May 20, 2068


Ian was sitting on the couch, watching the television. The war in Anchorage had just started and many people in the neighborhood were shipped up to Alaska. The news program showed pictures of fallen soldiers, some missing limbs, others frozen in their supply trucks. It was horrible. The way all the young people were dying out there was a terrible thing. Just as the story was getting to a climix, George, Ian's father, walked into the living room.

"Dammit, Ian, you're supposed to be graduating in a week. You need to do your homework. You are failing in your classes and if you don't work harder, you won't be graduating at all."

"Yeah, dad, you told me this like a million times. I already did my homework."

"Really? Let me see." Ian sighed and turned off the television.

"Fine.." he said, stomping up to his room.

He slumped into his chair in front of his desk, where his unfinished schoolwork lay. He picked up the pencil and began writing. x + y = 8a - b(d+e) + 12. Ian sighed loudly and thought hard for a moment. He didn't know the answer, and he sure as hell didn't know what all the damned letters were. Things were looking down as of now, he was failing his math class, failing his science class, had a D in his geography class, a C in his english class and a D in his reading class. Over a period of time stacks of paper were piling up on the desk, all unfinished work that he didn't bother to do.

Ian slowly began drawing a little American soldier shooting a Chinese stick figure with a furry bomber cap on. He then drew a nuclear bomb overhead, then scribbled out the entire bottom of the paper violently, tearing the paper. Ian balled up the paper and threw it in the corner in anger. He was frustrated that he was such a failure in school. It was a miracle he was even in his senior year. Ian got out of the chair and pushed it to the floor and fell onto his bed. He wasn't going to make it in the future, he was an idiot in his own eyes, a pathetic excuse for a human. He finally shoved his head into the pillow and forced himself to sleep.

---

June 6, 2068

No scholarships, no diplomas, no honors. He wasn't accepted into any college. This was his last resort, the only thing he could do. He sat in the Army recruitment office next to several others. The army was recruiting anyone they could at this point, and Ian had nowhere else to go. Painful hours dragged on until they finally called.

"Ian Dowers, to the General's office." the secretary said. Ian put away a magazine he was reading and walked into the General's office, and closed the door behind him.

"Have a seat, young man." General Harland said. Ian slowly sat down in the warm cushioned seat in front of Harland's desk.

"Sir, I'm here to join the Army.."

"Like hell you are. At any other time we'd have to put you through MEPS and all kinds of paperwork, but time permitting we need soldiers on the front line now. So, you're just going to fill out two pages of paperwork and hand it to me when you're done. We'll send this through to the Army and they'll mail you the location of your basic training camp. Here you go, and get to work." Harland leaned over the desk and handed Ian a stapled pack of two papers, as well as a pencil and clipboard. Ian put the paper on the clipboard and began writing.

Pretty good intro, and it sounds like it will be an interesting story. The only thing that was off was in most it you were narrating from a 3rd person, but the last paragraph "...handed me a stapled pack..." and "I put the paper..." You went to first person. Just a quick thing to fix though.

Woops.. Better fix that. Happens to me alot..

I'm also going to be skipping months so that it doesn't take so long.

Kind of a spoiler, but if I don't post for a while after this post it's not because Ian is dead, but because I simply cannot get on.

February 3, 2069
Drop day

Ian stared at it forever, since they got on. This was the big day: the first time Ian would be dropping into Anchorage. He was accepted as a paratrooper and was sent in January. The light turned red and everybody stood up. They were all huddled together, cold and scared, wondering if they'd make it to the ground. Then the light went green, and the lieutenent up front yelled at everybody to go. First guy out, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth.. Then Ian. He was launched out of the plane and when he was, he immediately pulled hard on his straps, then opening the parachute. He was landing smoothly now, and pulled down his facemask to warm up his face. He readied his assault rifle for any Chinese going to try shooting him down. Fortunately that was just in his head, but the parachute made him land in between two trees, and there were also Reds coming from up the mountain. This was going to be bad after all. The Chinese saw him stuck in the tree and opened fire, but Ian shot first and killed the two. One fell off the side of the cliff, ensuring death. Ian finally clicked a button on his backpack and was released onto the ground.

He dropped his assault rifle in the process. He recovered quickly and regained his rifle, then headed further up the mountain. Now his primary objective was to regroup with the others that were alive. He took a trail that took him around the mountain and closer to the objective. The trail ended at the end of the cliff, but on the other side about two meters away, there were two paratroopers. They noticed him and beckoned.

"Over the gap? No, no way man." Ian told.

"Just do it! It's not much to clear!" the other paratrooper said. Ian held his breath and took three steps back, then ran at full speed. Ian cleared the distance, but barely. He stood on the edge, laughing in victory. But it wasn't over yet. The thin part of rock he was standing on crumbled at the edges and he slid down, just catching on to the cliff.

"Help me!!" he shouted. The two paratroopers immediately dropped their things and tried helping up Ian, but they couldn't. Ian's hand slipped and he fell downward, a hell of a long fall. He screamed at the top of his lungs while spiraling downward, then collided with another object.