{"sf1_id":806141,"sf2_id":"YnLONwvm","title":"A Thin Line - Part Four: The Village","author":"RandallShepherd","words":3733,"posted_at":"2015-01-11T05:13:00.000Z","tags":["Bad Language","Battle","Character Development","No-Yiff","Suspense","Violence (Not In Yiff)","War","World war 2"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/806141-a-thin-line-part-four-the-village","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/s/YnLONwvm","image_url":"https://cdn.sofurryfiles.com/submissions/thumbnails/06/17/0617faae-a0bb-46fd-a738-d50b196057f0","description":"#4 of A Thin Line\n\nThe fourth part, and most exciting, of my little series. This part is much longer than any previous part. I was planning on this series being about 10 parts, but I can see that's probably not going to happen. I originally tried to keep each part around 3 to 5 pages. This one's like 10 pages. Oops. It's a lot of info, okay? Not to mention this is my first time writing an action scene... like ever.\nBut we finally get to the battle scene, and we learn a lot more about our characters Micah and Damien. Part five is already well underway, so expect that soon enough :)\nFUN FACTS:\n- I played a lot of old school Call of Duty in my time.. that makes me a WWII expert, right?\n- This part was re-written at least 5 times before I was happy with it.\n- Damien was the one originally supposed to be injured, not Micah","content":"\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; At first, Damien thought of home.\u0026nbsp; He wondered if his mom was okay.\u0026nbsp; He hope him leaving didn't cause her to start drinking again.\u0026nbsp; He hoped that his father was able to keep her out of the bottles.\u0026nbsp; What about Alice?\u0026nbsp; What would she be doing tonight?\u0026nbsp; Could she be writing to Damien right now?\u0026nbsp; Does she even know he is about to step out onto the front lines?\u0026nbsp; He didn't know, but he wanted to.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The town was like a ghost town.\u0026nbsp; Homes abandoned, streets emptied, rubble scattered everywhere.\u0026nbsp; The smell of smoke filled the air and the sound of bullets and explosions shook the crumbling walls and the street.\u0026nbsp; Damien passed a few shops on his walk into the city.\u0026nbsp; One in particular stuck with him.\u0026nbsp; Inside was a doll and a collection of baby goods.\u0026nbsp; It reminded him about his talk with the stranger in the back of the truck.\u0026nbsp; He looked around to see if he could find the unknown soldier from the truck, but he was not there, or at least not in Damien's immediate field of view.\u0026nbsp; He continued down the street, trying to keep pace with the rest of his squad.\u0026nbsp; Damien found Micah running up to his side.\u0026nbsp; They looked at each other but no one spoke.\u0026nbsp; They knew combat was not far away.\u0026nbsp; The gun fire was getting louder with each step down the bullet-riddled road.\u0026nbsp; The occasional blood stain on the ground or the wall made, not just Damien, but all the soldiers feel even more uneasy.\u0026nbsp; It was only natural.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; A sudden blast knocked Damien off his feet.\u0026nbsp; He stumbled to the ground.\u0026nbsp; His head pounded, it felt like a dream.\u0026nbsp; He thought he was dead for sure.\u0026nbsp; He rolled over slowly, expecting pain, but he felt nothing.\u0026nbsp; Maybe the adrenalin is keeping the pain away, he thought.\u0026nbsp; He began to move his extremities.\u0026nbsp; First his arms, then hands, legs, then feet.\u0026nbsp; They were all there and accounted for.\u0026nbsp; He ever saw what hit him.\u0026nbsp; Possibly a hand grenade.\u0026nbsp; They found themselves in an ambush, and now Damien, dazed and helpless, found himself lying on the ground in the wide open.\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; He tried to move, but not before something grabbed the back of his jacket and began to drag him across the road.\u0026nbsp; It was Micah; he risked his life to save Damien.\u0026nbsp; Micah dragged him behind a wall and propped him up against it.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Are you okay? Are you alright?\" Micah yelled at Damien.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Yeah... I think so.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"You're lucky.\u0026nbsp; Get up!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Damien was finally able to fully compose himself and sit up.\u0026nbsp; His gun was still attached to him thanks to the strap.\u0026nbsp; Surveying the area, Damien saw where he hit the ground.\u0026nbsp; Not too far from where he was, a couple of dead men lied in the street.\u0026nbsp; They had taken the worst the grenade had to offer, but unintentionally giving Damien the chance to survive.