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Friendly Fire by Zack Loup

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Chapter 1 - The Future Was Bright

What follows is mostly true, but it's true in the way a movie can be based on a true story. The memories have replayed in my head, over and over, for the past twenty years, but each time they lose a little of their authenticity. They become distorted, the colors become more or less saturated, the words echo with more sentiment than their speakers ever intended. I think my subconscious is trying to justify everything I've done by trying to paint over the reality of what happened. So before all that's left is some romanticized skeleton of the past, I decided to write everything down.

My name is Axel Ridenhour. I'm a mutt from a town called Moonbright in the foothills of the Tsulugi Mountains in Emmerich. The town is hardly a blip on the map, just another exit on the highway where the occasional weary traveler might grab a coffee. My family has lived there since the gods were in the third grade, enjoying their simple life.

But my generation wanted more. We pined for the sorts of adventures we saw on screen at the movie theater. Before each show, they'd play commercials that made the army life seem just as glorious as we imagined the lives of our onscreen heroes to be. I was sold on the idea instantly; the moment I turned eighteen, I enlisted.

I wish I'd listened to my mother when she told me that the lives of those onscreen heroes were nothing to covet. Instead, I spent every day dreaming of finally being old enough to leave the simple life far behind to see the world. Dying a hero seemed better than the choices I had in Moonbright, where my job prospects included waiter, mechanic, or even worse, a coal miner like my father.

I made the most of my remaining time in Moonbright, getting into all the small town mischief I could. I must've tried everything there was to do in town and the surrounding mountains, knowing I wouldn't be back for quite a while once I left.

On my last day in Moonbright, I woke to the scent of breakfast cooking. I leapt out of bed and hurriedly dressed in a flannel shirt and blue jeans before rushing to the table. My mom, a black and grey husky mutt named Virginia, was at the stove whipping up a feast with practiced efficiency, while my dad, a border collie shepherd mutt named Amos, sat reading the morning paper and drinking his coffee.

"What do you have planned for your last day in Moonbright, son?" My father asked, folding his newspaper and looking over at me.

"I'm going to meet up with the gang and head up to Waya Mountain." I said, grinning.

"Be back in time for supper!" my mother called from the stove. "I don't know when we'll get to have a meal together as a family again!"

"I know, ma," I said, rolling my eyes. "I'm not a pup anymore."

"Well, you'll always be my baby," she said as she entered the dining room and set two heaping plates of breakfast food down for my father and me. She was forcing a smile, but her eyes shone with tears. "I made your favorite breakfast." She gestured to the giant stack of peanut butter pancakes.

"Thanks," I said, smiling and digging in. She stared at me as I ate. "Um, ma? Do you mind?"

"Oh, sorry Axel," she said, wiping a tear from her eye. "I'm just gonna miss my little boy so much."

"Goodness sakes, Virginia, let the boy eat in peace!" My father chuckled. His laugh dissolved into a cough, a side effect of his job as a coal miner. My mother went to fuss over him instead of me, giving me time to finish my meal unbothered. I couldn't be sure, but I thought I saw dad wink at me through his coughing fit.

Almost as soon as I finished my meal, a car horn honked outside.

"That's Dean!" I said, jumping up from the table. "I gotta go!" I hugged my parents and ran out of our little cabin home.

"Be back in time for supper!" my mom called after me as I slammed the door shut.

Outside, my friends waited in Dean's scrap-yard hot rod. Dean was a wolfdog that fancied himself a mechanic. In the passenger's seat beside him was his girlfriend, a spaniel named Bonnie. I crammed into the back where my childhood best friend, a tomboy opossum named Patricia (or Pat as she preferred to be called), was already waiting.

We drove into Moonbright's tiny downtown and stopped at the convenience store to pick up snacks and drinks for our trip. Dean was old enough to buy two six packs for us to share. Then we followed the winding roads up to Waya Mountain, the tallest mountain in the area. It was our preferred hangout when we needed to get away from our families for a while; few people were willing to take the winding drive to the top, so the highest lookout was usually deserted.

We made our way up, laughing and screaming as Dean took the tight curves faster than our parents would have liked. It was like being on a roller coaster, surrounded by the beauty of nature. Dean parked at the lookout and we all tumbled out of the car, just a bit dizzy. We grabbed our snacks and stumbled over to the pine tree we liked to use for shade.

