This is my very first story. English is not my first language so I apologize for my bad grammar and wordings. But still, I hope you'll enjoy my work.

[ EDIT: 1st Rewritten and Reeditted on April 16, 2021 ] (first trash)
[ EDIT: 2nd Rewritten and Reeditted on November 02, 2022 ] (second trash haha rip)

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On an autumn afternoon in a forest, a Grandpa and his grandchild are hunting for some food.

"Alright. There he is. Make sure you don't take off your eyes on him." the old man whispered while looking through his binoculars. He's an old man in his 80s with a gray beard and hair, donning a green-brown camouflaged suit hiding behind a bush. On his right, a young boy, in his 10s also donned the same camo suit as his grandpa.

"Copy that gramps." the boy whispered back as he looks through down the scope of his scoped M40 Remington rifle.

"Take your time boy. Make sure to control your breathing wisely." the grandpa whispered.

"Got it, gramps." the young boy whispered back.

As the young boy continues to steady his rifle and aim, adrenaline starts to flow through him as he now sees a group of wild boars eating the bait traps some hundred meters away. He carefully holds and controls his grip on the rifle while waiting for the right moment to fire.

...

Then, as one of the big wild boars posed in a position to eat and on the baits, this was now his cue to fire.

BANG!

The gunshot resonated and echoed through the forest and birds came flying outside from the trees and animals came running.

As the grandpa witnessed while looking through his binos, he sees the dead boar on the ground, with distinguishable blood flowing out of its neck.

"Hehe. Job well done my boy! Looks like we're having a feast tonight eh?" he said as he pats the young boy's back repeatedly. He then stands up to leave his cover in the bush to inspect their hunt.

The young boy then looks off the scope and watches the site. He also sees the group of boars now running away from the bait area. 

"It sure is, gramps! " the young boy also stands up to follow his gramps to the hunting site.

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A couple of days before, in a rural countryside house...

Morning comes and the echoes of the rooster sounding their morning call, awaken a young boy named Harvey Johanson. He rubs his eyes and stretches his arms as he gets up from his bed. When suddenly, his grandpa shouts in the house calling for him.

"Wake up boy! Happy Birthday! I've got some birthday presents for you! Come on and hurry up!" Grandpa Alex shouted on the other side of the door.

Harvey then puts his sandals on and walks outside of his room to meet up with his grandpa downstairs. In the kitchen, he greets his grandpa.

"Morning gramps. Hmm?" Harvey looked around, wondering why there are no presents in sight.

"Where are the presents, gramps?"

"Hehe. First, let us eat breakfast and I'll talk about the details later on." Grandpa Alex arranges the food on the table.

"Hmm, I got a feeling that this is gonna be a nice surprise." Harvey sits at the dining table, waiting for breakfast.

"Oh, I'm sure you'll be very surprised about it! Hahaha!" 

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While eating breakfast, the two are having a conversation as usual.

"Oh yeah, Harvey my boy. When will my daughter Clara come to pick you up?"

"You mean mom? I dunno. Probably be next week. I think she's still busy with her work in the office with my dad."

"Sounds tough eh? Haha! That's why I decided that living in the countryside will be much better than in the city. You got fresh air, sustainable food, and best of all, it's peaceful. On the other hand, too much pollution, crowded areas, and a lot of political crap"

"Hmhmm. Igehyurpeynt ( I get your point )" he said while munching some bread.

"I also don't like political stuff as well. " Harvey added

"Haha! Looks like you also inherit that from your mom eh? Oh speaking of your mom, I remembered Clara when she was just a mere child. She always calls me Papi and cries when she gets lost sight of me. That's why sometimes I prank her by pretending that I left her while walking or playing. Haha! But when she is about to cry desperately looking for me, that's when I will go up to her and cheer her up. And when my wife got a wind of me that I pranked Clara, man, she will always scold me for hours! Hahahaha! "

The grandpa sighed while reminiscing about the past. He then sips some hot coffee.

"Hahaha, really gramps? I've never heard of that! I didn't know that mom was like that before. Mom is always strict and stern with us."

