[ WP ] An aging veteran gets dragged to a paintball facility by his grandkids . Another elderly man is there with his grandkids . The two quickly realize they ’ ve faced off on the battlefield before .

`` Grandpa come on! We're gon na be late!'' 
 
 `` Alrighty, hold your horses. I ai n't the nimble young lad I used to be.'' 
 
 Kyle Forrester had promised to take his grandkids Austin and Gary on a trip during their summer break, however he was surprised to hear that of all the amusement parks and places they could go they decided on a local paintball center. Thus the eighty five year old veteran found himself observing from the sidelines, as his grandchildren played on a pretend battlefield, mirroring the ones he marched on all those decades ago. 
 
 As the paint splashed against obstacles and players alike, Kyle thought back to his youth, and how much of it was lost in those wastelands. Nobody besides his closest friends can family could have known that around seventy years ago, the amicable old man down the street who made the best cookies in all of Charleston was Private Kyle Forrester of the 19th Infantry Regiment. As a part of the American 24th Infantry Division, Kyle and his unit was one of the few which had participated in nearly the entirety of the Korean War. 
 
 Painful memories crept their way out of the crevices in his mind that held them, but he pushed them aside as well as the tears that welled up in his eyes. 
 
 *For every friend that was lost countless more were saved. For every drop of blood shed a day of happiness was secured for my family. Come on, get it together. Do n't let the kids see you like this. * 
 
 Kyle looked up and saw Austin and Gary crouched behind a wooden wall, peeking over now and then to fire at the other team. 
 
 `` Cover that flimsy would get shredded by any heavy weapons.'' Kyle muttered under his breath. 
 
 `` I agree, a thirty caliber Browning would make swiss cheese of that no?'' 
 
 Kyle looked up to see another man observing the game next to him. 
 
 `` I'm sorry, and you are?'' 
 
 `` Oh where are my manners. I am Longdao Liu, but you can call me Larry.'' 
 
 `` Kyle Forrester. So what do you know about thirty cals?'' 
 
 `` Oh plenty I would hope, considering I've been shot at by them more often than I can count.'' 
 
 Kyle felt apprehension slowly taking hold as he took in the meaning behind that answer. 
 
 `` You were in the army?'' 
 
 `` I was in an army yes. And judging by your comment earlier you were as well.'' 
 
 `` Twenty fourth infantry, 1949 to 1953'' 
 
 `` Oh what a coincidence, I too served in Korea.'' 
 
 `` Really now'' 
 
 `` Yes, 112th Mechanized Infantry.'' 
 
 `` PVA'' 
 
 `` Correct.'' 
 
 `` Gave us a hell of a time at Han River.'' 
 
 `` The whole war was hell.'' 
 
 `` Got that right. Your artillery caused us several sleepless nights.'' 
 
 `` Yours as well. Artillery does n't really do much when your sector is attacked by planes then swarmed with an enemy force several times larger.'' 
 
 `` Were you by any chance on our right flank during the attack?'' 
 
 `` I was. There were four of us in that trench, and I was the only one to survive the bombing to be captured.'' 
 
 `` I remember now! Baker company reported only one enemy taken prisoner when they overran the first defense line. I marched past with the rest of my platoon where you were kept guarded. Hell we mighta even made eye contact.'' 
 
 `` Is n't that a turn of fate then, two enemies from the battlefield now watching their descendants play war for amusement.'' 
 
 `` Kinda when you put it like that. So how'd you end up in Charleston?'' 
 
 `` Well when I was repatriated after the war life was very different. Neighbors gossiped about me being taken captive, saying that I shirked my duty. I could n't bear that environment so I moved. I travelled for many years, before ending up in the very country I took up arms against. I learned English, found a job, got married, and the rest is history.'' 
 
 `` Sounds like hell of a ride.'' 
 
 `` Indeed it was. Are you here with family?'' 
 
 `` My grandkids'' 
 
 `` Ah, me as well. Younger generations, they do n't really understand do they?'' 
 
 `` How could they?'' 
 
 ~~~ 
 
 Not long after Kyle said his farewells, Austin and Gary returned. They were covered in bits of paint but looked extremely pleased with themselves. 
 
 `` We sure showed them did n't we?'' 
 
 `` Yep! They'll think twice before messing with us again.'' 
 
 Kyle looked the two up and down and could n't help but laugh at how silly they looked. 
 
 `` Well did you now? Well what do you two think about grabbing some ice cream? You know, to celebrate your grand victory.'' 
 
 `` Yeah!'' 

