Amicus Two

We spent 14 weeks in the camp in Afghanistan. I was stationed on the north side fence, directing traffic in and out of the gates. The others didn't talk to me much. Said I had this weird way of "Looking through someone" like they were a damn ghost. Pvt. Oneal told me that the other infantry talked about me all the time. Oneal was always friendly to me. I guess the others didn't talk to him much either. He said that if he got killed out there, then maybe his life would would make some sort of sense for once. It was November when the kid showed up. He knocked on the fence and was asking for water. We gave him a few canteens and he went on his way. He would show up every few weeks and he would follow us out to town sometimes to show us around. He lived in a small shack between two houses. The poor kid didn't even have a home. I had noticed he had been stealing from me from time to time, little bits of money or valuables would go missing anytime he would come around. So I sat with him and talked to him about it. He said he did it to get by. He said if he didn't steal, he wouldn't be able to buy food for himself. I let him know he could just ask me and I would happily give him some money to get by. I gave him an old PSP I brought over to keep me occupied, and the joy on his face was the best thing I had seen all year. He promised me that he wouldn't steal from me anymore. One day, the kid shows up pounding on the door. Screaming "Help me! Help me!" as loud as he could. He screamed that people were trying to kill him and he needs shelter. I let him in and he gives me a hug, and I offer for him to use my bunk for the night. The others had grown fond of him by this point as well, and were happy to have him with us. We were eating breakfast the next morning. We gathered around the table while he was digging into his breakfast, and playing his new PSP I had given him. He was having a great morning with us, and showing us stuff he has collected over time. Then, he get's this... look in his eye. He says he needs to go use the restroom, and he gets up and walks out the door. Leaving all of his stuff on the table. Oneal and the others were looking at the stuff he had left. Rings, coins, strange bits of relics. That's when Oneal noticed the wire sticking a little bit out of the PSP... The smell of burning flesh and boiling blood is something I will never forget. I was just far enough away to survive the blast. My ears rang like sirens, and my head was pounding. Under the rubble all I could see was the twisted charred remains of what used to be my comrades. I couldn't even find their tags. That's when I felt a warm and painful sting in the back of my leg. I reached around and was surprised when my hand found a knife would that stung to the touch. I turn around... and it was him. The boy. His hands had so much blood on them. He had hate in his eyes that I had never seen before. I just looked at him and said "Why...?" when he swung his arm back to stab me again... I... I don't remember how many times I beat into his head. All I saw was red. His little body fell to the ground like a stuffed animal... I am not proud of this, but it was him or me. I came back last year and I am in recovery still. I have been going to physical therapy every day since and I am making a bit of progress, hopefully by next month I will be able to fortnite default dance again. Also minesweeper is a pretty cool game.