Chuck Schwiderski

Oh my God, they're coming again!
I'm so very scared…I don't want to die

I look over the lip of my hole and see
the gray floating shapes below
shapes moving from tree to tree
shapes moving up the hill
shapes moving to kill me
shapes moving to take away my dreams

I raise my rifle and aim at a floating shape below
now closer…now more clear
I pull the trigger and a shape falls to the ground
grasping at itself

Other shapes…clearer still are coming at me
shooting at me
throwing grenades at me
coming for me

I can see the smoke from the barrels of their rifles
feel the closeness of the passing bullets
the concussion of their exploding grenades
the screech of passing rockets
the wail of their trumpets
the shriek of their whistles

I'm screaming and shaking with fear
but I aim carefully at shapes below
pulling the trigger…over and over again

Can't miss…almost out of ammo
can't miss…can't waste a round
there are shapes everywhere
so many shapes
God help me - please

I squeeze the trigger but noting happens
Oh God - I'm out of ammo!!!
I pull the magazine from my rifle and reach for another
I search and can't find one…panic, panic, panic
I find one…my last, and jerk it into place
Aim and fire, aim and fire and fire and fire
more shapes falling to the ground
bodies everywhere
death is all around me.

Shapes are coming
shapes everywhere
shapes coming at me
so many shapes

Help me!!