Just Black

It was a war zone here. Troops clashed at the line in the fight to push the opposition. I manage to squeeze through the main battle, and into the secondary defenses. I’m getting charged by half a dozen men. I don’t stop, I just keep running. A few of my men hold off what they can. Even over the roaring noises that surrounds us, I can hear the collisions of my men colliding with the enemy. I evade enemy troops with zig-zagged paths, but the fate of the war would depend on this. I had to get past the final wall. I jump as high as I can to make it over. I reach my arms out…”He jumps over the safety and is in the endzone for a touchdown! The game is over! A close match in overtime, but the Gladiators come out on top after an outstanding run by Michael Freeman.”
“We are now on the field with Freeman. How did you manage to get that game winning touchdown?” Asks the reporter.
“It’s all mental, I think of things as a huge battle. Football is a war in itself, you have to push away the enemy and have the determination to keep on going till the end.” I said panting a little bit.
“One last question. Do you think the team could have won without your help today?”
“After that last run, people may think I was the hero of the day. I didn’t set up the blocks so I could run free. It was the team that is the hero, and I’m just part of that.”
The reporter ends her broadcast, then it’s on to the party in the locker room.
As the season goes by, the team advances to a playoff spot.  Freeman becomes the star of the team, he has an average of 4.8 yards per carry and 26 touchdowns on the year. The Gladiators advance to the championship game. This game was different, the battle went back and forth. Each side barely breaking through the other. At half, the score was 7-7. Players were going down one by one. Freeman went back to return the kick.
The ball was in the air, wobbling back and forth. I barely catch the ball. I run looking for an opening in the defense. I run towards a hole in the line. I see all the green ahead as long as I make it by the line. My blockers hold a hole about three feet wide. I’m run between the players, but as soon as I get through I’m smashed by a unseen player. It was like a mountain lion, hidden until the attack. The first hit was the right side of my head. The shaking went through my whole body. Everything went to black, pure black.
Next thing I know, I’m laying down on a bench in the dim locker room. There are two men sitting down next to me. I can’t make out faces or many features. I heard one say “He’s coming back.”
Another man said “How are you feeling? We were getting worried after that hit you took.” Directed towards me.
“I’m… I’m feeling ok I guess, what happened? I don’t remember a thing.” I mumble.
“Can you say that again, but louder?” One of the men said.
I try to get up, but as soon as I move I feel a pounding in my head and sharp pains all over my body. “Now I’m really feeling” I grunt out.
They help me to lay back down, but raised the back up so I could be propped up a bit more. I can see a bit better now, but still have trouble looking around. The light hurts to look at. “Take it easy, you took a big hit and blacked out. You have a concussion from what we can tell. I’m Andy, and this is Jake. We are the team trainers if you don’t remember.”
“I… I remember getting hit, but nothing after that. It felt like getting hit by a truck pulling a trailer.”
“Just take it easy, and rest. We will check on you later” Jake said assuringly.
I close my eyes so I don’t have to look at the light. And find myself asleep not much later.
I wake up with a startled jolt as someone walks into the room. My whole body relaxes as I see it is a trainer. They came to let me know that we were losing the game with two minutes to go, and that I could watch the rest if I felt ok. I saw my jacket by my pads on the other side of the room. I walk over and put it on. When I first see the bright stadium lights, I almost shout in pain. It takes a moment before I walk out to the sideline. I squint at the scoreboard, but can’t make out the numbers. I ask someone on the bench. They look at me like I’m crazy, but say “14-13 the uglies”
“Thank you.” I reply.

The ball is brought out to the 28 yard line at the right hash. 1:48 on the clock, 72 yards, time to go to work. The first play I see was a pass caught for 8 yards, but didn’t get out of bounds. The clock continues to role. We have no time outs, so it’s right back to the line. Another pass caught, this time for a gain of 14. 1:12 on the clock as the pass was caught. The clock keeps going. A few plays later, the clock stops with three second on the clock. Too far for a field goal. The ball is snapped, the quarterback drops back as the others group up in the middle of the endzone. The ball is launched up into the middle of the pile. It was tipped up once, then into bright pink gloves. The player then falls to the ground, and the final whistle blows. Interception.

Three weeks later, an attack on a naval base was launched by a terrorist group. Not long later, a declaration of war was shown on television. Following that was an announcement that a draft for the military would be held the following week. Knowing I would be drafted, I went to the army and applied to save the trouble. I trained for almost a full year. I was part of a team that would be deployed in what would be called “The Final Battle” We had drawn up an attack on the main building of the terrorist organization. Our goal was to take their main power source. Without power, the war would be won without much fight.

I hide behind a pillar waiting for the first sign of fight. There was a shot fired from the target, the battle had begun. In a bull rush charge, bodies dropped by both sides like leaves on a tree in autumn. I work my way around the main fight, and to the building. I see a fellow soldier lying on the ground with a briefcase in hand. Half of his leg was blown off. He notices me and says “Finish the job, end this blood.” He shoves the case towards me, I pick it up and run.

Troops clashed at the line in the fight to push the opposition. I manage to squeeze through the main battle, and into the secondary defenses. I’m getting charged by half a dozen men. I don’t stop, I just keep running. A few of my men hold off what they can. Even over the roaring noises that surrounds us, I can hear the explosions in every direction. I evade enemy troops fire with zig-zagged paths.The fate of the war would depend on this. I needed to make it to the armored car waiting to take the case away and end this war. I keep running, every muscle in my body aches, but I keep running. I’m hit with a sharp pain in my right shoulder. I fall to the ground, but I get back up and keep running. The back doors of the car open. I can feel myself dragging. With every last bit of energy I have, I fling my whole body and let go of the briefcase. It fall just short of the car. My vision starts to get taken over by darkness. Before the darkness takes over, I see a soldier with the briefcase jump into the back of the car. All I see is black, just black.