"Man, I can't believe this is the last time we'll be together like this," Pat sighed and cracked open a beer.

"Just because I'm gone it doesn't mean y'all have to stop coming up here," I said.

"Oh, we won't," Pat said. "But it means I'll have to drink twice as much; one for me, one for you."

"You just want an excuse to get more of the beer," Dean teased.

"Well, maybe," Pat said. "But that doesn't mean I won't miss Axel."

We all laughed together.

"I still don't know why you wanna join the army, Axel," Dean said. "You threw away your chance with the best gal in the world."

Bonnie giggled.

"Yeah, I'm an idiot," I said, rolling my eyes. "But I know you'll take better care of her than I ever could being away."

"Really, Axel?" Pat laughed. "This is Dean we're talking about! He's a jobless scoundrel!"

"I can get a job any time I like," Dean huffed. "I just wouldn't like to!"

"You know, my uncle could really use a skilled mechanic like you at his shop..." Pat said.

Dean rolled his eyes and combed back his coiffed white head fur. "Someday my body shop is gonna take off if I just keep at it."

"Well, if you want that to happen, maybe you ought to invest in an actual shop instead of the lawn beside your house," Pat said.

"What's wrong with my lawn?" Dean asked.

"Maybe you should join the army too," Pat teased. "It would teach you discipline."

"No way!" Dean said. "I'll never let the world tame my rebellious spirit!" He howled, his voice echoing down the mountains. The rest of us joined in whooping and hollering, creating enough ruckus to be heard all the way in downtown Moonbright.

When the echoes faded, Bonnie reached over and grabbed my shoulder. "Axel," she said seriously. "Please be safe. I don't care if you never come back to Moonbright as long as you're happy. But please stay alive."

"I'll be fine!" I said. "Jeez, you sound like my mom."

"It's hard not to after listening to the news about the war in Teiban," she said.

"Axel will be fine!" Pat said, reaching over and ruffling up my hair. "His thick head will protect him!"

We spent the rest of the day up on the mountain, boozing and reminiscing. When evening came, we all quieted down to watch one of the most beautiful sunsets any of us had ever seen. It was like the mountains were putting on the best show they could muster in honor of my departure.

As the horizon began to fade to blue, Bonnie pulled me from my reverie. "Hey, Axel... didn't you say your mom wanted you home for supper?"

"Yeah," I said, standing. "We better get going."

"Shit, yeah," Dean said. "Your mom will kill me if I get you home late tonight. She probably wants to smother you in as much love as possible before you leave tomorrow," he teased.

"There's nothing wrong with that," Bonnie smacked him on his arm.

We piled back into the car, but not before I took one last look out over the Tsulugi Mountains. We drove back down the winding roads and through the sleepy downtown where all but the diner and the gas station were already closed. Dean pulled up in front of my house and turned off the car.

"Well, I guess this is it," he said, reaching back to shake my hand. "Take care of yourself, kid. Don't do anything stupid."

"Yeah, just think 'Would Dean do this?' and if the answer is yes, do the opposite," Pat said.

I laughed and hugged her. "I'm gonna miss you," I said.

"Don't get all mushy on me, Axel," she said, hugging me back. "You know I hate crying."

"I know," I said.

Bonnie caught me by the arm as I stood to leave. "Be safe, Axel," she said, then reached up to give me a kiss on the cheek.

"I will," I promised.

As I turned to walk back to my house, Dean honked his horn and flashed his lights. My friends cheered and hollered good wishes after me. I waved goodbye to them one last time before they sped off down the dark road.

My parents were waiting at the dinner table already. "Am I late?" I asked.

"We just wanted to spend time with you," my father said. "Why don't you tell us about your day, son?"

I sat down with them and recounted my day, leaving out the parts about Dean's unsafe driving and the copious amounts of beer. My mom excused herself to the kitchen near the end of my story. She came back with a holiday-worthy pot roast in tow. We ate in silence for a while, my mom hardly touching her food. Eventually, I noticed she was crying. I stood from my place at the table and hugged her. She held onto me and wept.

We stayed at the table together until the clock struck midnight.

"Let the boy rest," my father said. "He's got a big day tomorrow."

