Pain. Pain is all I feel. Every inch of my body hurts, my ears are ringing, muffled gun shots and screams of my fellow solders echo through my head. I attempt to stand but I collapse onto the sand. Looking down, I see blood. An ocean of blood, my blood. My body convulses as I cough up, if possible, more blood. I fall to my side, clutch my stomach, and look on as soldiers headed toward several buildings. A soldier stopped, meeting my weak blue eyes. The soldier was my best friend and brother Derrick.

"Brandon is....is that you?" His voice trembled. His dropped to his knees and scooped me up, cradling me in his arms.

"Brandon, you have to stay with me....please. I'm going to get you home." Derrick wailed.

Tears spilled down his face and his green eyes glistened with more. Sand kicked up beside us as bullets hit the ground. I began to shake and buried my head the crook of Derrick's arm.

"Brandon, I'm going to help you stand!" Derrick shouted over the gun fire.

Derrick pulled me to my feet, causing more blood to drip to the ground, staining the sand even more. I screamed in agony and fell to my knees.

"J-just l-leave m-m-me, Der-Derrick. I'm n-not going to m-make it."

"No! I'm not leaving you, Brandon! You're going to make it!"

Derrick hauled me to my feet again. I leaned heavily on him for support. We staggered through the sand and a waiting jeep. I was put into the back seat and Derrick jumped into the passenger seat.

"Drive, Keenly! Hurry please!"

Derrick gripped my hand tightly in his and talked to me all the way back to base. His words began to fade and black began to form around the edges of my vision. My breathing became labored and before I the light completely faded and Derrick's voice I heard him say.

"Be safe my dear brother. You deserve to rest. You've served your country well and sacrificed to much. Rest in peace my Fallen Angel."