Where the River Runs Wild

“Hawk, I can’t do this. I don’t want to kill anymore,” I said.

“This is war, you’ve gotta kill,” Hawk warned in a strict tone.

“I can’t do this anymore. I hate blood, I hate death, and I hate red,” I whined.

“Tank, snap out of it! Take your gun and shoot. I don’t like it anymore than you do, I’m just here for my family. Now quit bein’ such a sissy and and shoot, you traitor!” Hawk yelled.

“I am not a traitor,” I objected.

“Because you’re too afraid to shoot, many of our own boys are out there dyin’. I’m not tryin’ to be mean, but what if Ryan and Eli get killed just because you don’t want to kill anyone. What if it was me out there?” Hawk shoved the gun into my arms and walked to the window. He stuck the barrel out, aimed, and fired. “Get over here,” Hawk ordered. I hated to hear him talk to me like that, but he was right. I walked to his side and stuck my barrel out the window, aimed, and fired.

“Are you happy now? But I wasn’t doin’ that to make you happy, I was doin’ because I know my cousins are out there. And that’s what they would want me to do.”

“Sage would want you to do that, too,” Hawk said. He fired out the window again.

“How do you know what Sage would want? You never met him.”

“Tank, my name is Hawkins Ivory. Sage Ivory is my brother,” Hawk said. My jaw dropped.

“Are you serious?” I demanded.

“Of course I’m serious,” Hawk said softly.

“Then how come I never saw you before?” I asked.