[ HP ] A Prompt about World War 2

I do n't know why I hold on to this picture. Sharon says it's bad for my health, and I do n't disagree. It's not like the nightmares will just go away. I could live a thousand years and those faces would still be fresh in my mind. Every goddamn time I close my eyes. 
 I was right there when Pete got picked off, I could n't even recognize the man I knew since basic training. I did n't cry, I only thought of our times together, how we said we were definetly getting in touch after the war. He would always tell me, `` Eastern France is a hell of a lot colder than Oklahoma!'' and I'd reply with something to the tune of, `` You would last five seconds in Michigan!'' and then of course Sergeant Grayland would tell us to knock it off or he'd smack the black off both of us with one swing. We were so confident back then. Fresh out of high school and ready to let some heads roll. We had no idea what war really was, or how to fight in one. We were just happy to have guns 
 Gary Price and Hank Williams were the next two to go. The squad got split up when we entered town, Gary and Hank moved up into a small house on the edge of town, scouting out the German forces. I held Whatever was left of Pete and trailed behind the other five, as I had done for two and a half miles. I could n't leave him. Sergeant Grayland, along with Sanders, Ford, Gabels, and Jackson, waited for me just inside the treeline. Ford called me insane for hauling Pete's body all the way here. I told him to can it. How dare he think I was the crazy one for not leaving our friend behind. Grayland was looking intensely at the windows of the house that Price and Williams were in, searching for any type of movement. After the longest four minutes I've ever endured, hand signals began to flash, silhouetted against the natural evening light that flooded the house. All of us could read those signals, and all of our hearts dropped, it seemed, at the same time. We were outnumbered at least two to one, with the tank that we all heard in the middle of town, just outside the church. Grayland signaled back, telling them to stay tight. Then, he told me to grab him the sticks that were next to me. He also requested the rocks at Gabels' feet. He immediately started going to work on a model of this small French town. Placing the sticks at either side of his creation -indicating the treelines- he told us that the church was jet black rock, and that the dull gray rocks surrounding it were the houses. Sanders and Ford would retreat further into the woods and fire his rifle, alerting the enemy. While they sent some troops to investigate, the rest of us would flank the rest, Price and Williams from the northeast, and he, Jackson, and I from the West ( if we could make it across the road without being spotted ). He asked us if we had any better ideas, and no one said a word. I was to run over to Price and Williams location to tell them the plan. I was about half way there when I heard a German voice shout `` Feuer!'' and the little house on the outskirts of town exploded right in front of my face. 
 I swear to God I thought I was deaf. The ringing in my ears was enough to make me scream. Strong arms lifted me to my feet and pushed me back toward the woods. I stumbled for about five five meters before tripping. When I looked up again I saw Williams, Sanders and Sergeant Grayland firing in the same direction. As I got to my feet again, all I could think of was `` Ford must have been the one to save me, maybe he's not so bad after all.'' Another explosion. I felt the dirt fly onto my face and helmet. When I got back to the treeline, I read Grayland's lips. `` Are you alright?'' he said. I replied with, `` I do n't think the plan worked'' I was still dazed. He replied with, `` Just start shooting!'' i was always a good shot, and my senses were starting to sharpen again. I saw one in the church tower, and pulled my trigger. Next I saw a flash coming from the upstairs window of a house to the right of the church, and I pulled my trigger again. Grayland shouted, `` move up!'' and the four of us moved to the rubble of the building Price and Williams were in. Another tank shell temporarily took my my hearing. They be low on ammo, I thought to myself, they're using their shots sparingly. While we caught our breath, Sanders was the only one to see it. All he said was `` Get down!'' before pushing Williams to the ground. After that, he simply vanished. I realized that was the only time I ever heard that boy talk. This time, I was n't the only one who had gone deaf. Williams appeared to be screaming, clutching his ankle. Grayland pried his hands away, exposing the bone. `` I ca n't walk, Sarge'' he moaned. What happened next stuck with me forever. Sergeant Grayland put a grenade in each of his hands, and said, `` Do what needs to be done.'' 
 With the sun setting, Grayland pulled me into the shadows and out of sight. I'll tell you, I was n't sure who to be more afraid of, Grayland or the Germans. But I still followed him to the southern-most building of the town. In the middle of explaining himself to me I heard an explosion in the distance, knowing that Williams had made his last stand alone, and in darkness. I looked out at the church, which had switched it's lights on, giving the tank a more menacing look than before. Grayland muttered, `` There ca n't be that many left, right?'' I did n't reply, so he answers himself. `` Probably not. Alright, follow me, Nicks.'' He goes for the door, but stops abruptly. `` Three of them, headed this way. Get behind that couch, and prepare to fire.'' he whispers as I hear German voices approaching. I lay down behind the couch while Grayland makes his ways to the other side of the room, closer to the door. They have flashlights. Closer and closer they come. I pick up a few words, I had tried to take a German class before being transferred to this squad. `` Shut up! The Lieutenant told us to be quiet while searching these houses! And be on your guard, there are only seven of us left and reinforcements are n't coming until morning!'' The door knob slowly turns and the door creaks as it opens. One beam of light hits Grayland and he starts firing. He gets off three shots before going down. A German marches in and shoots him in the head before I have a chance to react. I stand up and quickly kill him, leaving a bullet hole in his neck. The sound is awful, but not as awful as the tink! tink! of a grenade skipping across the floor. I sprint to the door, hop out the room and hit the ramaining German with the butt of my gun before the detonation. I'm not as dazed as the German is, and shoot before he has time to react. I already know what will happen next. I barely take seven steps toward the treeline before the building I was previously in gets atomized. I limp back to the woods, hoping that was the last tank shell. 
 I reach a small incline, perfect for looking down on the town. There's the church, with the tank still right next to it. I wondered if there was anyone still in it. I also wondered how I would conduct my final assault on the town. Four of them were left. As I think about how to go about avenging my brothers, I see the shadow of a man running to the tank. He climbs up, lifts the hatch, does something I ca n't see from this angle, slams down the hatch and leaps off. The hatch flies off its hinges and smoke pours out of the hole. The church doors fly open, drenching the man in light. It's Ford, and with a snarl on his face he fires toward the door, and goes down hitting his head on the tank. He squirms around on the ground reaching for his pistol, while a man in noticeably different uniform than the rest of the Germans walks out and shoots Ford again. And again. I steady my aim on the the man and fire. The bullet hit it's target, that's all I'll say. I run at full speed to Ford. I kneel down next to him and inspect his wounds. `` Do n't Bother'' is all he says to me. I nod slowly and do the only thing I can think of. I pray. I close my eyes and pray. Before I'm done I hear his ragged breathing stop. I go lay on the church steps and weep until the sun rises. Luckily for me, the Allies found me first. 
 I think I've kept this picture for so many years because it reminds me of when I was happy, even though it might not look it ( that's me over in the bottom right corner ). It reminds me of when I was n't a monster.
