Marine Summer: Year 2041 Read Online Free PDF Page B

the weak planks giving way as I crashed through them.
    Enemy aircraft had broken through the clouds on bombing runs. We didn’t even hear them coming. After the first explosion, I couldn’t hear anything anyway since my ears were ringing. My vision distorted as if I were looking down a long, white, cloudy tube, colors fading to black and white.
    I climbed from the rubble, turning over on my hands and knees to see Lee helping a wounded brother. I tried to call to him, clawing in the snow in an attempt to reach him. I could only watch in horror as his body disintegrated from the next explosion. Clumps of dirt rained down on my head.
    “No!” I cried.
    I tried to rise to my feet, feeling compelled to find him, or what was left of his body. Keller appeared out of nowhere, picking me up and pushing me back as I attempted to get to Lee.
    “Get to the tree line!” he said, his voice muffled in my ear, his hand on the back of my head forcing me to turn away, “He’s gone. You need to run!”
    I started side-stepping in the direction of the woods, keeping my eyes fixated on the crater where Lee was standing. I was in shock, not realizing I was stumbling over the body parts of my fallen platoon brothers.
    “Run, Butler!” Keller said, pushing me from behind.
    I turned and tried to sprint, the snow slowing me down. I could see Buckley at the edge of the tree line, his right arm flailing in a circle motioning for us run past him. I could hear the explosions behind me, chasing me, zeroing in on me. Then I heard a dead humming sound in front of me. I froze as its roar came closer, my fear stopping me from reaching Buckley. Two A-10 Warthogs buzzed the tree line, the sounds of their ancient jet engines becoming clearer.
    I felt Keller’s hand in the middle of my back, shoving me, as the alien aircraft weapons shredded one of the A-10s over our heads.
    “Move your ass or die!” he said, debris from the wreckage falling behind us.
    I ran past Buckley. Looking for others, I saw none, so I kept running. Keller blew by me on my right, urging me to follow. I no longer felt the pain in my thighs. The cramps were gone; I was numb. I just kept running, trying to catch him.
    I don’t know what happened next. All I remember is waking up. The snowflakes falling from the trees above tickled my face. I had a pounding headache that caused my eyes to flutter as I struggled to focus them. As I reached up to shield my eyes, my thumb grazed something on my forehead. What the hell is this? I asked myself, carefully patting my head. It was a bandage.
    “You bumped your head. You’ll be fine. Can you sit up?” Buckley asked, his voice coming from somewhere on my right.
    “I—I think so,” I muttered.
    “Good. We need your help over here son.”
    My body was stiff, I shuddered in pain as I sat up. Looking over to where his voice had come from, I saw him attending to an injured private.
    “Butler, we need your help!” he called again.
    “Yes, sir,” I said, fighting to stand, staggering toward him and falling on my knees next to the injured man.
    “Give me your hand,” he said, taking it and placing it on the pad covering the man’s chest. “Press here, don’t ease up on it.”
    “Sir…” I called as he moved away, “But sir….”
    I knew the kid, but only by face. Even though we lived in the same barracks for the last two weeks, I hadn’t taken the time to learn his name.
    “What’s your name? Can you talk?” I asked him.
    He nodded his head yes and murmured, “Sanchez.”
    “You’re going to be all right, Sanchez,” I smiled at him. “Hang in there, buddy.”
    Sanchez tried to cough, but only gurgled as the blood choked him. A small red stream started to drip down his cheek. I wiped it away with my bare hand. He raised his left hand up near my face, his fingers spread open. I wasn’t sure what he wanted, so I took his hand in mine.
    I watched as he smiled. He seemed content as he looked into my eyes. I returned the