My mother begrudgingly agreed. When I laid down to sleep, she came and tucked me in, something she hadn't done since I was small.

I woke up before sunrise. My mom made me another big breakfast, adamant that I be well fed before I left. She gave me seconds, and tried to offer me thirds.

"Ma, I'll explode if I eat another bite!" I said.

"You don't know when you'll eat again!" she chided. "It's a long ways to Fultonberg, it'll be evening before you get there!"

"It's the city ma, not everything will be closed at six o'clock," I said.

"Alright," she said. "Are you sure you have everything you need?"

"Yes, ma," I said. "They give you everything you need in the army, all I need to bring along are a few sets of civvies and some cash."

"Civvies?" she asked.

"Civilian clothes," I said.

"Did you bring a toothbrush?" she asked. I nodded. "And lots of clean underwear?"

"I've got everything taken care of already," I assured her.

"We've gotta get going soon," my father said. "We can't be late to the station. The train will leave at 9 AM sharp whether you're on it or not."

My father drove the whole family to the station the next town over in his ancient red pickup truck. My father beamed with pride, and it almost made up for my mother's sadness. Almost. She sobbed quietly the whole drive.

As I went to board the train, my mother caught me by the arm.

"Please." she begged me. "Stay here. I know you think this is an adventure, but it's not. I can't lose my baby boy. Please."

"I've gotta go, ma," I told her.

She cried harder. "Then please, please, promise you'll stay alive."

I smiled and gave a half-hearted nod; I was always wary of making promises I didn't know if I could keep.

The trip to Fultonberg took nearly a day. The city was west of the Tsulugi Mountains, perched where the land melted from unforgiving stone into fertile fields. I watched through the window as the hills and trees melted away into suburban sprawl, and then finally into buildings as tall as the hills that surrounded Moonbright. It was dusk when we arrived. The city lights twinkled so bright they drowned out the stars overhead. I was in awe.

At the time, Fultonberg was a relatively new construction, built around the former town of Defiance. Defiance had become something of a symbol of Emmerichian determination, as it had been the site of a massive battle between the westward traveling settlers, or "pioneers" as they thought themselves, and the allied tribes who had once inhabited the Tsulugi Mountains. The plucky townsfolk and their modern weaponry had managed to overcome the combined efforts of the tribes, which secured a path for Emmerichians to take west, and we eventually conquered the land all the way to the west coast.

When Ford Fulton, then the president of Emmerich for many years, had taken power, he decided to move the capital from the coastal city of New Roark, the original capital of Emmerich, to Defiance, where he had been born. He renamed the city Fultonberg in his own honor, and injected a ton of cash into the creation of infrastructure. The result after forty years was an impressive city that rivaled New Roark in it's size and populace.

Emmerich sources its soldiers from all over the country, but each of us had to filter through Fultonberg before heading off to the boot camp, which was located just a few miles out from the city suburbs. Once a recruit graduates into being a soldier, they could get shipped anywhere in the world; however, at the time, most soldiers were heading straight for the war in Teiban.

I was scheduled to start bootcamp the morning after I arrived in Fultonberg, so I had only one night to explore the city before I committed to eight weeks of grueling training. I decided to make the most of it. I scraped together what little savings I had from working as a dishwasher at the diner and got myself a hotel room for the night.

Of course, it was no luxury resort. The coyote receptionist sneered when I asked her if there was any vacancy. I already missed Moonbright's signature hospitality. Once I got my room, I tossed my suitcase on the dingy bed and made my way out into the city.

Everything moved so fast. Even after nightfall, it seemed like city folks were in a hurry. I learned to be careful about stopping to gawk after more than one stranger yelled at me for being in the way. Eventually my wanderings brought me to a little diner that reminded me just a bit of home. With its unpretentious decor, Ronnie's Diner seemed like the closest thing to country hospitality I would find in the big city. I wouldn't admit it then, but I missed Moonbright already.

Everything inside of Ronnie's was old, and that was comforting to me in a town that was far bigger and shinier than anything I could have imagined. The muffled sound of the party next door drowned out the fuzzy radio in the diner. I sat down on a well worn barstool and waved my hand to the rat behind the counter.

