No Man Left Behind: A Veteran Inspired Charity Anthology by Elizabeth Knox (black authors fiction TXT) 📕

her. I just need a few minutes, but like every woman in my life she ignores what I say and comes in right next to the bed and lays down. Removing my prosthesis, I can tell my stomp will be red and angry. “Damn it,” I yell out, causing Gracie to whine and sit up at attention.

“Sorry, girl.” I rub her head peeling back my final sleeve, I look down and sure enough it’s blistered and swollen. I know I need to go back and be refitted but it’s just a hassle.

“Sorry girl I didn’t mean to startle you.” I say running my fingers through her fur.

She responds by licking my hand, telling me it’s okay.

Leaning back on the bed I close my eyes and ignore the pain.

My chest burns with every breath, sand filling my nose and lungs.

“I can’t wait to get back to real air conditioning, good chance I walk around my place in my underwear for days. What about you, Cole, what’s your number one when you get back?” Rider jokes.

“Brother, I just want to eat food that actually has flavor. I want fries, wings, maybe even New York style pizza,” I say, standing.

“Let’s do this, hopefully we will have a silent night.” I sling my rifle over my shoulder.

“Sounds good to me, I am scheduled to phone home tonight anyways,” Rider replies.

“My guess is my mom will have everyone there since it has been a while since I have seen them.” He can try to play it off, but I can tell by Rider’s face he can’t wait to talk to them.

“Riggs, you ready for us?” I shout toward the loaded Humvee.

“Yeah, let’s do this,” Riggs yells from the top.

“What about you, Manus? Are you ready?” I look to my left toward the second truck.

“Shit yes, let’s do this,” he shouts. We all laugh, Manus is loud and over the top. He is the trickster of our unit, always there ready to make us forget just where we are.

Circling my fingers around. “Okay, boys, let’s do this,” I shout.

Our ride isn’t that far, we just need to clear a building down the block. “Okay, guys, let’s play it safe with this one. Who knows what is behind each corner, so keep your eyes open!” My main focus is to keep them alert, this place is dangerous.

“Affirmative,” I hear over the headset.

Walking quietly trying to stifle the crunch of rocks and gravel under our boots. The smell of smoke and gunfire still permeates the air around us. Shrapnel from prior explosions and car bombs litter the streets.

“Manus, you take Rocky, Davis, and Franklin and head to the south side of the building. I will take Riggs, Rider, and Hamer and head north. Be on the lookout, guys, let’s get back soon,” I command.

A nod was all I needed. Just as my unit turns the corner, I hear a rapid fire of gun shots volleying back and forth. “Stay here,” I shout as I head toward the gunfire.

My adrenaline is pumping as I try to stay focused and alert at the same time. My goal is to get to my men and make sure they are safe.

“Sarg,” I hear, my head turns just as Rocky comes out of the dust cloud carrying Franklin over his shoulder.

“Davis is covering Manus, they are trapped behind a car. Manus was hit pretty bad, we couldn’t move him far, so Davis pulled him to safety,” Rocky yells.

“Let’s get them out of there,” I holler just as an explosion goes off sending us running into the vacant building.

Barking wakes me from yet another nightmare. I pull in air trying to regulate my heart beat again, I look over at the clock, four-thirty I slept for three hours lying across my bed. Stiffness catches my back as I reach over to grab my crutches and notice Grace is no longer on the floor but lying next to me in the bed.

“Let’s go, girl,” I tell Gracie as we head outside.

My alarm goes off at nine a.m., I look over and notice Gracie is no longer on the floor but has once again taken residence on the other side of the bed.

“Some specially trained dog you are,” I tell her.

“You just think you are so cute, don’t you?” I ask realizing I am talking to a dog, who will not respond.

Her ears perk up and she tilts her head in response. “Yeah, yeah. Let’s go,” I say, letting her out back as I make my way toward the coffee pot. My leg is twice as sore as it was yesterday. Every step sends a sharp pain up my leg, but Evelyn will be here soon so I can just deal with it until she leaves.

A knock on the door alerts me to Evelyn’s arrival.

“Coming,” I holler. I turn, pain radiates up my leg so sharp it takes my breath away. I attempt another one when my leg gives out, I grab my end table but that couldn’t stop me as I bring everything down with me and I land on my hip. I lie here trying to catch my breath as Gracie starts barking uncontrollably at the door.

“Mr. Cole, Jackson, are you okay?” I hear on the other side of the door as Gracie’s continuous barks get louder, the pain emanates again, and I black out. “Jackson, Jackson,” I hear, the fog lifting in my brain just enough for me to register what is going on.

“Mr. Cole, are you okay?” I hear as I slowly open my eyes. I watch as Evelyn is kneeling next to me visibly sagging in relief.

“I’m okay,” I say breathlessly, attempting to sit up with Gracie whining over me and licking my face.

“How is your hip, do I need to call someone?” she asks, the concern in her voice hit me. “Let me take a look,” she says and before I can say no, she is feeling around my hip and rib cage.

“I think it’s okay.” I pull