"I got you man" I grunt as I help my comrade up. He stepped on a bomb leaving his leg completely shriveled. Before I enlisted I would have probably thrown up but it doesn't disgust me anymore, I'm use too it.
"Get me home corporal" he tells me as he winces in pain. His arms tighten around my shoulders for proper aid, we duck down when we see a helicopter too close the ground. I look up to read the name, it's the Navy. They called backup, and I start leading us to the already abandoned houses. You can tell this area was once a war zone, as I carry us over he starts to stumble on his good leg. We've been walking for an hour, in this blazing hot sun. We were up on the mountain before we were ambushed, and I had to get most of us out. It was only 4 of us, the other 2 should be alive.. we got separated some how when they surrounded us. Bucky is on his leach strapped on my waist, he experienced some injuries. Some cuts, but I know he's exhausted.
"Alright Carassco, we need to rest" he tells me tiredly. I walk us to the back of the building where I can have view of all exits and windows. I lay him down, the back to the wall. I grab my water bottle, and give it to him. There's not much but I know he needs it more then I do. I start ripping my undershirt from the bottom, In case I have to apply a tourniquet. He hasn't bled too much but if we're here for a while.. then I'll have too. It's not quiet, in fact you can hear the gun war going on a couple of miles away from here. When I had the chance, I radioed back up then but the best signal we had were in the moutains. I grab Buckys water bottle, and I take his bowl out pouring some into it. He gets up and walks over to his bowl, finishing the water pretty quickly. I massage his back "I know buddy, we'll be home soon" I whisper to him as he lays himself by me.
"Got family back home?" He asks me to make conversation. I don't know him, and he doesn't know me but that doesnt matter. He holds the same values I do, he wears the same heart on his sleeve.
"A big family" I tell him nodding as I lean my head back against the wall "what about you?" I ask him. He doesn't respond but reaches to his chest pocket and pulls out a picture. Handing it to me, I see him hugging a women and a small little girl on his back.
"Looks like you got something to fight for bud" I tell him as I hand his picture to him. He chuckles, and puts it back into his pocket.
"You too, so you gotta get us out of here"
"I'm working on it, besides my sister would be so pissed if I left her." I say thinking about Adrian, wondering what she's doing right now. I haven't talked to her in months, all I know is that she's part of the USWNT and she just won a NCAA championship. She scored the gp 9ame winning goal with her prosthetic leg, soon after that Nike started endorsing her.
"Younger sister?" He questions me, and I chuckle shaking my head
"She's older then me by 5 mins and she doesn't let me forget it" I chuckle.
.........................................................
Adrian's PoV
"Hey mom" I tell my mom as I bring her into a hug. I just landed in Cali for our camp, she picked me up alongside Dad and Brandon. When I hug my dad, he takes a while to let me go. I haven't seen him in a while but he never fails to check up on me. Brandon and I do our handshake, then hug each other after. My dad walks over to the bench behind them, hiding it behind his back.
"Happy Birthday" They tell me happily, as he sets the long sorta narrow box in front of me. I grab it, and I hug them first before I open it. Still st the airport, I sit on the bench to open it. I open the box, unfold the wrapping paper.
It was a new prosthetic, I've been wanting one like this.
"Thank you so much" I tackle them into a hug, and they hold me tighter. After our reunion, we're heading to the hotel the teams staying at. Being with them feels great but my heart isn't fully happy, wish my sister was here. To celebrate our birthday together, I use to do it by myself.. but now I share it with someone. She hasn't talked with anyone in a month, so we don't really know if she's okay or not but we have to hope. Besides.. it's Kaydence, the strongest person I know besides my mom.