"What'll ya have?" the middle aged grey rat asked. He smiled in that snarky way that only rodents have seemed to master, but it wasn't entirely unfriendly.

"Just a cheeseburger and fries, please," I said, before noticing his name tag. "You're Ronnie? The owner?"

"Yeah, that's me, kid," he sighed, getting to work on my order. "If I want to keep the lights on at home, I can't afford help." He had a bit of twang in his voice, not too different from my own. "Hope you ain't lookin' for a job."

"No, sir," I said. "I'm joining the army!"

He tensed visibly and was silent for a few moments. "I see," he said. He set down my plate. "Well, best of luck to you, kid."

I sensed something was wrong, but I didn't want to pry. It wasn't uncommon for older folks to have lost someone during the Aquilan War.

I took a bite of the burger and let out a happy whine. "Mmm, almost as good as mom's!" I said.

"I hope your mom's a good cook, then," Ronnie chuckled softly.

I nodded as I took another bite. He smiled, but still had a distant look in his eyes.

When I was almost done, a door that I had originally assumed to be the bathroom burst open and all the loud music came rushing in, along with a beautiful caracal girl with tousled black head fur.

"Hey, Ronnie!" she hollered. "We're going to need about ten more cheeseburgers and a boatload of fries!"

"Coming up!" Ronnie promised, turning to the grill.

The girl noticed me and walked over to the bar. "Hey there!" she greeted. "I'm Lucille. It's not often we see new faces in here."

"Well, I just rolled into town today," I grinned. "The name's Axel." I looked past her for a moment at the still open door. Stairs led down into what must've been a basement. "What's going on down there?" I cocked my head.

"Oh, Ronnie rents out his basement to my friends and I sometimes for little get togethers." She giggled. Her laugh was bright as sunshine.

The party downstairs sounded far from little.

"The place used to be a speakeasy," Ronnie chimed in. "That basement is actually an old saloon, but I ain't got enough hands to run a diner and a bar."

"What are y'all celebrating, if I may ask?" I said, grinning up at Lucille. "Is it your birthday?"

She waved her hand dismissively. "No, no, today we're just celebrating being alive!"

At the time I thought that I was a bit strange.

"Mind if I join y'all?" I asked.

"Hmm," she tilted her head as if in thought. "I don't know. Ronnie, you've talked to him longer. Do you think he's good company?"

Ronnie was quiet for a few moments before he sighed. "I guess he's alright."

"That means you're good," Lucile winked. "Come on, Axel, let's go." She took my hand. "Ronnie, could you bring down our order when it's finished?"

"Yeah, yeah..." The rat sighed as we disappeared through the thick old door and down the stairs.

The downstairs room was packed. The basement was actually much bigger than the diner, but the amount of bodies and the thick, smoky air made it seem cramped. A swing band was playing in the corner.

"You know how to dance, Axel?" Lucille asked coyly.

"Not well," I admitted. "I like to try, but I've been told I have two left paws."

"Well, I'll teach you," she said, leading me into the rhythm.

I've never been out of shape or even bad at following orders, but my movements couldn't match Lucille's feline grace. Still, we danced for so long that night I almost managed to learn.

When the music died down, Lucille brought me over to a cocktail table and sat with me.

"What brings a country boy to the capitol?" she asked.

"Shoot, is it that obvious I'm not from around these parts?" I teased.

"I'm afraid so," she laughed. "Well go on, what's your story?"

"I wanted an adventure," I said, still out of breath. "Nothing like this ever happens where I'm from."

"Well, be careful," she said. "Not all adventures here are this fun. You don't wanna get in with the wrong crowd."

"I'm not planning on it," I promised. "I'm-"

"Hey, Lucille!" A white poodle girl with red horn-rimmed glasses slammed a stack of fliers down on the table. Her ears and head fur were dyed a dusty pink and a cigarette hung from the corner of her mouth. "Quit flirting and help me get these passed out."

"Alright, Betty," Lucille sighed and stood. She handed me one of the fliers. It was simple, just a date and the location. "Well Axel, it's been a fun night. I've got work to do now, but you'll come to our next event won't you?"

"Sure thing!" I said with a grin. "As long as I get to dance with you again."

Betty rolled her eyes. "Don't get your hopes up, country boy," she said, mocking my accent. "Lucille's married to her work."

