Science Fiction

he gets out of the army a year after the last war starts - works for the red cross for awhile - sells drugs - builds a church and starts to build a hospital - re - ups - loves a nurse that helped save his life when he got gut shot - blood roared out of him like the blackfoot river - he feels like john wayne at the end of the sands of iwo jima - he sleeps - wakes up - a nurse smiles - he feels a little better - it’s a miracle you’re alive buster - he tries to smile - it’s no miracle ma’am - she walks away - he waits - thinks about his buddy stone - where is he - is he dead could he be that lucky - tubes invade his body - fluids drain out and flow in - he lies on his back and stares at a sign that reads : through these doors come the most deserving of men our patients

the nurse wakes him up - how are you this morning sergeant - i’m not in the army anymore - she smiles and points at a chart - it says here you are - do you have a cigarette - you can’t smoke in here - then get me out - it’s time to eat - great - are you a spook - he laughs - i’m a radio man seventy six whiskey do you know anything about a guy named stone canyon - is he the guy that brought you here - yeah - what do you want to know - where is he - back wherever you guys came from i guess - there is no where there - are you a spook - no i’m not - eat up - he smiles - yum yum