When I awoke, I was alone. The air still smelled of smoke and cordite from the recent firefight. What? What happened? Where am I? Where is everybody? The light slashed at my bloodshot eyes like razors. But the pain helped bring reality back into focus. I realized that I had been unconcious for a long time.

Squinting through cammie caked eyes I peered at my surroundings. I was lying in tall underbrush along the border of a treeline and an open area. "Jesus! I'm in the damned open!", "Well", I thought, "If there had been anybody left I would have already been dead."

I arose slowly, checking my surroundings, and blood trickled down my face warming the chilled skin. Uuugh. Creepy. Keeping low and moving slowly I crawled back into the woodline. A futile gesture perhaps, but at least I was hidden from open view now. You learn that. It's called survival. Survival of the fittest. You crave every possible advantage, take risks only when necessary to carry the battle to the enemy, and disappear back into the night. You are a Ranger. You are a survivor. Highly trained, highly motivated, you truly lead the way.

Darkness was coming, and the movement through the woods was brisk. Earlier I had found a stream, and had cleaned up a little. The reflection in the water had told me that I needed a lot more work. Cleaning my weapon, checking rations and equipment had helped bring the clarity of the battle back. Hoplessly outnumbered at the objective, we had been dispersed. But not before inflicting great damage upon an enemy much larger than ourselves. We hit them at night, taking advantage of our friend the darkness. Reacting in great pain, they scrambled to chase us into the woods, our home, and we ambushed, fell back, ambushed, and fell back again. The last ambush was broken up by reinforcements and our toll was high. We had killed every one of our pursuers, apparently at great cost. The woods were thinning now, and I instinctively slowed. In the distance I could see a farmhouse.

The smoke from the chimney told the story. Somebody was there. Cautiously I approached leaving little trace of my movement. Within thirty feet of the house the land was cleared, and there was no cover or concealment. Damn! Carefully checking my surroundings before moving, I walked up and knocked on the door softly. There was no answer. Knocking again, a little harder, still brought no response. "I'm standing in the open", I thought, "no cover, no concealment, a sitting duck that any body with a pea shooter could take out." Trying the doorknob gently brought results. It turned and the door moved inward. Cautiously I entered the darkened room. "Hello". I said. "Anybody home?" No answer. "Hello?" Louder. Still nothing. A noise from across the room. I turned, and saw her. She was beautiful but worn for her age, and had a farmgirls grace. She stared at me at first, confused. "I know I'm a mess", I said. But she still stared, apparently not shocked by my appearance, but rather as if puzzled. "I'm sorry to intrude like this, but could I clean up a little and use a phone? I've been in a bit of a battle." More puzzlement. And yet no answer. Turning, she walked right by me and into the next room. "Hey! Wait!" I turned to follow her but she reached for something and suddenly reversed course. She flowed towards me. Except for the gun in her previously empty hand, she did not look a threat. Raising my weapon I squeezed the trigger... and... and... and...