by: MacSas

August 1969 

Darkness surrounded him.

The bush was so dense he couldn’t see even if it were light enough to. There was silence. Not even the sound of those annoying crickets. It was so hot he could feel the sweat dripping down his neck. He moved forward, slowly, quietly. Every muscle tense, ready to spring into action. His eyes darted from left to right, watching for any sign that he’d been spotted.

And there was the smell. Always the smell. Not the smell of the bush or the heat, but the smell of burnt flesh, human decay. He couldn’t look back to where the smell originated. He had to keep his eyes forward. But he knew that what lay behind him was horrific.

His platoon had been accompanying another. They had received ‘sure’ information about a group of Vietnamese in the area who were suspected of harbouring weapons for the Viet Cong. The two platoons had been ordered to seek out the group and destroy the weapons. Just another day at the office. Or so they had thought. They had barely made it to the edge of the village when they were hit by fire from all around. The information had been a plant in order to take out as many soldiers as possible.

He couldn’t quiet the screams in his head. Screams of his friends as they were cut down without mercy. It had been chaotic and noisy, and then there had been silence. The silence had scared him more than the screams. Then there was nothing but the smell. He knew that he had to move or risk being caught alive, a fate worse than death. He had slowly moved backwards to where his platoon had entered the outskirts of the village. As soon as he was sure he hadn’t been spotted, he started walking back to the drop zone, in hopes that the message to their air team had gotten through. If he could make it to the clearing, he may have a chance of being spotted by a Huey.

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by: Kristy Duke

Inhaling deeply from my half lit cigarette, I slowly step out from the woods to  walk the several feet of open land before reaching the old and warn barn. My thoughts slowly go over each word that was said between me and the two FBI agents as I silently wonder how they managed to show up when they had. And what all had brought them to Hazzard.

“Where were you?”  a harsh voice snaps and I turn around to find one of Landon’s man there.

“Take it easy, will ya?” I question as I walk around him before turning back to face him, “I had to go pee. Sorry I failed to ask your permission.”

He eyes me harshly before he turns away to walk along the side of the barn. I watch him go as my heart races heavily within me and my fear plummets within me. Taking a deep breath, I drop my cigarette to step it out before I walk to the entrance to look in and over people’s shoulders to see Jesse, Luke, Cooter, and Daisy still alive and tied to the fence area while Bo sits half conscious on the chair. And I am quickly reminded of the FBI’s harsh words on how selfish I am and greedy for what I had just done. Thinking of them, I quickly glance into the wooded area where they now hide, while thinking, ‘At least I am doing something to stop them.’ Sighing heavily, I turn back around, where I watch Landon pacing the floor several feet away from Shawn, yelling something at Shawn to hurry up and do the job.

Nodding to myself, I step away from the entrance way of the barn to walk around the corner to find the guy who had confronted me only moments ago to begin to walk along side the barn. As I reach him, he quickly points his gun at me in fear of who I may be. Pushing the gun away, I state, “Relax. It’s only me. Hey,” I pause thoughtfully, “I need you to do something for me.”

“What’s that?” he angrily mumbles at me.

“Go get Shawn and tell him I need to talk to him,” I slowly respond  as I find myself tracing my thick scar.

“Why would I do that for you?” he snaps at me, “Do it yourself!”

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