Welcome, Commander (Classified)

I'm not proud of it. I never have been, and I never will be. I've done things that I wish I hadn't. But what's done is done.

I try not to dwell in the past. I can't think about the mistakes I've made and the people I've let die just to save myself. I couldn't stay sane out here if I did. In Afghanistan you couldn't make mistakes and expect to live. In your bunk at base it was safe. Out on the streets, taking fire from…

The rain was coming down hard now, unceasingly pelting the hood and roof of the truck. I found it rather annoying, but I didn't say anything. Carlos was staring off into space, and I didn't really want to disturb him. He'd been through a lot, and he was about to go through a lot more.

It was surprisingly quiet in the city. The place was completely deserted. That was either really good, or really bad. I also became…

"Seriously?" Carlos called to me from the front of the store. "More soda?"

"Don't judge me kid," I called back. "I'm a man, and men have needs."

I was browsing the refrigerator aisle, looking for a few bottles of Vanilla Coke, when I heard the shattering of glass back towards the front of the store. I…

Apparently my now undead neighbor took this as the right time to lunge at me. He was fast.

I was faster.

In the blink of an eye, he was up, grabbing for me, and I slammed the pistol down onto his skull. The crack was sickening, vibrating up my arms and into my chest. I had to resist the urge to vomit. His brains were splattered on the underside of my gun, my arm, and blood was seeping through the remains of his…