\u0026nbsp; He felt bad for the soldiers, but there was nothing that could be done now.\u0026nbsp; He hated feeling that way, though.\u0026nbsp; He felt like war was changing him.\u0026nbsp; Seeing a pile of dead bodies and shrugging it off and carrying on, he would have never been able to imagine such horror before his time here.\u0026nbsp; But this was reality.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Small gun fire came from down the street.\u0026nbsp; A machine gun nest was posted through a window of a house just down the road a bit on the right side.\u0026nbsp; The gun had to go down if the American soldiers had any hope of surviving the ambush.\u0026nbsp; Damien and Micah was behind a low wall, on the left side of the street, separating themselves form the gun fire.\u0026nbsp; Micah hit Damien on the arm, as to get his attention.\n\nWhen Damien looked over, he saw Micah pointing in the direction opposite to the road.\u0026nbsp; A couple of other American soldiers were heading further away from the road in an effort to find a flank route.\u0026nbsp; Taking on the German soldiers and their machine gun nest head on would be tactical suicide.\u0026nbsp; Damien followed the soldier's lead between buildings and through yards, Micah stuck close behind him.\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; When they made it a couple lawns down the street, they came under fire again.\u0026nbsp; This time, it was a much smaller, more manageable group of enemy soldiers.\u0026nbsp; For the first time since engagement began, Damien began returning fire towards the enemy.\u0026nbsp; He hid behind another low wall, peeking over to take shot at the Germans.\u0026nbsp; The lack of light made it hard to see much but the occasional movement of shadows and the mussel flash of their guns.\u0026nbsp; Damien fired a few shots, not sure if any of them made their mark.\u0026nbsp; With each shot fired, it sent shock waves up his arm and rang in his head.\u0026nbsp; After eight shots, his gun made the _ping_sound the M1 Garands are both famous and infamous for.\u0026nbsp; The ping is the result of the empty clip being ejected out of the gun.\u0026nbsp; Damien grabbed another clip of ammo and tried to load it into his gun.\u0026nbsp; The adrenaline made it hard.\u0026nbsp; His hands were shaking and he struggled to get the clip in the gun.\u0026nbsp; He looked around the wall.\u0026nbsp; Another soldier, and American soldier, was firing his gun before he suddenly stopped.\u0026nbsp; A cloud of blood spewed out of the back of his head.\u0026nbsp; His body shook violently before collapsing to the ground in a discomforting state of calm.\u0026nbsp; Damien wished he hadn't seen it.\u0026nbsp; But again, nothing could be done.\u0026nbsp; Micah was to Damien's right side, firing towards the enemy when his gun pinged, then he crouched down to reload.\u0026nbsp; Damien stood up in time to see somebody running out in the open.\u0026nbsp; Damien focused on him with his gun's sight.\u0026nbsp; He hesitated, trying to make sure it was an enemy he was about to shoot at.\u0026nbsp; The glare of the little light there was showed that the helmet was undoubtedly shaped like that of a German's and not an American's.\u0026nbsp; With one good shot, the helmet, and the enemy soldier, fell to the ground.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; A few Germans remained, but the Americans outnumbered them, and the enemy was dealt with within a few minutes.\u0026nbsp; Continuing down, the soldiers made it to where the machine gun nest was located on the other side of the street.\u0026nbsp; Crossing the street was extremely dangerous, but essential if they wanted to take out that gun.\u0026nbsp; The commanding officer of our squad to give cover fire.\u0026nbsp; They wanted to force the Germans to take cover long enough for the advancing American soldiers to make it safely across the street; or at least as safely as possible.\u0026nbsp; A hail of bullets rang down the street, forcing the Germans into hiding.\u0026nbsp; The group of men ran across the street and ran to the house with the gun nest.\u0026nbsp; A single grenade through the window ended that problem.\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; With the gun nest no longer a threat, the odds were significantly tilted in the American's favor.\u0026nbsp; Within minutes, the Germans were retreating.\u0026nbsp; Victory came at a heavy cost, though; the squad lost a few of its already thin group.\u0026nbsp; But it isn't unusual for such sacrifices to be made.\u0026nbsp; It happens on a daily basis out here.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; By day break, Damien and Micah's squad made it to a large church in the center of town.