Грань будущего
Chapter 8
Thewholecompanywaspiecedtogetherfromsoldierswho’dsurvivedtheslaughteratOkinawa.Whobettertogivethisshitassignmentto?Inanoperationinvolvingtwenty-fivethousandJackets,ifalonecompanyof146mengotwipedout,itwouldn’tevenrateamemoonthedeskofthebrassintheDefenseMinistry.Wewerethesacrificiallambswhosebloodgreasedthewheelsofwar’smachinery.
Ofcourse,therewereonlythreekindsofbattletobeginwith:fuckedup,seriouslyfuckedup,andfuckedupbeyondallrecognition.Nousepanickingaboutit.There’dbeplentyofchaostogoaround.SameJackets.Sameenemy.Samebuddies.Sameme,samemusclesthatweren’treadyforwhatIwasaskingofthemscreaminginprotest.
Mybodyneverchanged,buttheOSthatranithadseenatotaloverhaul.I’dstartedasagreenrecruit,apaperdollsweptonthewindsofwar.I’dbecomeaveteranwhobentthewartomywill.IboretheburdenofendlessbattlelikethekillingmachineI’dbecome-amachinewithbloodandnervesinplaceofoilandwires.Amachinedoesn’tgetdistracted.Amachinedoesn’tcry.Amachinewearsthesamebittersmiledayin,dayout.Itreadsthebattleasitunfolds.Itseyesscanforthenextenemybeforeit’sfinishedkillingthefirst,anditsmindisalreadythinkingaboutthethird.Itwasn’tlucky,anditwasn’tunlucky.Itjustwas.SoIkeptfighting.Ifthiswasgoingtogoonforever,itwouldgoonforever.
Shoot.Run.Plantonefoot,thentheother.Keepmoving.