Lucille swatted her playfully. "That doesn't mean I can't have fun, now and then!" She laughed. "Bye, Axel!"

She stood, and left. Betty eyed me suspiciously for a moment before she followed suit.

I sat there for a moment, considering whether or not to mingle with the other guests. The tone of the room had become more serious. At the time I figured it was because everyone was tired. Admittedly, I was exhausted, too. It had been a long day, and tomorrow would likely be even longer. I decided to call it a night and head back to my hotel room.

As I laid in bed that night, swaddled in the scent of cigarettes and the many strangers who'd lain there before me, my future seemed as bright as the lights of the city piercing in through the window.

The harsh ringing of the phone on the nightstand roused me from sleep.

"Wake up call," the bored voice of a receptionist answered me, then hung up.

I yawned, stretched, and continued to be amazed by how noisy the city was. The sun hadn't even risen and already the world was a cacophony of horns and sirens. I threw on a t-shirt and jeans, then packed up my clothes from the night before.

I headed over to Ronnie's again for breakfast because I didn't know where else to go. The poor guy looked tired as hell when I walked in. He was drinking coffee out of a worn white mug as he listened to the news on the radio.

"Hey, kid. Uh, Axel, right?" He asked.

I nodded my response.

"Give me a few minutes to rejoin the living and I'll cook you up a homestyle breakfast, okay?" He smiled tiredly.

"Thank you kindly," I nodded. "You really don't have any help, huh?"

"No, and I still ain't lookin'," he winked. "Trying to get out of joining the army, huh? I can probably help hook you up with a job somewhere, I've got lots of friends in this here town."

"No, I'm actually off to bootcamp after breakfast," I said.

His smile fell again.

"Look, kid," Ronnie said. "Axel. It's not like it is in the action movies. Watching someone die on screen is one thing, but it's another when you gotta pull the trigger."

I didn't realize at the time, but this was a turning point in my life. I could've listened to Ronnie, could've let him help me get a job, and maybe things would have been different.

"I know," I said. "But I'm prepared to protect and serve Emmerich."

"Be careful out there, then," he sighed. "I hope you don't let it kill your spirit."

We sat in silence as he guzzled down the rest of his coffee and turned to the grill to start on breakfast. I licked my lips at the smell of eggs sizzling. The news faded out and was replaced by the sound of swing music. It reminded me of Lucille. I wondered if I'd have time to see her again once I enlisted.

Ronnie seemed to sense what I was thinking.

"I'd forget about Lucille," he said finally. "She's not into you army types. Far too strict for her."

I made a sound that was part laugh, part sigh.

"I don't think I'll have the time for chasing skirts anytime soon, anyhow," I said.

I gobbled up the huge breakfast Ronnie prepared, then left him a more than generous tip before I set off.

The recruiting station wasn't far. I turned in my paperwork, was given a quick medical examination and my uniform, and then I was whisked onto a bus. There were a few other men waiting, but no one was talking. For some reason, I decided I should be the one to break the ice. I turned to the young canine across the aisle from me and said "It was sure quicker than I thought to get through that line!"

The other guy smiled nervously. A black-furred fist slammed down hard on the back of the seat in front of me.

"No pillow talk!" Barked the badger who was sitting there.

That should've tipped me off right away that he was the drill sergeant, but I was naive back then.

"Sorry," I huffed, leaning back in the chair.

He stood, towering over me as I sat. His uniform and wide-brimmed hat informed me that I'd made a mistake.

"Oh uh, sorry, sir," I corrected.

"Did you have a nice experience in the recruitment center?" he asked in a surprisingly friendly tone despite his angry face.

"Yes, sir," I said.

"Good," he barked. "Because I'm gonna be busting your balls from here on out."

He sat back down, and I kept quiet.

A dozen or so more men shuffled onto the bus before we finally embarked. It was only about a twenty minute ride out of the city to reach camp. When we arrived, the badger stood.

"I want everyone lined up in alphabetical order in sixty seconds!" he announced. "Starting now!"

Chaos broke out as we all scrambled to grab our luggage and exit the bus, all while shouting names and trying to form some sort of order. No one could hear each other over the clamor. What we ended up with was more of a cluster than a line, and there was absolutely no way it was in the correct order.

