The Blessing: A Second Chance

The Blessing

A Second Chance

By:

Bronymarine1

Chapter 1: Departure

Wind whistled through the open bay of the UH-1Y Venom helicopter.  A group of twelve, two gunners and ten marines sat in silence as the helicopter moved through the sky.  The cramped crew bay was silent save for the chop-chop-chop of the rotors overhead.  The only movement was that of the pilots as they checked their gauges and made sure that the Venom kept aloft.  Of the group of ten marines in the cramped crew bay only one had any experience.  His name was John, and he was a Master Gunnery Sergeant.  As he looked about the crew bay at the marines huddled together a thought went through his head.

‘They’re so young.’

He guessed that the eldest of them was only 19 years old.  Many of them still looked like goofy teenagers even while in full battle dress.  For many, the only thing that looked menacing was the M16 rifle strapped across their chest.  But they had all passed a test that few could, the process of becoming a United States Marine.  Through sweat and blood they had earned that title and all the respect that came with it.

After looking into their faces for a moment, John looked down at his own equipment.  He carried a much older rifle than these kids did.  The old-fashioned wood and steel M14 rifle that sat in his lap looked at odds compared to the black plastic and aluminum M16.  In fact, the rifle that John carried was an antique compared to the retro rifles the young devil-dogs carried, and the old ugly was showing her age.

But looks could be deceiving.  John had served as a designated marksman and sniper for his entire 20-year career and the old rifle had served him well for the past 16 of those years.  Unlike the M16, the much more powerful M14 could knock any enemy flat on his ass with even just a glancing hit.  It was too bad for the enemy that John never glanced.  His years of experience and training had made sure that every shot that he took would hit dead center.

Every.  Single.  Time.

A civilian had once asked him if he had ever taken someone’s life.  And he remembered his response vividly.

“I don’t know if I ever killed anyone.  But I’ve fired often, and I’ve seldom missed.”

A buzz in his headphones snapped him out of his memories.

“One minute to drop zone.” Reported one of the pilots.

Every marine in the bay, including John, ran through the same process of cycling weapons and checking that all their gear was secured to their person.  John had gone through this process hundreds of times in his service.  Removing the magazine from his rifle, he checked to make sure it was full.  After confirming this fact he banged the back of the mag against the side of his helmet.  Reinserting the mag into the rifle, he racked the action to chamber a round.  He then flicked the safety back and forth with his index finger before shouldering the weapon and looking through his scope. These motions took him maybe ten seconds to complete.  After he was satisfied, he sat still and smiled at what he saw inside of the 6X scopes lens cap, the cloud with a rainbow colored lightning bolt that his daughters had put there.  The sticker was faded with age but he refused to remove it not only because he liked the character it symbolized, but also because it was one of the last things his daughters had done, before…

He felt the deck of the Venom start to level out.  They were over the drop zone now.  John suppressed his memories as the four young marines in charge of the ropes tossed them over the sides and prepared to fast-rope their way down to the ground.  It was as the young marines took hold of the ropes that the flash caught John’s eye.

“RPG! RPG!!!” He yelled.

But it was too late.  John watched in slow motion as the explosive flew into the tail section of the Venom and detonated.  The sound of an explosion mixed with shearing metal and cockpit sirens rang in his ears, and his stomach started to churn as he felt the helicopter go into an uncontrolled spin.  Several of the Marines were thrown out of the bay to the ground forty feet below.  They wouldn’t survive.

All John could do was hold onto his harness and look out the bay to the rapidly moving world.

‘I’m sorry girls…. but daddy isn’t coming home this time.’

That was the last thought in this world that ran through Master Gunnery Sergeant John Makins mind as the helo crashed into the ground and erupted into a ball of flame.

And then, there was thunder…