Phantasmagoria
Somniare

''Youready?'' I say to Jayden. Jayden looks at me with a ready smile.

''Wheneveryou are, Nash,'' Jayden says as we both ready our guns. We aim themat a small house made of stones 30 metres away from our position, amakeshift stone-wall parapet. The house looks as if it has been badlyshot up by- oh yeah, by us. I is just us two, no other soldier iswith us. Not even a medic.

''Howmany insurgents did they say were in there?'' Jayden asks me, hiseyes still trained on the house, along with his assault rifle.

''5, Ibelieve,'' I answer. We're both speaking in hushed tones so that wedon't get found out.

''Gotany word from those thermal imaging drones in the area?'' he queriesfurther.

''No,but that's what the last report was from Lieutenant Grissom,'' Irespond.

''Sofor all we know there might be more, or they might not even be thereany more,'' Jayden says, sounding anxious. I look at him and give hima stern stare.

''Look,I'll see if I can see anyone, and then try and aim a shot. If I can'tget any clear shot, we can do it your way and storm it,'' I tellJayden. He sighs and thinks about it, then nods in agreement.

''OK,but if your plan fails, I'll going in first,'' Jayden says.

''Alright.Let's go,'' I say as I train my sniper rifle on the house. I take afew moments scanning to see if I can get an opening, but it lookshopeless.

''Anything?''Jayden asks.

''Nope,I can't get anything,'' I answer. I put down my gun, slightlydisappointed. I turn to face Jayden, but he's already firing a shotat the house.

''Jayden!Are you crazy?!'' I whisper vehemently to him.

''What?You didn't get a shot, so I took it,'' Jayden says with a smile.Jayden is always so headstrong. I've known him for 10 years and henever changes.

''Waita moment,'' Jayden says as we both look tensely towards the house,seeing if there is going to be any movement. There was silence forwhat seemed like forever. My throat is parched, and I think I’msuffering from heat exhaustion. Afghanistan is a very hot place. Evenhotter in this army gear.

''I'mgoing in,'' Jayden tells me.

''Excuseme? I think the heat's getting to you. You are not going in until weget visual or audio confirmation that they are inside that house,'' Iremonstrate him as I grab him.

''Look,the longer we wait, the more time they have to escape. They mighthave fled through the back already. Or for all we know, there mightnot even be anyone inside,'' Jayden reasons with me.

Idon't care. I am not taking any chances.

''Andwhat if they are in there, packing all sorts of weapons and waitingfor us like we are waiting for them?'' I reason with him. Jaydensighs deeply, knowing I could be right.

''Fine.If I fire another shot though, they could pinpoint where it's comingfrom,'' Jayden points out. Oh yeah, that's true. But who was the onewho fired in the first place? I look back at the house anxiously.What if they aren't there? And what if they are? How many of them arethere? Did we get the right intel? I can see Jayden ready to go, butI am doubtful whether we should go or not. I don't want to die. And Idon't want Jay to die either.

''I'vegot an idea!'' Jayden says suddenly, his eyes widening.

''Whatis it?'' I ask him.

''I'llshout out to them, tell them they're surrounded. Should spook themout,'' Jayden explains. I think about it, and I believe it's aplausible plan. I nod my head slowly.

''Alright,do it,'' I tell him. Jayden looks around him to see if he kind replacecover slightly nearer to the house, so that he can be heard. I signalto his right a remnant of a wall that should provide us both withcover. We quickly scurry over there, making sure we make as littlenoise as possible. As soon as we are in position, Jayden and I bothnod to each other as we count to three.

''THISIS THE UNITED STATES ARMY! YOU ARE COMPLETELY SURROUNDED! COME OUTNOW! IF YOU HAVE ARMED YOURSELVES, NOW IS THE BEST TIME TO PUT DOWNYOUR WEAPONS, AND WE WILL NOT HARM YOU! IS THAT UNDERSTOOD?'' Jaydenshouts the orders as loud as he can. We hear silence, no sound ofmovement at all.

''IREPEAT, YOU WILL NOT BE HARMED IF YOU SURRENDER YOURSELVES NOW!''Jayden barks again. Still, there was more silence.

