Heroes Don't Come Home Page #2

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when you watch somebody die

because of something

that you did?

I mean we love you, buddy.

Right now, you...

But what if somebody

else comes home?

- I'll be fine.

What?

I need to do this.

I have to be there for him.

I gave him my word.

- I know.

I know.

- I'm gonna do it.

It's just a matter of

now, or in eight months.

- What?

This country is worth defending.

- Oh.

That's what he's doing, huh?

Do you remember how

messed up you were

when you came back?

Have you forgotten that?

You know, you have

to tell him, okay?

At the very least,

you have to tell him.

- Alright.

- Dedicated it to you.

I ran 2,000 yards.

I'm sorry.

I miss you.

- Up in there.

Got this.

Ah, rookie.

Listen, Ben.

I don't like to

talk about this, but

when I was drafted,

they put me in a

helicopter and they told me

to shoot anything that

wasn't wearing green.

I did.

To this day, I don't know

why I killed those people.

You need to make

your own decisions.

Before you pull the trigger,

you need to be able to

look yourself in the mirror,

and say why you're doin' it.

And that you believe in it.

- It's f***ing weird,

not playing this season.

- Yeah, it's bullshit,

coach won't let you play.

- Nah.

I understand.

I mean, I'm not gonna be here

for half the games anyway.

Wrong of me to even

try out like that.

- Yeah, why didn't you wait

'til after after

basketball season?

- I don't know.

I guess I just didn't

think about it.

But in the scheme of things,

what's more important?

Couple high school

basketball games, or the war?

- You were gettin'

looks from colleges.

- Easy decision, bro.

Easy decision.

- Your mom still bein' a

b*tch about that paperwork?

Man, I'm right behind you.

I mean one way or another,

I turn 18 in August.

- I know, man.

It's not your fault.

We're gonna kick

some f***ing ass.

Don't you worry about it.

Shoot the f***ing ball.

- So um, you, you

know, watch out for yourself.

- I will.

- Take care of yourself, really.

- I will, I will

- okay.

- Don't you worry about me.

- Okay.

- Alright.

- Say goodbye, sweetie.

- I'll see ya, buddy.

You take care of her.

Got it?

We'll write to you.

- Perfect.

- Come here.

You come back.

Okay?

We got a tradition to

maintain every summer.

- You know I will.

- I'm gonna miss you.

- Thanks, man.

See ya, buddy.

- I'm right behind you.

- Hey Ben!

It's five months, man!

Five months 'til you graduate.

- F***!

- Benny, are you okay?

- I'm fine.

- Look, if you want to

yell, then go ahead.

We understand that you're mad,

and you have a right to be.

You can be mad.

- And what's there

to be mad about?

'Cause you won't let me

be there for my friend?

Won't let me serve my country?

- Okay, we will.

As much as it kills us to

think about you getting hurt,

or worse, we're prepared

to sign the papers

when you graduate.

- I'll do whatever you want.

- You continue to

apply to colleges,

and you seriously

think about the ROTC.

- Done.

- This hurts us, but

we don't want to

stand in your way.

You know, we just

wanna make sure

that you really

thought this through.

- Hello?

- Hey, Josh!

- Tim!

- Hey, buddy!

- You want to

talk to my brother Benny?

- Yes, that would be awesome.

- Ben, Tim's on the phone.

Ben, Tim's on the phone.

- Hey, man!

- Say Ben, what's up?

- Same sh*t, man.

How's boot camp?

- F***in' sucks!

But I crushed it, bro.

Thank god it's family day.

Feels like I haven't

slept in 53 days.

- Oh yeah, not that

you're counting, right?

- Oh and dude?

The f***ing guys down

here, they are scary.

One of 'em asked me who

the commander of chief was.

I told him it was the king

of all native Americans.

- Your picture looks

really good there, Josh.

- Hey!

- Hi!

- Oh, hey guys.

How are you?

- Good.

How are you?

- I'm good.

- So, what's for dinner?

- Benny!

- Oh, what's this?

Dear Benjamin, we're

pleased to announce

you've been accepted to

northeastern university.

Please see attach...

- yes!

- For important

financial worksheets.

- Oh!

Congratulations.

- What does that mean?

- Benny got into college.

- Yay, Benny doesn't

have to go away!

- Oh.

- Shh.

- Here, let me get that.

- Brick!

Say, Ben!

- Hey.

Nice hat.

- Alright, f*** you.

It's cold up here.

- What's up, man?

- What's goin' on?

Your dad said I'd

catch you here, man.

Yeah, I got a few days of leave,

and then I f***ing deploy.

- Damn, that's quick.

- Yeah.

Some unit had a group

of guys get in trouble

a few months back,

so they got no choice

but to take me and a

few others from SOI.

But hey, sure beats

sittin' in my barracks

listen to the other guy in

my rack beat off above me.

- Oh, f***.

- It's cool, he never

lasts that long.

- What?

Some ROTC recruiter

guy came by the school

and a bunch of guys signed

that letter of interest thing.

- Yeah, a bunch of pussies

need a back-up plan

'cause they're soft.

Tryin' to get

something out of it.

So what's goin' on

since I've been gone?

- Teachers, they don't

know what to do with us.

Nobody does their

homework, and you know.

- Homework?

That's so weird.

- Yeah.

Everybody's already gotten

into college, you know?

- Yeah, where's everyone goin'?

- Well your ex got rejected.

- Good.

She's a f***ing whore.

- Okay.

Bobby Lachey's goin' to Harvard.

- Smart bastard.

- Joe is goin' to Westfield.

- Of course he's

goin' to Westfield.

His grandfather went there,

his father went there,

his f***ing kids are

gonna go to Westfield.

Sh*t.

- Yeah.

I got in.

Got a scholarship, too.

- Okay.

What does that mean?

- Nothin'.

I mean that was

the deal, you know?

I apply to college, my

dad sign the papers.

Three more months

'til I graduate.

- Yeah, I better get going.

Mom's making Shepherd's pie.

I'll see ya.

- Dig a little hole.

Let's go, form up,.

Okay, we're

approaching our target.

Everybody watch your sectors.

We're gonna move in

a wedge formation

to the south side

of that mountain.

Let's head out.

- Take cover!

Cover me!

- Take cover! Go!

- In position! Move!

- Oh f***.

Oh sh*t.

- Coming! Coming!

- I got this.

Go!

You're gonna be alright, buddy.

I'll take care of ya.

Are you hit anywhere else?

- Ammo discipline!

- He shot...

- Move out!

Get him behind cover!

- Come on!

He sees me!

Come down!

I'm up!

Down!

I'm up!

- In position! Move!

- Don't have a clear shot!

Take that f***er out!

- Is target neutralized!

- Esty!

Go make sure that

target is down!

Esty!

- If you were a chick,

you'd have a pretty nice ass.

- Hey esty, how

long you been back there

thinkin' about that?

- Heh, for the last five miles.

- Sounds like four

and a half miles too long.

You know what?

Go ahead and put that

on the list of sh*t

you can't say to me anymore.

- Aye-aye, sergeant.

- Ben,.

Ben, Ben.

I love you.

It's alright.

- This is bullshit.

- Better down here

than up there.

- I don't like this.

- We've been scoutin'

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