"What a fine pile of garbage." The badger sneered. "For your failure to perform, each of you will do fifty push-ups. Now!"

I dropped to the ground, inhaling the dust I'd kicked up as I fell. I coughed and hacked to clear my burning lungs. The badger smiled for the first time.

"I am Sergeant Ivan!" he announced over our grunting. "For the next eight weeks, you maggots are mine to mold into decent soldiers. Clearly, I have my work cut out for me, because this is the sorriest group of recruits I've ever seen."

As he turned to mock another recruit, he kicked more dust into my face.

The first day of bootcamp was grueling. By the end of the day I was so sore I could hardly move. I felt sorry for the lanky city boys in my new platoon who looked like they'd never done a full day of physical activity in their lives. As I laid out my uniform I realized the man bunked next to me was the canine I'd tried to talk to on the bus. He was a lobo, I'd find out later. I'd never seen one of them before, so I thought he was a coy-wolf at first.

Since everyone else was making small talk as they got ready for bed, I figured now was a safe enough time to introduce myself.

"Hey, I'm Axel," I said.

I offered him my paw, and he shook it tentatively.

"I'm Caspian," he said.

"Sorry for the bus," I smiled sheepishly. "I noticed Ivan busting your balls, too."

"It's not your fault," he said. "I'm sure he treats all the recruits like that."

I couldn't help but notice a faint accent.

"If you don't mind me asking, where are you from?" I asked.

"Oh, the accent?" he laughed nervously. "I'm from Aquila."

Aquila was the newest of the Emmerich territories. It had only been conquered some fifteen years before, and it was far from unheard of for militant Aquilan rebels to attack Emmerichian settlements. I thought for a moment, trying to find a nice way to word my next question. There wasn't one, but I asked anyways.

"So, they're taking recruits from Aquila now?" I asked.

His ears folded back.

"Yeah," he said. "With the war in Teiban, I guess they're a little less picky about who they bring in. B-but I've lived most of my life as an Emmerichian citizen, so I promise there's nothing to worry about."

I put a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, I believe you," I said. "Sometimes, news takes a while to get to little towns like mine."

"Well then, where's your accent from?" Cas asked, smiling more genuinely.

"A little town called Moonbright in the Tsulugi Mountains," I answered. "I won't be offended if you ain't heard of it."

"You probably haven't heard of my town either," he laughed. "A little place called Toltecatul."

"Nope," I said. "What's it like?"

"Hot and humid, mostly," he said. "It's near the rainforest in southwest Aquila."

"That's so cool!" I said. "Man, I've always wanted to see the jungle. Have you ever seen the Action Jack movies? There's one where he explores this old temple in the Aquilan jungle, and man, it looks like such a cool place to adventure!"

"Ah, no..." Cas looked embarrassed. "Toltecatul doesn't have a theatre. I've heard the mayor has a television, but he doesn't like kids much so I never got to watch it. There is an old temple near town, though."

"That's so cool!" I said. "I bet you've already seen lots of cool stuff."

"I guess," he laughed. "To tell the truth, I never did much exploring. I mostly helped my mom out around the house. What about you?"

"Nah, not really," I said. "I must've turned over every leaf in Moonbright looking for adventure, but I've never left the Tsulugi Mountains til now. I'm a country boy."

"I hadn't even left Toltecatul til a few months ago," Cas laughed. "So I guess I'm a country boy too."

"Well, soon we'll get to explore the world!" I said. "I can't wait to see where my career takes me."

"I'm sure we're both heading for Teiban," Cas said. "So don't get your hopes up too high. I've heard most men don't make it back alive."

"Have some faith, Caspian," I punched his shoulder. "You and I are gonna be just fine, I can feel it."

The lights flashed, and everyone froze. Sergeant Ivan stood at the doorway with a raccoon I hadn't seen before.

"This is Corporal Stevens," Ivan said. "He will be keeping watch to ensure there will be no pillow talk, no rough housing, and no tomfoolery of any kind. I trust you will all be on your best behavior."

In unison, all of us tried our best to snap our stiff bodies to attention and called back "sir, yes, sir!"

"Good," Sergeant Ivan said. "Now, lights out!" The room was pitched into darkness and we scrambled into our beds.