\u0026nbsp; The church was temporarily being used as an aid station, supplying water and medical attention if needed, as well as a communication hub.\u0026nbsp; It was also a safe place to catch some rest.\u0026nbsp; Damien was exhausted, but kept going as he knew he had to.\u0026nbsp; Micah was equally as exhausted, but refused to let it show.\u0026nbsp; Damien sat down on the platform at the end of the church's isle.\u0026nbsp; Micah joined him.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Micah.\" Said Damien.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Yeah, sport?\" Replied Micah.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Thanks for saving my ass after that grenade explosion.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Micah shook his head, \"Don't thank me.\u0026nbsp; Just thank God you're alright.\u0026nbsp; We're in the right place for it after all.\"\u0026nbsp; He laughed.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"You didn't have to risk your life like that to save me.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Are you serious?\u0026nbsp; Like I was just gonna leave you out there for the Jerries to finish off?\u0026nbsp; I wasn't about to stand by and let you get killed out there, bud.\"\u0026nbsp; Micah took a drink of water from his canteen.\u0026nbsp; \"And besides,\" he continued, \"Alice would have been pissed at me if I didn't so something.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Damien was ashamed to admit it, but he almost forgot about Alice.\u0026nbsp; The Hell on the front line temporarily washed away the pleasant memories of home.\u0026nbsp; But he was more than grateful to have Micah with him now.\u0026nbsp; He didn't know what would have happened if Micah wasn't there, and he didn't really want to think about it.\u0026nbsp; Micah had Damien's back, just as Damien had Micah's.\u0026nbsp; They were a great team together, determined to help each other survive and look out for one another.\u0026nbsp; Damien had no idea how he would ever repay Micah for saving his life.\u0026nbsp; He owed him his life, and he knew that.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The rest and relaxation in the church was, overall, short lived when word got in that a German counter attack was closing in from the North.\u0026nbsp; A last ditch effort was being put forth by the enemy to regain the crucial town, and the church was soon to be right in the line of fire.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Get ready, men!\" shouted the commanding officer, \"Jerry will be here any minute.\u0026nbsp; This church does NOT fall!\u0026nbsp; You hear me?!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Yes, sir!\" was heard through the church.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Damien and Micah were sent to the second floor of the church.\u0026nbsp; They, along with a few other riflemen, would act as a crude sniper team since an official one was not on hand.\u0026nbsp; Armed with scope-less M1 Garands and Carbines, they awaited the fury that was soon to come.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The view was a great vantage point.\u0026nbsp; From Damien's position, he could see far down a wide road.\u0026nbsp; Damien was a great marksman, one of the best back at training camp, but he felt unsure about his ability to hold off the enemy.\u0026nbsp; Micah was a pretty amazing shot himself.\u0026nbsp; He should have been a sniper, he's that good.\u0026nbsp; All of their marksman skills would soon be put to the test.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Within thirty minutes of setting up, gun fire was heard down the street.\u0026nbsp; Smoke made it hard to see anything far down the street.\u0026nbsp; Before long, soldiers began running through the smoke, and the counter attack was on.\u0026nbsp; Instead of being on the offensive like last night, today, the Americans found themselves on the defensive.\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Damien focused down the sight of his gun.\u0026nbsp; He could practically hear his heart beat in his ears.\u0026nbsp; Training took over as he slowed his breathing down.\u0026nbsp; His aim steadied and his heart rate slowed.\u0026nbsp; The German silhouettes were getting larger.\u0026nbsp; Without scoped weapons, long distance shots were hard to make, so the enemy had to get uncomfortably close in order to ensure accurate shots.\u0026nbsp; Finally, Damien squeezed the trigger.\u0026nbsp; The shockwave kicked the gun back.\u0026nbsp; Time slowed down as he watched the intended target fall to the ground, and the soldiers surrounding him dispersed in fright.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Micah fired next.\u0026nbsp; His shot found its target, too.\u0026nbsp; Before long, a number of bodies laid out in the middle of the street as the riflemen upstairs did their best to shoot targets before they got close.