Christmas war story

The sirens. It all started with the sirens. He remembered that; he had woken with fear gripping him and the lonely wail of the air raid siren droning on. For a moment he was back in Helmand. He snatched for a gun that wasn't there, and rolled from his bed, waiting for a bullet that never came.

“John?” Melissa sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. “What's going on, John?”

Home. He was home. He was safe at home, away from the battle. Then why were the sirens going off? “I don't know. Get the kids. I'll go find out what's happening.” His wife murmured a sleepy reply and rolled out of bed. John pulled on a pair of ACU trousers and his boots before leaving the room.

The hallway was cold, but he barely felt the temperature. Adrenaline rushed through him, and he was still calming himself after his panic. The siren had gone silent for a moment, and he held his breath, but it started again. John padded down the stairs and stopped at the front door long enough to slide his uniform jacket on. Then he was out in the snow.

They sky was overcast, but the air itself was clear of snow, and for that John was thankful. A storm on a night like this, with the sirens blaring, would have only added to the confusion that he saw. Men and women, and some children, were milling around outside their houses, and some hadn't even emerged.

John turned away from the street and toward his car. He pulled out his keys and fumbled with the electric lock as a wave of shivers hit him, but then the car was open and he was inside. It was just as frigid inside as it was on his yard, but the car stopped the wind that had been ripping at his jacket. He slid his keys into the ignition and started the engine, though it gave a groan of protest at the cold when he did so. His radio came alive, and he was about to shut it off when he realized it was a news report.

The report was an automated message, like the emergency tests he was so familiar with, except it wasn't any test that was being broadcast. The message warned of an attack on a nearby city, and asked all citizens to evacuate the area. There were fears of a possible biological agent in use, or possibly an imminent biological attack, and all citizens were asked to leave the area.

He pulled his key out of the ignition and stepped out of the car. The wind slammed the door shut behind him. John shoved his hands deep into his jacket pockets, hunched himself over, and trudged over to his house. He was reaching for the door when it opened and Melissa stepped out, followed by his two sons.

“John, they say there's been an attack. That it's terrorists... It's nine eleven all over again.”

John glanced at his sons; the elder, Andrew, was staring wide eyed at them, while Alex rubbed sleep from his eyes. “Not here, honey. There's no need to worry Andrew or Alex.” Melissa looked down at her children and nodded. “Let me go talk to Steve. I'll see if he knows any more about what's going on, okay?” Melissa nodded and turned as though to go back into the house. “Wait, here,” he passed her the keys to the car, “Warm up in there.”

While his family climbed into the car, John jogged across the street to his neighbor's house. Steve and his daughter were already in their car, and John knocked on the window, which promptly rolled down.

“You hear what they're saying?” John leaned down so he was closer to Steve's eye level.

“Yeah. Terrorist attack. Big one.” Steve nodded slowly.

“I want you to do me a favour, Steve. I'm going to go find out what's going on, I need you to look after Melissa and the kids for me. You and Kris can ride on our car if you want; it's big enough for all of you.”

“I dunno John... I was gonna go pick up my mom over in,”

“Steve, if this is an attack, you know they'll be calling me up for duty. I don't want Melissa and the boys alone.” John cut his friend off quickly.

“Yeah, alright,” Steve nodded and pulled his key out of the ignition. “I'll go with Melissa. We can still pick up my mom. It'll be a squeeze, but we'll manage.”

“Thanks. I owe you big time.” John flashed a smile and started to turn away.

“John!” Steve shouted after him as he climbed from his car. John turned to look over his shoulder at him, “Be safe out there man. I don't want to have to break the news to Melissa if anything happens, okay?”

The soldier laughed and waved with one hand, “I'll be fine. Don't worry about me. Just go get your mom and head to wherever the evacuation is taking you. And be careful on the roads. We're lucky it's not storming now, but it could always start.” He flashed a peace sign and shoved his hand back into his jacket pocket.

He slouched over against the wind and shuffled down the street. The police station wasn't far, but the biting winds were blowing full in his face by then. He wished he had thought to take a scarf, but there was nothing for it. He reached up and yanked his hood up, pulled it tight, and hoped that it would be warm when he got inside.

That warmth never came. John was stopped outside the station by a group of officers who were busy loading several vehicles with supplies. When one stepped forward to challenge him, John pulled his hood down to hear the man over the wind.

“Sir,” the officer began, “You need to evacuate the premises immediately.”

John shook his head and raised his voice to be heard over a sudden gust of wind, “No can do. I'm a soldier. I need to come with you.”

“A soldier?” The officer, a young fresh faced man, frowned. “I don't know, sir.”

“Let me speak with your commanding officer.” John smiled for him; it couldn't hurt, and it certainly wouldn't help him if he seemed belligerent.

“Fine. He's there.” The officer pointed to a man who was bent over a large black plastic bin. John gave a quick salute and ambled over to the man.

“Excuse me, Sir,” John waited for the officer to stand. “I'm Lance Corporal John Caridian.” He held out his hand, which the man shook reluctantly.

“Captain Ersatz. I didn't know the Marines maintained a presence here.”

“No presence, Sir. I'm on leave. That won't stop them from calling me to duty now that we're under attack. Until they do, I'd like to help here.”

“Eh... Fine. We're heading into the city. We'll drop you off with whoever's in command there. You can be their problem.”

“Thank you, Sir.”