The Silence: September 1968 — Part II
Part I is here.
Viet Cong
rise from their concealed positions
swarm the ambush zone.
Shots ring out.
“Don’t shoot!”
Another shot.
Silence, once again.
Two VC, one older and the other his age
make their way down the trail.
He tries to bury himself in the bushes.
Sergeant Hollis is alive, but not by much.
The older VC says something to the younger.
The younger raises his AK-47
aims it at Sergeant Hollis’s head, but hesitates.
The older VC barks something, an order.
The younger VC can’t, just can’t
the AK-47 in his hands shakes badly.
The older VC grabs the AK-47
points it in an almost disdainful fashion
squeezes off two quick shots.
Blood, pieces of skull and brain splatter both VC.
Tosses the rifle back to the younger one.
The older VC kneels down
searches through Sergeant Hollis’s pockets.
Fishes out a blood-stained pack of cigarettes and lighter.
Grunts with satisfaction as he shows them to the younger VC.
Lights up and inhales deeply.
Offers the pack to the younger VC.
The younger VC drops the AK-47
rushes over to the bushes where he hides.
The older VC calls out something obviously teasing
follows it with a laugh.
The younger VC drops to his knees, doubles over
starts puking.
The older VC makes a…
