in the shadows..part 3

in the shadows...
sits a Kevlar
a vest
and an M16
in the corner
of a room
a young mother
named gwen
rubs her belly
thinking of
the young child
both her
and her man
had left behind
back in the states
she looks longingly
at the engagement
ring she wears
the only time
these days
they have
any time together
is when they have
the odd meal
at the chow hall
very rarely
do they talk
about their child
most of the time
they are
too tired to talk
and just end up
holding hands
she doesnt
really count
work as their
time together
because well
who would
she doesnt know
if its better
or worse
when you end up
working together
in this hell hole
because if
she was still in
the states
she would
be able to
keep her mind off
the fact that
what if they
go out on
one of the missions
they go on
and he doesnt
come back
and what happens
if she doesnt
come back
and what happens
to their child
if both of them
dont come back
these thoughts
and more
dont leave her
as she tosses
and turns
on her bunk
at night

in the shadows...
sits a Kevlar
a vest
and an M16
in a corner
a young man
named gavin
is laying
on his bunk
stareing at
a picture
of his girl
and son
that was taken
just before
their unit deployed
to this place
that is labeled
"the sandbox"
by so many
he closes his eyes
and he pictures
the time they
found out
she was pregnant
with his child
he was both
scared and happy
and he took her
to an expensive restaurant
and it was at
the bottom of
her water glass
where the engagement ring
she now  wears gleamed
he had been planning
on doing it
for months
but always
had talked himself
out of it until
he found out
she was carrying
his child
and it all changed
he opens he eyes
cause he doesnt
want to picture
what happened
during her pregancy
when they found out
their unit
would be deploying
to iraq
a few months
after their child
would be born
to the world
and he also didnt
want to remember
that day she
was told
that she would
be deploying
with everyone else
he turns over
desperately trying
to get those images
out of his head
as he tries
to get some sleep
that night

in the shadows...
they went
that next mornig
to retrieve
their gear
to go on
another mission
just like
any other day
together they fight
side by side
their mission
was to make sure
their camp was
still secure
gavin is the
gunner
gwen is the
driver
both are
in the
lead vehicle
their platoon
was on their
way back
when an IED
went unnoticed
exploded underneath
the lead vehicle
their unit
had been
led into an ambush
small arms fire
and rpg's
reigned down
on the pinned vehicles
for an rpg
had taken out
the last vehicle
so the unit
could go
neither forward
or backwards
causing chaos
for those stuck
in the middle
fighting to
get out of
their death trap
the lead vehicle
gunners head
and chest
were bleeding
causing the gunner
to black out
the driver
had pieces of
glass and metal
throughout the body
the driver died
from the IED explosion
when debree
pierced the heart
the team leader
sitting beside the driver
died when an RPG
hit that side
of the vehicle
causing debree
to pierce
the throat
monica bleed
to death
leaving the gunner
lying all alone

in the shadows...
a young man
named garett
in the platoons
last vehicle
says a silent prayer
for his wife monica
and sister gwen
and soon to be
brother in law gavin
for as a gunner
in his own vehicle
he was the
last to hear
the lead vehicle
had been
blown up
just before
there was
an explosion on top
of his own vehicle
a piece of scrapnel
went through
his right eye
the vehicle
in front of them
acting imediately
attached a line
to the vehicle
so they could
be hauled to safety
about the same time
the second vehicle
had found a safe way
around the first
and had also
begun towing
the first vehicle
to safety
all of the
other vehicles
following behind
but not too closely
the platoon
soon made it back
as safe as posible
back to their camp

from the shadows...
medics emerged
rushing into the
three damaged vehicles
only finding
between them
three breathing soldiers
each vehicle
had three
soldiers each
in the first vehicle
the gunner was
still alive
but barely
the medics
very slowly
removed gavin
from the vehicle
careful not to do
anymore damage
to his body
after he'd been removed
two of the medics
started working
on cleaning up
his wounds
the others
started moving
the other two bodies
when the medics
realised who
they were treating
and who had been
the two ladies
they were horrified
because they knew
if they told gavin
what had happened
to gwen
when he wakes up
he would
give up living
after they had done
as much as they could
for him did they
start to move him
to the hospital
for proper care
to be given him
he awoke
and croaked
"the others..."
the medics
looked at him
knowing what
they said
would kill him
finally after
a long akward pause
one of them
got up the nerve
and replied
"im very sorry
gavin but
you are the
only one
who survived
in your vehicle"
as gavin's tear
fell from his check
his breathing ceased
from the last vehicle
garett had been
pulled alive
and his medics
had reached
those of his future
brother in law
and he had awoken
to gavins voice
asking about
the others
of his vehicle
and had heard
the reply from
the medics
and garett
survived long
enough to
die of an infection
after the removal
of his eye
the later that day
the medics
bowed their heads
"another brother in arm
dies for love..
leaving behind more
parentless childred
from this war"
wispered one medic
from a middle vehicle
only one female survived
to return home
to her family
but without
her right leg
for it had
to be amputated