Shadows of Shelly

Brit - Action - Hope Part 11a

ELEVEN-a

Brit - Action - Hope

They doctor told me, "We removed a bullet from your shoulder. The next one penetrated the side of your head. You had a bad time. The worst has past, you are safe and should recover soon."

"How long have I been here?"

"Seventy days, most of which you were in a coma."

"Where are we?"

"Chiang Mai University Hospital. The Air Force wanted to move you to Clark Air Force Base Hospital. Your Mom insisted you remain here. We have one of the best brain surgeon's in the world right here." Your fiancé has been here night and day hoping and praying you would wake up."

"Where is she?"

"She went to the bathroom to shower and should be back in a moment."

"I want to check your eyes. Move your eyes as far right as possible without moving your head! Now move them as far left while holding your head still. Look up! Look down while keeping your head straight. You have good eye movement, and that is a great sign."

Shelly came into the room blubbering, "I wanted to be here when you opened your eyes."

I closed them for two seconds then opened them again smiling, and said, "That's for you!"

She gave me a light hit to the right shoulder.

"OOCH, I did not expect a power punch."

"Sorry!"

"Just joking, but why are we jabbering? Come here and give me a big kiss!"

Her eyes brightened as she flashed a wide smile and planted a juicy and succulent kiss on my lips. The doctor chuckled, and said, "There is nothing wrong with your mind. The response you rendered shows you are healing well."

That afternoon two physical therapists were holding me up while I dragged my feet a few steps in the room. Memories of the battle flooded my mind.

We had to take helicopters since the jungle growth was thick in the mountains around the compound. Reconnaissance had aerial pictures showing the makeshift prison with a tiered farmed field of about fifteen acres next to it. The location was 70 miles southeast of China. It was ten miles east of the Golden Triangle, between two forks of the Mae Kuam River and a half mile west of the Thai/Burma border.

Our group of fifty-three landed near the border on the Thai side, and travelled by foot about a quarter mile east to the fenced in area where the captives were held. During the day, it was easy to see the hostages working in the fields while armed guards stood watch. We were on a mountain ridge about twenty-five feet above the complex. We were quiet until darkness settled. At midnight all was silent in the containment area.

We had surrounded the stockade with twelve men crews on each side cutting into the fencing. The sentries on the front, left and rear sides were eliminated with long knives and hand guns having silencers.

The guards on the right side saw a team storming into the enclosure. They began firing. Movement was heard from every side of the encampment. Bullets were splattering all over the place.

The silence was sinister. We had reduced the enemy to only twenty young fighters. These were placed in a small penned area.