hocus-pocus praying and did God raise him from the dead? What the hell happened?”

  “Did anyone check his pulse?” Mykal cross examined. “You say you saw his breathing stop, but did it really stop? Is it possible that his breathing slowed while he healed himself?”

  “You got a point,” Boris acknowledged. “What’s it matter anyway? He’s alive.”

  “Exactly,” Mykal snapped his fingers. “Anyway, back to my point. Me and Towbar were talking and, well, Towbar tell them what happened,” Mykal nearly laughed with excitement.

  “A large company of my soldiers arrived this morning,” Towbar said. “One of my officers had a special message to deliver to me. My close friend Nidious should be arriving here within the next three or four days. It is Nidious who may be able to re-create the green fog that brought you here.” Towbar paused and smiled when they cheered loudly.