Chapter 18 (Military Outpost Center)

We went through the portal, and we saw soldiers pointing their guns towards us, and then lowering it, two medical soldiers began to move towards us to check for injuries. My thoughts became blank while everything was moving fast, the medics were treating the others that were extremely injured and some other soldiers began to prepare to go inside the portal before it closes to retrieve the bodies. I was looking at all the soldiers moving and some happy about the portal being completed and others sad about their friends dying inside, looking as the soldiers were moving out placing the burnt bodies on the ground and moving once again inside.

Lt. Hernandez began to walk towards me with a smile on his face and began to talk. I could not hear anything, and then I came back.

"Sorry could you repeat everything you said, I was not… I just came back if you know what I mean" John

'uhh yea… yea… What I was saying, on behalf of the government I want to thank you for clearing the portal and helping to bring back our boys back home. I am sorry for your loss, they were heroes, you guys cleared two portals and we… I just cannot thank you enough for this' Lt. Hernandez

"yeah… yeah, it just felt right, are there any more I have to clear more to save this city" John

'I think you should rest up and get well enough before you start thinking about going to another portal. As much as we need help closing these portals, you heroes need some rest' Lt. Hernandez

We got into the back of a truck with the body bags of my friends and the soldiers that went in with us. I kept replaying the scenes of the battles, and what I could have done differently. 'If only I was stronger, faster, and smarter the death of my teammates could have been avoided'. With the thoughts running through my mind, I slowly began to close my eyes and I fell asleep.

I heard the screeches of the car coming to a stop, and it woke me up on the spot. I opened my eyes, and the two soldiers that got in the back of the truck with me got off, and I followed. It seemed our destination was one of the outpost centers, with fences surrounding the whole area, civilians, and soldiers mixed numbering to a thousand. The survivors from my school were also there, next to a tent that was labeled A-4. A soldier brought my teammates and I to the tent and said to stay here and rest in the meantime before Lt. Hernandez came in to talk to us again.