\u0026nbsp; A stolen MG-42 downstairs was taking care of any soldier that got too close to the church.\u0026nbsp; The beaten and battered American force in the church was actually keeping the Germans at bay.\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; And that's when the tank came into view.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The streets were just wide enough and clear enough for the German tank to make its way towards the church.\u0026nbsp; A state of panic hit the soldiers on the second story of the church.\u0026nbsp; A few men ran.\u0026nbsp; \"I'm not sticking around to get blown up!\" yelled one man as he took his gun and ran back towards the rest of the soldiers held up on the floor.\u0026nbsp; Damien thought about retreat too.\u0026nbsp; There was no way in hell he could take on a tank.\u0026nbsp; He pulled his gun back, ready to go, but something stopped him.\u0026nbsp; Micah didn't move from his spot.\u0026nbsp; He was determined to hold his ground, and he wasn't about to let the threat of a tank turn him into a coward.\u0026nbsp; Damien thought he was crazy, like he had some sort of death wish.\u0026nbsp; But what could he do?\u0026nbsp; Micah saved Damien's life.\u0026nbsp; What kind of friend would he be if he left Micah alone?\u0026nbsp; He would be a cowardly friend, and Damien couldn't live with that.\u0026nbsp; Against all intuition to leave, Damien made the decision to stay and fight as long as he could.\u0026nbsp; He pulled his gun back up, and continued picking off targets one by one.\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The tank rolled closer with every passing second.\u0026nbsp; Its advance was slow, but persistent.\u0026nbsp; Nothing stood in its way.\u0026nbsp; Damien's heart dropped when the tank's cannon aimed up towards the church.\u0026nbsp; Damien barely had enough time to yell, \"Get down!\" and pushed Micah to the floor when the tank fired.\u0026nbsp; A huge hold was blown in the wall just feet from where they were.\u0026nbsp; The sound was defining.\u0026nbsp; Rubble and dust filled the air, causing Damien to choke.\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"We gotta get outta here!\" shouted Damien.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; This time, Micah didn't hesitate.\u0026nbsp; As quick as a rabbit, they both sprang to their feet and bolted down the hallway.\u0026nbsp; Glass shattered as bullets came flying through the windows.\u0026nbsp; The Germans were throwing everything they had at the church.\u0026nbsp; A second big blast blew through the church's brick walls like it was cardboard.\u0026nbsp; This time, the shell was on target.\u0026nbsp; The blast knocked both Damien and Micah to the ground.\u0026nbsp; Damien grabbed his head.\u0026nbsp; The shellshock left him near deaf and unconscious.\u0026nbsp; It took him a minute to regain himself.\u0026nbsp; He got up, expecting to see Micah in front of him, but he wasn't there.\u0026nbsp; Did Micah just leave him?\u0026nbsp; He wouldn't have, he never would.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Micah!\" shouted Damien.\u0026nbsp; He expected to see Micah run back for him, but instead, a weak voice came from beside him.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Damien...\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; He turned, horrified to what he found.\u0026nbsp; Micah was on the ground, bloodied and stuck underneath a pile of rubble.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Micah! Hold on!\"\u0026nbsp; Damien didn't hesitate to start pushing rubble off of his brother in arms.\u0026nbsp; One piece of rubble was so heavy, he couldn't lift it.\u0026nbsp; He pressed his feet against a wall and pushed with all his strength to get the piece of wall off of Micah.\u0026nbsp; With the rubble off, Damien finally saw the reality of the situation.\u0026nbsp; Micah nearly took the full blast of the shell.\u0026nbsp; His ears were bleeding, his left leg was visibly broken, and his right hand was crushed, nearly beyond recognition of it being a hand at all.\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"I can't breathe,\" whispered Micah.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The wounds were horrible.\u0026nbsp; And Micah not being able to breathe meant that he either had broken ribs or his lungs were filling up with blood.\u0026nbsp; Worse case scenario, both could be true.\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"You're going to be okay!\" insisted Damien.\u0026nbsp; He wasn't even sure if Micah could hear him.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; He tried to lift up Micah.\u0026nbsp; He screamed in pain.\u0026nbsp; Damien dropped him back down.