THE ENEMY

I go to bed trying to sleep and just as I pass that threshold between sleep and being awake and being asleep I hear the report of rifles going off.

I roll of the bed and duck down so I won’t be in the line of fire. I reach for my weapon but it is not there. And still I hear the sound of rounds being shot as I peek out over my bed I hear the rockets coming in.

Out of instinct I run for my ship hoping it has not been hurt in this exchange. As I run I look to see where the tracers are coming from and where they are going so I will have a general idea of how much trouble I am in, where the fire is coming from.

Someone sends a WP into the air and for a few moments I can make out those that are attacking the camp.  I wish we had not taken the ammo out of the ship when we closed down it down for the night.

I hear an explosion to right behind my back and hope no one has been hurt.

The fight seems to go on forever yet later I discover it had only lasted ten minutes, an eternity to me.

After the firing stops I get out of my ship and head back to the bunker where I would have been asleep.  The bunker is no longer there. All that remains is a large smoking hole. It had taken a direct hit. I looked around for my bunker mates and can not find them anywhere.

I feel someone shaking my foot and I come slowly up from my sleep to discover I am safe here with Karen. I snuggle up to her. Put my arms around her and hope like hell that the Enemy will not come to visit me again tonight.

But I know he is out there waiting, looking for his chance to disturb my sleep as he has ever since the 23^rd of April 1964

© Tina Rice 2008