fatigue falling, war rumbling. go/no-go. soldier slips the small pill into his mouth, military issue, tucks it under his tongue. smooth feel of the casing, rolling it around the mouth. go/no-go. he's been up for over seventy hours, the voices tickling all around him. sleep abandoned.

she's probably tucked into her bed right now. teddy watching over her. go/no-go. if he closes his eyes he can see her for a moment, thousands of miles away, home.

looks over the trench. bodies running. gunfire. a screaming. penetration. go/no-go.

[02/11/03]