Nightmare Part 1

[Jackson Montgomery]

Back in Black by AC/DC is blaring over the speakers of a military Humvee packed with four young Marines, the Staff Sergeant Marcus Martin, the Sergeant Bruce Calile and two Corporals Jackson Montgomery and the friend he grew up with, David Wallis. As the Humvee makes its way down a dirt road, the four men, all around the age of 24 to 25, are rocking their heads back and forth. The man in the front passenger seat, Bruce Calile is banging on the dashboard like he’s playing the drums, Marcus Martin does the same on the steering wheel.

 

With the Humvee tearing down the dirt road, it leaves a huge cloud behind them making it hard to see anything they’ve passed. If they didn’t see something out the front windshield, they didn’t see it all. The four men make a lazy left turn into a small mountain range. So small in fact it could just be a hilly area. As they wind down the round and out the other side, Calile sees something small on the horizon. He squints his eyes and before he knows it, the group of men scream upon a man in a white dishdasha (an ankle-length shirt type garment). He is kneeling on one knee and looks up as he hears and sees the Humvee coming down the road. He quickly runs away.

 

Calile quickly realizes what is happening, he tries to scream over the top of the music and begins to reach for the steering wheel of the truck. By the time the other men in the Humvee catch on to what is happening, they see a huge fireball erupt on the right side of the truck, sending it flying into the air and tumbling down the road. The truck takes 4-5 full rotations before coming to a stop on its roof.

 

SSgt Martin: “Sitrep! Is everyone ok?!”

 

Sgt Calile: “I’m good. Montgomery?”

 

Cpl Montgomery:: “I’m a bit banged up but I’m good. Wallis, you alright?” There’s no answer. “WALLIS! ARE YOU OK?!”

 

Jackson shouts at his friend, but again, nothing. Ssgt. Martin is the first to free himself and after climbing out, he limps over the front passenger side to help free Sgt. Calile. Jackson Montgomery, in a panic, begins to tug and pull on his restraints. He manages to get himself free and crawl out of the Humvee. With an open wound gushing blood over his face, he rushes the other side of the Humvee and damn near yanks the door off its hinges. He removes the seat belts from Wallis and begins to pull him out. By this time, the person who ran off before came back and immediately jumped on the back of Jackson, wrapping his left arm around Jackson’s throat and with the right, tries to slash his face, giving him the scar we see today over his right eye. Managing to get to his feet, Jackson begins to thrash back and forth until finally using the overturned Humvee as a weapon, backing up hard into the side which caused the man to release his grip.

 

Using his skills as a high school and collegiate wrestler and the skills he learned while training for the Marines, Jackson quickly took the man to the ground and mounted him, sitting on his stomach. While lightning quick speed, Jackson began landing left and right punches to the Iraqi. The next thing he knew, Ssgt Martin was pulling him off the man, Jackson’s knuckles black and blue and covered in blood. Jackson almost started attacking his superior before reigning in his rage. He watched and the beaten man grasped at life and coughing up blood. Ssgt Martin pulled Jackson away from the scene and helped him regain his composure. While Jackson was coming down from the adrenaline high, he saw over the left soldier of his Staff Sergeant the Iraqi man rolling over to his left. He saw the man pull out a small pistol and shoot his best friend of nearly all his life, Cpl David Wallis, right in the head.

 

As soon as the bullet made impact, Jackson jumped out of bed, covered in sweat. It was a dream. The same dream he has just about every night. He sits upright on the edge of the bed with his head lowered and eyes shut before standing up and making his way across his bedroom and into the bathroom. He flicks the light on, walks over to the sink and turns on the cold water, then cupping his hands he splashes it on his face. Looking in the mirror, with water dripping down his face and beard he becomes angry. Angry that he was unable to stop what happened. He blamed himself. He should have just killed that man and Davie would still be alive. His hands begin to tighten around the porcelain sink before it fails under the pressure and breaks loose from the wall. Water begins to spew everywhere. Like this happens all the time, Jackson reaches under the sink, in no hurry, and shuts the water off.

 

Jackson: “Why didn’t you stop him?! Why didn’t you KILL him?!” Jackson yells back into the mirror now soaking wet. “I’ll never forget you Davie.”

 

The scene fades to black.

 

TO BE CONTINUED…

[B-17]

I don't know if tagging with you is a good long term investment.

[Jackson Montgomery]

I think as long as you're not around when I wake up from a nightmare, you should be alright. But who knows, I flash back a lot and black out so there's no telling what I will do.

[B-17]

But what if you get hit in the head and forget who your partner is?

[Jackson Montgomery]

Just don't have a towel wrapped around head and don't come at me all hostile like.