Watcher In The Woods
(The Stick Man Chronicles)
Written by: Darren Lemon
A Bunch of Grunts
Chapter One
July 15th, 2006
The day started like any other day for Sergeant Jonathan Grant, another early military wakeup. "0400, Ahh! Damn it's early, only four more months and I'm out. Then maybe I can sleep in for once." Muttered Sergeant Grant under his breath. He's still racking his brain about if this latest mission is a privilege or punishment. Why, when he's four months from retirement would they stick him with a bunch of uncivilized grunts that nobody wants around? Colonel Marsh stuck Grant with a nearly impossible task for his last mission. He has to baby sit a group of brain dead assholes for a week and whip them into shape before they were kicked out of the service with a dishonorable discharge. He has to do in a week's time what the Army wasn't able to accomplish in years of training.
It would be easier to take a group of brainless monkeys and teach them to fly an F-16 with their eyes closed. His orders are to take them deep into the wilderness and toughen them up; the Colonel wanted basic provisions and very little gear. He wanted it to be a true test of survival, even more severe than in survival school. They will be cold, wet, and hungry and uncomfortable, which he hopes will break down the attitudes they have, then Sergeant Grant can build them back up the Army way. If he was unable to get them under control they would be booted when they returned. This sucked for Sergeant Grant because this was no way to go into retirement after an illustrious career. He didn't have a choice; it was an order even if he thought the Colonel had his head up his ass when he thought this up.
Why this, Why Now, the Sarge is a true hero in every sense of the word, what a way to go out. The Sarge was a war hero, a purple heart recipient and a true soldier. He earned his nickname "Iron Side" like all military personnel by his actions or a circumstance. It was a cold day in December 2002 in Afghanistan along the Afghan\/Pakistani border; Grant was patrolling an area called the Hari River Basin with his Spec Ops team. Grant was driving the humvee he had Eminem blaring from the radio in the backseat, trying to drown out the roar of the diesel engine. Grant yells at PFC Rodriguez "Hey how is Jones doing on the 50 cal., is he ready to switch off yet?" Rodriguez responds "He says he is doing fine but all the vibrations are making his legs go numb." Grant practically has to scream to be heard over the roar of the engine and the loud music. "Tell him to hold on till we get over that next hill, then well have Smith switch off."
Cruising at 40mph over the uneven terrain they tried to out maneuver any Taliban fighters they may came across. It's been pretty quiet so far, there hasn't been much sign of resistance for the past few days. Jones was holding on for dear life to the 50 cal. Machine gun; desperately trying not to fly off the Humvee every time they hit a rut. Turning to his left he notices in the distance a small white puff against the deep azure sky; it only took seconds until he realized what he saw. Jones yelled "Sir, RPG incoming smoke trail. Nine O'clock."
Grant only had the time to say "Holy Shit" before all hell broke loose. The RPG hits the front driver's side axle blowing off the tire and blasting shrapnel through the driver's door; peppering the Sarge's left side from ankle to shoulder. The axle dug into the soft dirt road; pole vaulting the Humvee end over end catapulting Jones off the 50 cal. Turret. He was launched over 30 feet in the air and landed a few yards in front of the Humvee.
The vehicle landed on its top hard, the impact temporarily stunned everyone inside. It didn't take long for them to come around since you could hear the shots from the Taliban's AK's ringing of the door panels. The deafening sound inside the vehicle woke up all the stunned survivors from their dazed slumber. PFC Rodriguez was riding shotgun he used his knife to cut his safety belt, dropping him on the inside of the Humvee's roof. Rodriguez yelled "Damn Sarge, you've been hit pretty bad your bleeding all over. I better radio a mayday to HQ." He grabbed the radio and started to call "Mayday, Mayday, unit 6 has been hit. Were under attack and need a MEDEVAC ASAP. Were pinned down by Taliban fighters, were 50 clicks north of the river on the main road. We have at least one dead and our Sarge is severely injured. We need air support now!"
