Author's Note: This was a burst of inspiration mixed with a project in History class during Senior year of High School. I remember when I finished writing this down and my teacher asked for the paper with my story I asked to first take it home and type it up so I could keep it cause I loved how tragic I made this. I'm no expert on the Vietnam War, so for of those whom are familiar with the war, please excuse this. I'm more of an expert on the World Wars. I consider this to be my best of my shorts.

As I aimed my standard issue rifle, I had my superior officer and my comrades screaming at me in my ears to fire. My commander explained as he screamed and swore of the unspeakable crimes that these civilians have been accused of committing in this corrupt country of South Vietnam. But despite the fact I could be arrested and court marshaled if I did not fire my rifle at the small child that couldn’t be no more than 6 years old, I knew I had to… but how could I? It was just a child!

So instead of firing my weapon at the child, I slowly lowered it. I soon felt a fist hit my right cheek. I had not need it explained to me; it was my CO. I turned towards him as I again felt the same fist hit me in the same spot, but I did not flinch this time. I then raised my rifle to my CO’s chest – right at the heart, it would be an instant kill, but it would just put me in a worse position than I was already… I don’t understand why I did but I somehow pulled the trigger anyway, and I felt the motion of my CO’s body as he fell back. I had just killed a superior officer. I suddenly felt my now former comrades take a firm grasp on my arms restricting my movement and escape. But I had no intention of doing so - unlike everyone else - I’m not afraid of facing my crimes.

After a short time, two helicopters arrived. One for my former comrades, and the other for the traitor that killed his commanding officer; me. As they pushed and forced me on the separate helicopter, I heard the sound of a pistol firing a single shot, I quickly looked behind me, back towards the village we have just destroyed. I saw one of the GI’s reload his pistol, next to him was the 6 year old child I just protected… dead. A youth’s life; wasted. Not too different from my life, now ruined from the horrors of a fruitless and barbaric “conflict” a bunch of paranoid politicians have started, for what? Senseless murder of innocent people that didn’t ask for this… just like myself and that child.