\u0026nbsp; The yellow in Micah's eyes were fading.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Just go!\" shouted Micah as loud as he could.\u0026nbsp; The effort caused his to cough.\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"I'm not leaving you!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"I'm not gonna make it through this.\u0026nbsp; Don't risk your life for me.\u0026nbsp; Go home to your parents and your girl.\u0026nbsp; I got nothing back home.\u0026nbsp; Look at me, I'm a wreck.\u0026nbsp; So just leave me.\u0026nbsp; Just go.\"\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Damien felt his eyes getting heavy with the thought of losing his friend.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Damien, listen to me,\" continued Micah, \"you have to leave me.\u0026nbsp; It's okay.\u0026nbsp; I understand.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; His voice was barely a whisper.\u0026nbsp; With every effort to speak, he coughed, which caused him to flinch in agony.\u0026nbsp; Damien was frozen in time.\u0026nbsp; He wiped the tears from his eyes, unintentionally replacing them with Micah's blood that was on his hands.\u0026nbsp; He didn't know what to do.\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; _He promised he would never do anything to hurt the ones he loved, and he would stop at nothing to protect them._\n\n_\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; ...Would stop at nothing to protect them..._\n\n_\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; ...Stop at nothing..._\n\n_\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;_ \"The water's so peaceful today.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Yeah... Hey, Dad?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Yeah, son?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"What's wrong with Mom?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"She's... upset.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"About what?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Your little brother.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Oh... Why'd he die, Dad?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"I don't know, son... There were some... complications.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Mom's drinking more now than before.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Yeah, we all have our own ways dealing with grief.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Was it Mom's drinking that caused the... 'complications'?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Yeah, that could very well be the case.\u0026nbsp; Sometimes, you're too smart for your own good, Damien.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Dad...?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Yes?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Why does Mom drink?\u0026nbsp; Why does Mom do this?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"I'm not sure buddy.\u0026nbsp; Some people make poor decisions and sometimes those decisions can transform a person into someone... unrecognizable.\u0026nbsp; You're mother means no harm, and she loves you more than anything in the world.\u0026nbsp; She's just made some poor decisions, that's all.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"But...\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"It will all be okay, son.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; _Never do anything to hurt the ones he loved... Stop at nothing to protect them._\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Damien grabbed Micah, ignoring his cries.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Damien, what are you doing? Just go!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"I'm not leaving you.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Damien!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"SHUT THE FUCK UP, MICAH!!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Micah stared at Damien, slightly frightened by his sudden snap at him.\u0026nbsp; Micah has never seen Damien angry, and never has Damien cursed at him before.\u0026nbsp; He knew that Damien was going to try to carry him out, and no amount of pleading could ever change his mind.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Damien got Micah up and threw his left arm over his shoulders. \u0026nbsp;Micah's left leg was in bad shape, so Damien acted as Micah's leg, holding him vertical while they made their way through the bullet-ridden hallway.\u0026nbsp; The stairs were the next obstacle, but Damien didn't think twice about picking up Micah and carrying him down.\u0026nbsp; Micah was smaller than Damien, but not by much.\u0026nbsp; At the bottom of the stairs, Micah stood on his one good leg, and they continued through the church.