They Came from the Everfree

"Gray! Take the SAW! Next to Alpha's ride!"

I spun my head around me, I could hear bullets snapping faintly overhead from any direction I could imagine. My eyes locked on target, beside a vehicle riddled with holes, a corpse with a large machine gun was sprawled out. It called for my attention.

Everything was so blurry, one moment I was emptying an entire drum into the enemy all around me, the next I had an M4A1, the next, I was leaping into a Humvee doorway and hauling wild ass away. It only lasted a second before, behind me, the bodies of 2 squads of friendlies, and multiple priceless U.S. Army vehicles, were ground to flaming dust by the roar of a 30MM cannon.

"Gray, look at me!" I spun my head to look at the red-haired Cpl. in front of me. I turned my gaze to his nametag. 'D. Elliot'. "You're going to make it! Your plate caught it!" I advised.

I looked down, my hand was on my gut. I lifted it to find blood staining a hole in my combat uniform. I didn't even know I was hit. My heart leapt into my groin, my groin leapt into my throat.

The world slowly faded black. My vision grew thinner, the dirt, the smell, the thoughts, it was all burned into my memory. It slowly faded off.

I looked downwards, something was touching my leg.

Her yellow hair splashed over her face, covering it. I don't know how long I was out, the torch was still burning, but Fluttershy's head sat on my lap. I could feel her bobbing as she took each breath. She was certainly asleep, for how long I was not sure.

I let out a deep breath, I was drenched in sweat. I felt as though it was more than a dream, as though I had just crawled out of an actual vehicle, taken actual fire, as if I had done it all over again.

'What's causing all of these attacks?' I pondered. 'I've got a really bad feeling about tomorrow.'

My stomach either turned upside down, or exploded entirely.

I reached down and, without mind, began to pet her. It felt familiar, as if it was just something I had always done. I remembered a neighbor's dog from my childhood, a big German Shepherd Boxer mix that loved me. He'd always run up and jump on me, then fall asleep with his chin on my thigh, he knew I thought it was cute, and that I'd pet him. That was all back home.

She shuffled, I don't think she was awake, but she clearly stirred.

I let my head roll back oncemore. I felt my eyelids grow heavy, once again, I slept.