5. Dominance

The next day Twitch was fine. “Just a flesh wound.” Ty told us. We sat outside and talked. I had a question on my mind. “Twitch, why do you shake so much when you feel or hear rockets?” I paused. It had evoked something in him. “When I was twelve…My father stepped on a landmine. I had a bit off a seizure.” He looked at me through his thick-rimmed glasses. “Whenever I feel the ground shake, I think of the old war site we lived on, I think of the day I witnessed my dad’s death.” He put a lot of effort in refusing to tear up. “I’m sorry” was all I could say.
Then we felt our pins vibrate. I looked at it and it was glowing. Everybody came outside as we looked at each other’s ranks.
Twitch: The Brave {Two stars}
Trent: Reinforcement {Two stars}
Will: General {Five stars}
Ty: Ballistics expert {Two Stars}
Our ranks changed. I stared at mine.
Valiant {Three Stars}
I was surprised. With all the panics, the skirmishes, I was a soldier that belonged here.
As everybody saw my badge, I felt like I got everybody’s approval. But as they continued to examine each other’s merits, I saw something moving in the distance. I felt under my shirt for the string that was attached to it and pulled out my sniper rifle scope. I peered through the scope to see a tall man whose head touched the roof of the van.
I rose and started sprinting towards the van (which was now was veering in a controlled-type-manner), yelling his old squad leaders name. “Abe! Abe!” When people heard the name, they started following me. “Stop!” Twitch yelled at those pursuing me. “This is going to be their Kodak® moment” They stopped to let me greet the man I saved.
As soon as Abe got out, my emotions took over me and I hugged him as tight as I could. He patted my back to reassure me he was there for me. “How ya doin kid?” I snapped back to reality and let go of him. “Whoa! I yelled. “You have mechanical legs!” I felt stupid for pointing out the apparent. He ignored the rudeness of the question and said: “Come on kid, let’s take a walk.”
“So I was in the hospital, and bright lights were being shined on me daily, so then I signed something and woke up with robotic legs. But hey, it’s the 230’s right?” He plugged the generation’s nickname.
“They’re cool.” He addressed the legs.
“Yeah, if you press a button, it bends back, like the mech legs on old Japanese anime’s. Speaking of which, does Twitch still talk about Star Wars and Gundam’s and stuff like that?”
“Yeah”
“Oh man, he’s gonna be so jealous of me.”
We laughed for a minute, but then the atmosphere became humorless.
“Did you write you write the letter?” Abe asked.
“To who?” I asked.
“My family.”
“Oh…no.” I said feeling at fault.
“Why not?”
“For some reason… I though you’d be back.”
“Well, you sholda’ done it anyway. Just in case.”
We kept walking until we reached the base. Everybody seemed to give warm welcomes except one. After he complimented Trent’s picture, he addressed us all. “Alright team, fir…”
“Stand down soldier!” A voice emerged- Will’s voice.
“Excuse me?” Abe approached him.
“I’m the leader now.” He pointed to his pin with a smug look of confidence. That’s when Abe pointed to his. “I’m a general. So I believe you’re the one who should be standing down.” He turned around to discuss matters with us again. Will snapped back. “Bullshit, you haven’t done anything since you lost your legs. They probably just felt bad for the crippled.” We were all hushed in tension as a strange look of desolation, rage, and pain crossed Abe’s face all at once. Then he erupted. Turning around, he swiftly struck Will in the face. Will retaliated with a headlock and returned blows to Abe. We all broke into an uncontrolled screaming as they continued to fight. Eventually, Abe broke free and kicked Will down, taking the fight to the floor. As the fight continued, blood started coming down Will’s face. “I’m not a crippled! I’m not a crippled! Abe yelled, perhaps, disturbed with the cruel truth.
Bam!
Trent shot in the air, demanding everybody’s attention. “Do you see what’s happening?! Do you see what this war’s doing?! It’s turned us against each other! Over a rank?!” His voice starting breaking as he started tearing up. He walked away from us- seemingly ashamed. “This is supposed to be a reunion.” He said, slamming the door behind him. As Abe went to comfort him, his metal leg kicked against Will’s ribs.