Into The Trees

Welcome To The Ricefields

Authors Note: I decided to mash two chapters into one seeing as the second one is more of a filler chapter than anything. Enjoy it!

Ernie helped Sanders up and Scooter dropped a frag grenade into the tunnels. Mic slammed the trapdoor shut and the group felt the vibration of the ground beneath them. Ernie passed Samusé and Bert their weapons. "Sanders! Your leg!" Yelled Joe. Sanders' leg had been removed in the explosion. Samusé acted first and quickly tied a tourniquet around Sanders' thigh. "Ernie, radio for Evac." Said Bert. "Already have." Ernie pointed to the green smoke coming from the rice fields. Samusé picked up Sanders and the group moved to the smoke grenade. "Contact!" Yelled Scooter as he fired a round from his rifle. "We're being surrounded!" Yelled Mic. "Get down!" Yelled Bert. Ernie began firing bullets from his M16 into the area around the group. Mic was armed with a handgun until Sanders passed him Samusé's rifle as Samusé wasn't using it and was trying to stabilise Sanders. Mic started firing the rifle at the waves of NVA that were closing in on them. Joe turned and saw a soldier who was moving towards the group. "Enemy on our six!" Yelled Joe. Bert turned and fired a shot at the man. "Take this!" Yelled Bert as he passed his SMG to Joe. The sound of gunfire was drowned out by the rotors of a helicopter. "The chopper is taking fire!" Yelled Bert. "Stop them from hitting it!" The Huey that Bigbird was flying was taking many hits from many directions. "Get us Fire Support!" Yelled Bigbird to his co-pilot. When he was met with no reply he turned and saw the Co-pilot lying dead on the control panel of the helicopter. Bigbird swore and was overwhelmed by the number of warning alerts flashing in the cockpit. 

He slammed the helicopter on the ground behind the group. "The chopper is here!" Ernie yelled. Bigbird exited the cockpit with a pistol in his hand. He dived next to Bert and said: "The Helicopter is inoperable." "I might be able to help!" Said Mic. Bigbird told Mic to follow him. They ran to the other side of the helicopter. Joe used the final shot in the gun he was given and noticed one of the door gunners on the helicopter had been killed. He ran over to where they sat and pulled them out of the seat. He sat in the chair and began firing the machine gun at the waves of Vietcong. "Move to the chopper!" Said Bert to the group as he began a crouch walk to the helicopter. He picked up the headset that was on the ground where it had fallen off the head of the dead gunner and passed it to Joe who put it on in a swift motion. Bert opened the door of the Huey and began firing from inside. Samusé and Ernie started carrying Sanders into the Huey. The engine of the Helicopter began working and the rotors started to whirl. Mic opened the door where the co-pilot sat and replaced the body with his own. He closed the door and waited for Bigbird to enter the helicopter. Scooter was the last person in the Huey. As he got in, Ernie slammed the door shut. Joe was unable to use his machine gun as the door blocked him. Bigbird began to take off in the chopper. Bert put on the squad leader headset. "HQ, this is First platoon section one. We have rescued three allies. We have Lieutenant Sanders but he's in critical condition."

Bert continued to talk to HQ as Samusé tried to keep Sanders alive. As they flew through the skies a grim look appeared on Samusé's face.

The surviving crew of Hammerhead 1 were resting with the First Section of the First Platoon. Sanders had passed away and was left next to the helicopter where a small memorial was erected. Bert had made a promise when Sanders passed in that he would bring his team home even if it meant that he would die. Bigbird and Samusé were sleeping, Ernie, Scooter, Joe and Mic were eating from the MREs they had in their packs and lastly, Bert was talking to the other door gunner. His name was Pete Zacheese. He grew up in Michigan and was drafted into the war. The rendezvous with two companies of the USMC was soon and they were in position. The team was able to land closer than they were earlier because night had descended. A knock was sounded on the right side of the helicopter. Ernie drew his pistol and aimed at the door. Bert grabbed the opening handle and yanked. Ernie lowered his pistol once he saw a squad from the USMC. "Finally, a friendly person!" Said Ernie who was stepping out of the helicopter to greet the Marines. Scooter poked Samusé, waking him from his slumber and then exited the helicopter.

"What's the plan?" Asked Ernie

Before he could reply, Bert put his hand up, motioning for silence. They stared into the forest, there was a strange orange figure. Ernie raised his rifle and was followed by many of the other troops. "Who are you?" Asked Bert with his rifle ready to fire. It stood up and said, "I am Alastor, I speak for the trees, and for some strange reason they speak Vietnamese. Please don't shoot me, my comrades and friends, I don't want my life to come to an end!" He had an M1 Helmet like everyone else but with a New Zealand patch on it and a jack of spades card strapped to the side. The group inquired of his mission. "I'm not a Kiwi, I'm French, I've lived in this land in a hole in a trench, I was here as a colonial, as a rich and freeman but then these cruel beings took over the land." Ernie walked over to Bert and whispered in his ear "Does everything that he says rhyme?" One of the USMC officers motioned for everyone to lower their weapons and they did without hesitation.

"How did you get that helmet?" asked Ernie,

"I once had a friend from a land far away, he crashed in this jungle and had to stay, I offered him food and water and safety, but eventually he just passed away"

"How long ago was this, how old was he?"

"It was 12 years ago when the man arrived, he was young and fit and very alive, it was 5 years later he caught TB, then he simply ceased to be."

Alastor slumped down onto the grass and started sobbing, as the sun disappeared behind the heaven-reaching trees, as he remembered the NZ soldier, the rest thought of their fallen comrades.