A Few Beginning Notes: This is a completely fictional poem/story about war. The man in this story I have personally named "Mike" as that seems to be the name of the tiny man in my subconsious who gave me the idea. You may call him whatever you like, as a matter of fact, if you review/comment I'd like to know your name for him if you gave him one subconsiously or otherwise. "Mike" is about 28, he has a wife and a baby boy. You will understand that "She" and "He"change meanings often during the story, as will certain lines. Finally, I'd like to thank you for reading and understand that this is meant to bring a human aspect to something that seems to not often be humanized. Enjoy.
36 hours.
A dangerous number to keep.
The sound of an automatic weapon
Makes me lurch to my feet.
No, keep your head on, focus.
You only have 36 hours left.
35 hours.
A hidden line.
Theres something in the distance
That we can't define.
Man Down! Man Down! But we keep our wits.
You only have 35 hours left.
34 hours.
With us the sky bleeds.
Pink, orange, yellow and finally night.
Dark and cool, positions await.
Hidden and cold.Keep pushing through.
You only have 34 hours left.
33 hours.
The sounds of war peal out among the men.
Sounds that never leave.
A war within itself, me against the sounds.
They win, I lose sleep.
You only have 33 hours left.
32 hours.
A click and a boom.
The light so bright it hurts.
Pain. And I scream.
It burns, it burns, it burns.
You only have 32 hours left?
28 hours.
She said I'd been out for hours.
I'd be ok after surgery.
Would I be back in the field soon?
I had no voice. She left.
You only have 28 hours left.
25 hours.
He said the surgery went well.
I will never be the same.
I could tell.
Hard to breath, hard to see.
You only have 25 hours left.
23 hours.
I stare for an eternity.
It's not mine, can't be.
I have a face.
He has bandages.
You only have 23 hours left.
22 hours.
What will she think?
Can I kiss her?
Will she love me still?
I cannot cry.
You have 22 hours left.
20 hours.
I may have gone blind.
I see my vitals on a screen.
Beep. Beep. CRASH.
Shut the hell up.
You only have 20 hours left.
15 hours.
They aren't happy. Good.
They say I'm going home.
They give me a board.
I'll talk tomorrow.
You only have 15 hours left.
13 hours.
Copter blades swish.
I can walk, I'm in a wheelchair anyway.
My voice is hoarse, mouth hardly opens.
We land, A commercial airline. Fuck.
You only have 13 hours left.
12 hours.
People stare at my face
Until they see my uniform.
They appologize.
For what?
You only have 12 hours left.
11 hours.
Baby boy. She had screamed.
We were having a baby boy.
Would he love me?
Would he be afraid of a father with no face?
You only have 11 hours left.
9 hours.
Refreshments? Don't look at my face.
My only bag pulled close.
Hard to breath again.
What will they do?
You only have 9 hours left.
8 hours.
We are now landing. Put on your seatbelts.
Replace your trays in the 'Up' position.
Would they know its me?
I look at my nametag. Right.
You only have 8 hours left.
7 hours.
I've been spotted.
She runs over smiling.
Sorry, shes so sorry.
She loves me. She! Loves! Me!
You only have 7 hours left.
6 hours.
He reaches out. His hand on my heart.
Tiny hands, tiny toes.
Only a year hes had to grow.
I take him. My arms around my baby boy.
You only have 6 hours left!
4 hours.
A house, my house.
I walk inside. The same.
A beautiful same.
Finally, I cry.
You only have 4 hours left.
3 hours.
He's in bed. She listens.
A horror story, a bomb, an ugly man.
She cuts me short. No.
A beautiful man. HER man.
You only have 3 hours left.
2 hours.
The house is silent.
Her hair glows on my shoulder.
If I had a face I'd bury it in her hair.
But I don't.
You ONLY have 2 hours left.
1 hour.
She takes my hand and leads.
Our bedroom, Our bed.
I lie down, her next to me.
I love you. And she does.
You only have one hour left.
Times up.
Shes asleep in my arms.
Face in my chest. Warm and alive.
How much I had missed her.
The sounds are trying, I drive them out.
Times up, so sleep.
