First Battle of 2011

January 2, 2011. It had been raining off an on all morning, blanketing the landscape in a coat of oozing moisture. The rain had stopped temporarily as four of my buddies and I headed out to take up positions near the enemy lines.
Gene, Michael, and Justin walked ahead of me, Luke fell in behind. Quietly we walked through the silent woods.
We chose a small, steep hill at the edge of the forest. A creek at the base of the hill wound it's way through the woods, a gentle gurgling sound coming from the running water. Once we reached the top of the hill a few of the guys started to dig in behind whatever cover they could find, hoping whatever it was would be enough to stop the enemy's bullets. Gene and I threw up a quick wall using an old stump and pieces of fallen wood. If nothing else it would help to hide someone. Michael, a tall quiet boy from Maryland, volunteered to take up a position at the base of the hill near the creek. Gene and Luke were to hold the top of the hill. Justin and I moved up to the very edge of the forest, in front if Gene and Luke. We watched and waited. Minutes ticked by. Then we spotted them. Five enemy soldiers, making their way across a large field in front of us and directly towards us. We waited; adrenelene pumping, hearts racing, waiting for the right moment to attack. Closer and closer they came.
"Now!" Justin whispered loudly.
"No - not yet!" I whispered back. He must of thought I was crazy.
"They're right in front you!"
"Wait until they're closer!" I peeked around the large tree I was hiding behind. There, only about fifty feet away, one of the soldiers was cautiously entering the woods. I froze. I had had my eyes on another soldier, not realizing that this one was so close. I knew I had to act. Swiftly I raised my rifle and fired. He started to run. I kept firing. He didn't get far. Suddenly it seemed like the whole forest erupted into chaos. The enemy opened fire. One of them started to flank us.
"Run!" I yelled to Justin. "Fall back!"
I started running. I heard him following close behind. Bullets whizzed all around, smacking into trees and plowing through the barren vegetation. Somehow we made it. Justin dashed behind another tree. I ran to where Luke was positioned and took up a spot near him. The enemy continued towards us and tried to flank us. I shot at one of them and then quickly ducked behind the cover of the hill as they spotted me and returned fire. I knew we had to out flank them. I suddenly rose to my feet and ran down the hill. I ran for all I was worth. I could hear bullets hitting behind me, chasing me like a dog chases a rabbit. Pulling to a quick stop behind a large tree I took a look around. About twenty feet to my left I could see Michael crouched behind a tree. In front of me, a little to the right, I could see one of the enemy behind a tree. I aimed and squeezed the trigger. He shot back. I felt a bullet smash into one of the fingers in my right hand. I popped out and shot again. I wasn't going to stop shooting until it was physically impossible for me to sqeeze the trigger.
Michael and I were both shooting at the same guy. He was caught in a cross fire, but all the same he kept shooting. Finally one of our bullets found it's mark and he went down. I looked farther up the hill. Most of the enemy had been taken out. Deciding it was safe enough to make a break for it, I ran back to the hill. I yelled for Justin. Then I saw that he was hit, cut down by enemy bullets. Gene and Luke were still atop the hill, holding the enemy back. I joined them.
Finally the last enemy was subdued and the woods fell silent once again. Bodies were strewn across the hill, and spots of red dotted the landscape.
We had won the battle, but we knew the war was not over yet.