The 122nd
Chapter Twelve: Nightmares
Yesterday shouldn't exist. This simple thought remained in captain Bryan's mind throughout the day. From the moment he woke up, nothing he did seemed to be able to clear his mind or his conscience of what had happened yesterday. Bryan lay on his bed starring at the ceiling. His thoughts ventured to the cave and the hideous monsters that lay within. He truly thought the beasts were blood thirsty monsters. Why else would they have been attacked for? Bryan pondered this in his mind. Glancing at his watch, Bryan took notice of the time. It read 4:00pm. It was surprising that this new planet was able to adapt the time to the same standard as Earth. Bryan had always thought that places away from Earth would use a different method of telling time. He could only assume that this new planet was more similar to Earth than he initially thought. It was something that held Bryan's interest for a few valuable seconds.
Before Bryan's imagination could wander off further on thoughts about telling time, he heard the door ring. It was a simple, low, and echoed beep. Bryan paused as he listened again. The beep came once again. Bryan rose to his feet and walked over to the door from which the sound had come from. He opened the door and looked at the face of the person ringing his door bell. It was a young private, one he hadn't seen before. He assumed the young private must be stationed somewhere far from his living unit. He glanced at his name tag and read the name written on it. His name was Mendell. The young private saluted the captain, even without Bryan's uniform on. Bryan blinked in surprise as he realized he didn't have his uniform on. Bryan immediately stood at attention and saluted the private back, returning the gesture out of sheer respect. Bryan wished he could have at least dressed up decently to greet Mendell. Instead, Bryan was dressed in only a white tee-shirt, black sweat pants, and dark blue slippers. Bryan felt ashamed that his casual outfit was greeting the private, who was dressed in the standard marine uniform.
The private swiftly returned his hand to his side and addressed Bryan eye-to-eye. "Captain Bryan, I have orders from admiral Richard that you are to attend a debriefing at nineteen hundred hours." Bryan knew it was coming eventually. It was just a matter of time before the admiral wanted to see him. Mendell seemed to have more to say. "The admiral also wanted me to give you this, sir." The private took a white envelope from his left hand, which Bryan hadn't noticed, and handed it to him. Bryan took the letter from the private and replied "Thank you, private." The private nodded his head quickly and responded. "You're welcome, sir. Glad I could be of assistance." The private then saluted Bryan once more and after returning the salute, he turned around and started for the exit. Bryan watched for a few seconds as the private walked down the hallway. His thoughts still haunted him as he remembered yesterday morning when he was walking down the same hallway that the private was walking. It seemed unreal, as if it was too long ago that Bryan had done that. Once again, the passage of time crossed his mind and he pondered for a good minute how humans can so easily feel like a moment was forever.
Bryan turned around and walked back in his room. He heard the door whoosh close behind him and Bryan once again found himself laying on his bed. This time, Bryan had a letter in his hand and as Bryan laid flat on his stomach, he decided now was a good opportunity to open the letter. Bryan wasted no time and tore open the envelope. Inside the letter was a type-written paper. As Bryan read the letter, he thought of what the admiral must be going through knowing that the captain he ordered couldn't keep his squad alive. Bryan continued reading the letter until he had finally digested all of its words. Bryan sighed and placed the paper on the desk where the wall was. Bryan couldn't tell whether the admiral was pissed off or whether the admiral was being cold and formal about the situation. Bryan didn't want to think about it and as he hopped back onto his bed, Bryan lay on his back starring at the ceiling again until darkness engulfed his world.
The memories still troubled him.
Before Bryan's imagination could wander off further on thoughts about telling time, he heard the door ring. It was a simple, low, and echoed beep. Bryan paused as he listened again. The beep came once again. Bryan rose to his feet and walked over to the door from which the sound had come from. He opened the door and looked at the face of the person ringing his door bell. It was a young private, one he hadn't seen before. He assumed the young private must be stationed somewhere far from his living unit. He glanced at his name tag and read the name written on it. His name was Mendell. The young private saluted the captain, even without Bryan's uniform on. Bryan blinked in surprise as he realized he didn't have his uniform on. Bryan immediately stood at attention and saluted the private back, returning the gesture out of sheer respect. Bryan wished he could have at least dressed up decently to greet Mendell. Instead, Bryan was dressed in only a white tee-shirt, black sweat pants, and dark blue slippers. Bryan felt ashamed that his casual outfit was greeting the private, who was dressed in the standard marine uniform.
The private swiftly returned his hand to his side and addressed Bryan eye-to-eye. "Captain Bryan, I have orders from admiral Richard that you are to attend a debriefing at nineteen hundred hours." Bryan knew it was coming eventually. It was just a matter of time before the admiral wanted to see him. Mendell seemed to have more to say. "The admiral also wanted me to give you this, sir." The private took a white envelope from his left hand, which Bryan hadn't noticed, and handed it to him. Bryan took the letter from the private and replied "Thank you, private." The private nodded his head quickly and responded. "You're welcome, sir. Glad I could be of assistance." The private then saluted Bryan once more and after returning the salute, he turned around and started for the exit. Bryan watched for a few seconds as the private walked down the hallway. His thoughts still haunted him as he remembered yesterday morning when he was walking down the same hallway that the private was walking. It seemed unreal, as if it was too long ago that Bryan had done that. Once again, the passage of time crossed his mind and he pondered for a good minute how humans can so easily feel like a moment was forever.
Bryan turned around and walked back in his room. He heard the door whoosh close behind him and Bryan once again found himself laying on his bed. This time, Bryan had a letter in his hand and as Bryan laid flat on his stomach, he decided now was a good opportunity to open the letter. Bryan wasted no time and tore open the envelope. Inside the letter was a type-written paper. As Bryan read the letter, he thought of what the admiral must be going through knowing that the captain he ordered couldn't keep his squad alive. Bryan continued reading the letter until he had finally digested all of its words. Bryan sighed and placed the paper on the desk where the wall was. Bryan couldn't tell whether the admiral was pissed off or whether the admiral was being cold and formal about the situation. Bryan didn't want to think about it and as he hopped back onto his bed, Bryan lay on his back starring at the ceiling again until darkness engulfed his world.
The memories still troubled him.