Chapter 2

Chapter 2

He sat in a recliner, using the light streaming through the window to read a book. His brother’s wife sat at the computer, tapping away at the keys. He was visiting his brother, something he hadn’t done in a while. He was a drifter, going from one place to another, trying to make a living. Now he was crashing at his big bro’s house for a couple of days, till one of his friends who served with him in the Navy dropped into town to pick him up.

Standing at the window, smoking a cigarette, his older brother turned around to face his little bro. “That’s got to be the hundredth time you’ve read that book, if I remember correctly”, he said, chuckling. “You have a fascination with horror books.”

He glanced up from his book, flashing his brother a brilliant smile everyone knew so well. He glanced down at his book again, but the light from the window suddenly darkened. “You’re blocking the light”, he grumbled, looking up just in time to see something come crashing through the window, knocking his brother flat…

He sat bolt right up, gasping for breath. His hand instantly flew to his head wound, which was now covered by a gauze pad held in place by a bandage wrapped several times around his head. Rubbing his beating chest, he glanced around this new environment. He was in a raggedy, small tent, on a raggedy, old cot, with a raggedy torn blanket wrapped around him. Breath slowing, he messaged his neck; something jingled. When his fingers closed around a thin chain, he jerked it forward, pulling out a pair of aluminum dog tags from his shirt. He stared at the stamped metal, gobbling up the information it provided with his eyes.

Jacob K. Stone

2nd Lieutenant

Team A

United States Navy

So, my name is Jacob, he thought, amused, guess that man in the courtyard really does know who I am. Guess the first order of business is to find out where he is and what the hell is going on.

Just as Jacob swung both legs over the side of the cot in a sitting position, the tent flap fluttered, and a head flew in. “Good, you’re up”, said the head, who Jacob recognized as the man who had led the squad into the courtyard,” You had us worried there for a second. Took a nasty blow to the head after that explosion. Come on, Captain Miller wants a debriefing on what happened to your squad.”

Just as quickly as his head appeared, it left before Jacob could say something. Shrugging off his irritation, he stood shakily, and stepped out of his tent. The first thing he saw was the light, blinding him easily after being in the dimly lit tent. Eyes adjusting to the light, Jacob realized he had stepped into a whirl of military activity. All around him, groups of men sporting military rifles slung across their backs marched this way and that, either carrying boxes of food, ammo, or medical supplies. They, just like the ones who appeared in the courtyard, were dressed like regular civilians, except these had red crosses painted on their shirts over their hearts, something Jacob didn’t notice about the others.

Other soldiers (for that’s what Jacob assumed they were, despite the clothing) were entering and exiting a village of tents much like the one Jacob had just left, small and tattered. Others were coming out by the dozens of a larger tent set up in the middle of the village, which had a small flag with a red cross painted on it hanging over the tent flaps. All the medical supplies seemed to be flowing into it.

A hand waved in front of Jacob’s face. “Hello”, the squad leader called in Jacob’s ear,” Still with us, Jacob?”

Frowning, Jacob sat on a chair outside his tent, head in his hands. He played with his bandage. “Where am I?” he asked shakily.

Crouching down to his level, the squad leader stared Jacob in the eye. “You okay, little brother?”, he asked, concern etched on his features like stone.

“Brother?”, Jacob asked, surprised. Then it hit him; a flash from his dream. You have a fascination with horror books. The features fit perfectly on his face.

“What, you don’t remember your older brother, Kyle?”, he asked, shocked.

“Kyle, huh”, Jacob murmured, looking around the base again. “Listen, bud, all I remember is waking up in that court yard, you guys stormin’ in all gun-hoe, and then pointing a gun at me. So, if you are my brother, then you’ll do the brotherly thing and tell me what the hell is going on!” His voice had risen to a shouting level now, causing everyone around them to stop and swivel their heads towards the commotion.

Kyle frowned for a second, until his brilliant green eyes moved from Jacob’s eyes up to the bandage on his forehead. He sighed, standing up, and held out a rough hand. “Come on”, he said sadly,” Let’s go see the medic, Reynolds. Maybe he knows some way to help you.”

Minutes later, Jacob found himself sitting on another raggedy cot in the medic’s quarters, which were stuffed with medical supplies such as drugs, bandages, surgeon’s tools, and other things.

“That blow to the head probably gave you amnesia”, the medic said, shining a small light in Jacob’s eyes.

“Nah, really? Thanks for the tip, Doc Obvious” Kyle grunted, pacing worriedly in front of them. “Any possibility of recovery?”

“Most victims get it back over time, and I told you not to call me that”, Reynolds grumbled, putting a hand on Kyle’s chest before he walked in front of the light again.

“What?”

“Doc”

“Why not?”

“Makes me feel uncomfortable. Doctor’s are expected to know things like complicated medicines and have large knowledge of chemistry, plus they’re often pushed into the roll of leader when. I’m just a medic. I only know how to do quick field fixes, first aid skills, and how to diagnosis basic things. Like amnesia.”

“Whatever”, Kyle said cheerfully, folding his arms behind his back. “The only thing I care about is if you can keep the whole convoy alive.”

Shrugging, Reynolds reached up to remove the bandage around Jacob’s forehead. “Might as well change this while you’re here. It’s important we keep a fresh bandage on that gash, so it won’t get infected.”

Unwrapping the bandage and removing the gauze pad, the medic tried to put a new one on, but Jacob wouldn’t have it. Waving his hand away, Jacob looked around the tent. “Do you have a hand mirror in here?” he asked hoarsely, having just realized he had no clue what he looked like.

Nodding, Reynolds rummaged through a box, coming up with square, dirty mirror. Jacob took it, held it up to his face, and slowly opened his eyes.

He was a younger looking version of Kyle. He had the same straight nose and rounded ears, but his hair was a dark, almost black color, going along nicely with a pair of shocking green eyes. His face was flawless save for the ugly gash across his forehead. “That gash is going to scar nicely,” Jacob grumbled.

Putting down the mirror, he allowed Reynolds to continue his work. As the medic applied fresh, stinging ointment to his wound, Jacob began drilling Kyle with questions. Many filled his mind, like Where are we? What’s going on? How come I’m the only one walking around with a military uniform on? What does team ‘A’ mean on the dog tag?

“My dog tags say team A, along with United States Navy”, Jacob asked, wincing as the medic began wrapping the bandage tight across his forehead,” What does that mean?”

Kyle looked shocked. “You were in the Navy”, he stammered,” I can’t believe you forgot that! If it wasn’t for that, we’d all be dead.” Kyle began pacing again, unhindered by Reynolds since the treatment was done. Nodding at them both, he left the tent, heading for the larger medical tent.

Turning back to Jacob, Kyle continued his story. “You were a Navy SEAL, and a god damn good one, too. You landed yourself a spot on the number one team, Team A.”

“What happened?” Jacob groaned, dropping his head in his hands. Why couldn’t he remember these things?

Kyle paused for a second, then slowly answered,” You were honorably discharged after some raid in Africa. Something happened that you never told me about. You became a drifter after that, and you were staying my house when this whole thing started…” Kyle paused again, looking right into Jacob’s eyes. “You don’t know what’s going on, do you?”, he sighed.

Jacob shook his head. Now he was getting somewhere.

Hesitating for a few seconds, Kyle whirled around and began trudging out of the tent. “Come on”, he called over his shoulder,” You need to see what’s going on first hand.

“Why”, Jacob asked, trotting after him.

Kyle didn’t slow his pace. “The only way you’re going to believe this crazy shit is if you see it for yourself.”