\u0026nbsp; Damien realized he dropped his gun back up on the second floor, but it was far too late to go back for it.\u0026nbsp; He pulled out his Colt handgun and continued guiding Micah.\u0026nbsp; The bottom floor of the church was empty.\u0026nbsp; No one remained.\u0026nbsp; If anything, Damien was hoping the medic teams were still there, but everyone retreated, leaving Damien and Micah behind.\u0026nbsp; They had to leave the church if they wanted any hope of survival.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Micah hopped along, hooked onto Damien's side, as fast as he could.\u0026nbsp; Outside the church, there was no one around.\u0026nbsp; The Germans were still on the far side of the church, letting the tank perform it's devastation on the building.\u0026nbsp; They kept moving away from the church.\u0026nbsp; The cover of a number of small homes and landscaping was only about twenty feet away.\u0026nbsp; Damien looked at Micah.\u0026nbsp; His facial expression changed from accepting death a few minutes ago to determination.\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Just yard from safety, Damien felt a sting in his right arm.\u0026nbsp; He turned to see a number of German infantry men turning the corner of the church.\u0026nbsp; Damien held up his pistol and fired a few shots back as they crossed over into a yard.\u0026nbsp; A brick wall separated them, providing cover for Damien and Micah.\u0026nbsp; Micah insisted they go behind the houses so they aren't found again.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; A couple blocks later, Damien spotted some American soldiers crouched down on the side of the street.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Hey! Help!\" yelled Damien.\u0026nbsp; Between the passion in his voice and exhaustion, his voice cracked when he shouted.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The American soldiers turned around.\u0026nbsp; The look on their face said one thing, disbelief.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; They came running over and Damien was overjoyed to see one of the men had a helmet with a red cross on it.\u0026nbsp; \"Holy shit...\" said the medic.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"We need help!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"I got him!\" said the medic, who took him off Damien's shoulders.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Damien followed the medic to where they had set up a temporary aid station.\u0026nbsp; A truck was there with a large red cross on it, getting ready to take away the wounded.\u0026nbsp; Micah was put on the truck.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Come here, I'll help you out!\" said another medic who approached Damien with a medic kit.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"What?\u0026nbsp; What are you doing?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"You've been shot.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; It wasn't until now that Damien noticed the gaping hole in his arm.\u0026nbsp; He remembered the stinging he felt after the escaped the church.\u0026nbsp; He was so focused on getting Micah to someone who could help, he didn't even know about his injury.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The field doctor patched up Damien.\u0026nbsp; He was asked if he wanted to go to the hospital, but he said he was fine.\u0026nbsp; Walking around the temporary set up, he saw, formed neatly in a row, a number of dead bodies.\u0026nbsp; He hated the sight of it, but was curious of who they were, where they came from, and how they died.\u0026nbsp; One man in particular caught Damien's attention.\u0026nbsp; He looked familiar somehow, but he couldn't place the face with a name.\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Damien noticed a piece of something falling out of the man's chest pocket.\u0026nbsp; He looked around, worried if he was about to do something wrong.\u0026nbsp; He reached down and pulled the object from the deceased man's pocket.\u0026nbsp; It was a photograph.\u0026nbsp; The picture showed a woman holding an infant.\u0026nbsp; The man was the stranger from the truck.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; _\"A kid shouldn't grow up without his father.\u0026nbsp; A father should always be there.\"_\n\n_\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;_ Damien placed the image back in the man's pocket.\n\n_\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;_ \"...And I'm sorry you won't be, friend.\"\n\n  \n  \n\n","series":{"name":"A Thin Line","previous":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/800190-a-thin-line-part-three-in-war.json","next":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/809167-a-thin-line-part-five-homecoming.json"}}