''Alright,let's go,'' Jayden said as we were about to get ready to go.

''Wait!Did you hear that?'' I say, as I believe I hear the creaking of adoor. We both look at each other then sneak a look at the house. Wesaw nobody come out, but I'm wondering why I hear the creaking of a-

''LOOKOUT!'' Jayden screams as he leaps on top of me. At that same moment awarm sensation ripples around me, as well as a powerful blast of wind. This was accompanied by sharp pangs of pain scattering my legsand arms. I land on my back quite quickly, so I feel quite winded,and the fact that Jayden is on top of me makes the compression on mychest worse. My eyes are closed tightly from the impact, and when Iopen them, Jayden is still on me.

''Jayden...Jayden...getup, you're heavy,'' I manage to say. My speech sounds...muffled. LikeI can hear myself talking through a wall. The impact of the blastbegin making my ears ring extremely loud. I blink very slowly as Ikeep looking at Jayden. He isn't moving off of me. Is he unconscious?

''Jayden...areyou OK?'' I can't hear very clear, so I am unsure if he is speaking.I try to lift him off of me, but I begin to feel a warm sensation onmy chest. My arms feel so sore as I try to grab Jayden and lift himoff me. As my arms go up to his shoulders, I start to feel the warmsensation on my hands. And it feels...wet and sticky, like...blood.

Oh no.

No nono!

Jayden!As I realise what is happening, I suddenly gain strength to pull himtotally off me and onto his back. That's when I see the extent of hisinjuries. I looked at my crimson-covered hands and then at Jayden.Blood is rushing out of his neck, and he is staring up at me, lifeslowly pouring out of him. I knew that we had been hit with ashrapnel bomb. I see a few nails, glass and metal pieces sticking outof my right arm and leg, but Jayden must have received a large piecein his neck. I stare at him as he struggles to gasp for air.

''No,no, Jayden! Stay with me!'' I struggle to shout as I grab a clothfrom one of my pockets. I press down on his neck, watching as theblood consumes it as if it was a sponge being soaked by water. As I'mpanicking, Jayden slowly reaches up towards me and grabs the back ofmy neck. He pulls me closer to him as I keep pressing the cloth intohis neck, which I know is not even helping one bit. I can tell bylooking in his eyes that he knows it too.

''Look...af-afterHannah for...me, OK?'' Jayden says, choking as he speaks. He looks atme with determination. I hate it when people tell you to look after arelative when they think they're dying. Jayden wasn't going to die.Not on my watch.

''You'llbe able to look after her too. You've survived worse than this,Jay,'' I reassure him. I think I was trying to reassure myself morethan him, though. He already knows he is going to die, but I won'tbelieve it. He loosens his grip on my neck, his arm flopping backdown beside him. He begins to breathe more slowly now, and it soundsless...frequent. His eyes begin to slowly close, and I watch himcarefully...as he stops breathing altogether. I stare at his chestfor a few moments, wondering if it is going to inflate again. Then Istare at his face.

Itlooks...so peaceful.

Hiseyes are closed as if he is sleeping, and he looks so...serene. Ilook around him and see the amount of blood that was coming out ofhim. I take my hands away from his neck, which are stained in hisblood.

''Please...wakeup, Jayden. We have to finish the mission,'' I say as tears drop frommy face. I hadn't realised I had been crying until I felt my cheeksfeeing as if they had been tickled.

''Please?''I plead with his lifeless body. Just then, I hear a shot whizz pastmy ear. I look up and see 5 insurgents advancing towards my post, alltraining their guns on me.

''NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!''I scream at the top of my lungs, but for some reason, I can't hearit. I grab a gun, and begin shooting at them. I shut my eyes as Iscream again, and as soon as I open them...

I'm inmy bedroom.

I riseup from my bed, and recognise my surroundings. This isn'tAfghanistan; it's home.

''Hannah...''I say aloud as I turn to where she was sleeping, but she is notthere. I close my eyes in disappointment.

''Damnit,'' I say to myself.

I didit again.