Brighter Later ch.1
#1 of brighter later
CH. 1 Retreat and Reunion
Black, a simple word, which given the right circumstances can strike fear into the most battle-hardened hearts. Black will squeeze its way inside of you and once it's there, there is no escape. Black is what surrounded Sam; it enveloped him in deathly embrace. He could not outrun it, he ran and ran until he could run no more still trapped within its confines, "where am I," a light appeared far to his left blinding him with its sudden glare pushing back the darkness it grew and passed him.
"Sam...Sam...Can you hear me," he was shaken awake by two hands on his shoulders, "he's awake. Sam awoke to Brandon's face looking to the left and hearing him calling for a nurse. Brandon turned back to him a smile plastered to his face. Sam tried to open his eyes more to get a clearer picture of the room but found the light above him to bright. "Where the hell am I...I...saw a ship and," Sam started to look around franticly as the present rushed up to meet him he remembered an echo something distant and warning but still kind and genuine. "The voice," he said dropping his voice to slight whispering mumble.
Brandon looked at him confused, "what?"
"Nothing," Sam brushed his question off and gently lowered himself down back onto the bed. Right as he was settling down again and the warm embrace of sleep promised to take him he was jolted awake by Johnson pushing open the double doors and walking into the infirmary, "where is he!"
Sam closed his eyes tightly for a second just wanting to rest and then he opened them and sat up giving Johnson a "better be important glare."
"I'm going to kill you Sam Buckmaster, you do anything else stupid and I'll," called a feminine voice from the hallway.
Sam looked at Johnson and with a dumbstruck gape, "she's here?" Johnson looked at him and started laughing and nodding. "It's not funny I'm never going to here the end of this."
The body belonging to the voice then appeared in the doorway and Sam's head dropped into his hands; she was in her forties and had slight wrinkles on her face and hands that instead of impairing her skins complexion it enhanced it she had red hair that was neatly combed and cut to fit in her helmet; but most striking were her eyes pure emerald green and commanding complete obedience this was the general of Sam's army and his mother.
"Your overreacting mother," said Sam visibly put out by his mothers sudden appearance and reprimanding tone, "I'm in the Military during an alien invasion for god's sake, is it really that surprising I got shot."
Here she cut him off, "when nobody else even got a scratch and you come in, not with a bullet wound, no, with a nine inch piece of shrapnel imbedded in your shoulder, yes!" she turned clenching her hand into a fist she slammed it onto the counter opposite his bed, she bent her head down tried to calm herself, "just don't screw up again, because I most likely won't be there to help a second time."
"I understand mother."
"Good," she said turning and walking out of the room.
"Wow I'm sure glad my mom isn't a three star general in the military," Brandon said looking over his shoulder to make sure she was gone.
"Get some sleep, ok Sam," Johnson said ruffling his hair.
"Yeah, ok Mike," replied Sam swatting at his hand before he walked out. Sam turned to Brandon, "you should get some sleep too, man."
"I haven't been able to get any sleep for the last seven months," he said, "plus they got coffee."
"Ok, well just don't wake me up."
"I know better."
"I hope so; you're a fine soldier Brandon."
"I'm only a civilian Sir."
"We all were at some point, but not anymore."
"You picked up a gun and fought for what you believed in and that makes you a soldier, whether that's in an alley or World War Two, that is what makes you a soldier not the medals," Sam looked Brandon right in the eye as he spoke, "and don't you ever forget that, goodnight marine.
"Goodnight Sir," he replied as the grizzled, war-torn man lied down and drifted to sleep. As he watched him fall asleep Sam's words repeated themselves in his head bringing a smile to his face and helped him for the first time in seven months to get a goodnights rest, uneventful, dreamless, serene.
And as Sam drifted off the voice once again returned and it spoke in a voice both calm and soothing, "as you fall to sleeps embrace your wounds will mend and soul will cleanse to the await the day you will save not only you but those around you.
A/N: the next chapter will start to focus more on Blu and Jewel and their friends.
Please R&R it's my first story I've actually posted and am 100% committed to.