The Mother of Trees

Not knowing what else to do, Sam curled into a fetal position and prepared himself for what would come next. His eyes were closed tensely, but he could hear the rustling in the brush getting closer and closer as the coyotes made their way down the hill.

Sam heard a second noise, an ascending rumble accompanied by movement within the ground beneath him. He questioned whether this could be some type of earthquake. Then an even louder commotion erupted. 

from The Fork in the Galaxy

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MARCH 12, 2005

I saw my first IED (improvised explosive device) go off today. It was detonated by the EOD (the bomb people). We were called out because they wanted to use the Psychological Operations “force,” (i.e. IED blocker), but it had been damaged from all the recent rain. My headset had suffered a similar fate. I can hear School Boy, but he can’t hear me … his dream come true and my worst nightmare. I kid.

Back to the IED: we waited almost two hours... 

from In the Company of Soldiers

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