" Hahaha. Well, she inherits that from my wife! Your grandma is also strict and very harsh towards us before - but in a good way! "

" Hehe yeah. Oh right, about my birthday present gramps? "

" Yeah about that. Finish your plate and I'll go ahead first to prepare it. I'll call you when it's ready. "

"Sure gramps."

Harvey finishes up his plate and proceeds upstairs to his room while his grandfather prepares the presents.

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After a couple more minutes...

"HARVEY! YOUR PRESENTS ARE HERE! COME OUTSIDE TO THE BACKYARD! " Grandpa Alex shouted outside of the house.

Harvey rushed downstairs and opened the backdoor. There, he sees his grandpa presenting guns on a table with boxes of ammunition.

"Tada! Here's your birthday present my boy!"

Grandpa Alex presents on a table: a scoped M40 Remington rifle and a Browning Hi-Power pistol.

Harvey's eyes widened. He is stunned by his gramps' presents.

"Woah, gramps! These are so cool! Wait, am I gonna shoot these guns? "

"Of course boy! Hahaha. But first, let me teach you about the basics and safety. " Grandpa Alex said as he waved Harvey towards him

Grandpa Alex then teaches the safety of using a gun. The mechanics, proper control grip, and posture of firing.

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After minutes and minutes of teaching...

"Alright. We're done with the introductions. Let's do some actual shooting! What gun do you want to shoot first? Both guns are great ya know" Grandpa Alex said cheerfully as he presents the two guns.

"Hmmm. The rifle, gramps!" as Harvey pointed the M40 Remington.

"Alright. Up you go, lad. Let me help you set up the rifle on the table " the granda said while adjusting the rifle's bipod on the table to allow the young bow to shoot the rifle while sitting.

Harvey then sits and grabs the grip of the rifle. Grandpa Alex then loads a magazine to let Harvey shoot his first rounds.

" Hahaha. I'm kinda both nervous and excited about this... " Harvey uttered to himself.

" Well that's pretty obvious for first-timers! " the grandpa replied.

Harvey looks through the scope and sees the bottle targets at a distance of about 50 meters away.

"Remember, proper cheek stock, hold the rifle steady, and aim small, miss small. " the grandpa advised behind him.

As Harvey focused on a bottle target, adrenaline rushed into his body. He breathes and focuses his aim taking a deep breath to control his nerves and not panic.

"I got this. " Harvey uttered as he squeezes the trigger

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BANG!

The bottle explodes.

" *whistles* That's a good one! Considering that is your very first shot! Alright! Next target! " the grandpa cheered. 

Harvey racks another round and looks at the scope. Locking to the next bottle target, he takes another deep breath and pulls the trigger once again.

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BANG!

Again, the bottle explodes.

" Perfect! Okay. Shoot the remaining 3 bottles! "

Harvey again racks another round and fires the remaining targets with no misses.

BANG!

*racks*

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BANG!

*racks*

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BANG!

*racks*

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As soon Harvey finished shooting, he felt a very strong euphoria. He's now taken a liking to firing a gun. At first, Harvey is surprised by the present his grandpa gave him, but now, Grandpa Alex is the one that is now in deep shock when he saw Harvey taking down the targets with ease and no misses, especially since it's his first gun shooting.

"*claps* Wow! Are you kidding me, my boy? That was splendid! I didn't know that you got some great shooting skills! Good thing that I offered these as your birthday presents. My gut is right all along! Hahahahaha! "

" Hehe thank you, gramps. " Harvey holsters the rifle back on the table.

But, after the gramps laughed, his face began to get serious.

" Wha-what is it, gramps? "

"Harvey, my boy. I get a feeling that you are going to become a very professional, and successful marksman when you grow up. You are gifted with such talent and skill for shooting guns. Use it to your advantage, my boy. " Grandpa Alex said to Harvey with a content face.

" Such as? " Harvey questioned.

" You can use it for hunting when getting food or necessities. Use it for more target practices and join competitions. Or use it for helping those who are in need of help. "

"What do you mean 'need of help' gramps? " Harvey asked.

Grandpa Alex then sits on a bench.

"Harvey. Let me tell you a story that I've never told you before. Remember I was a Vietnam veteran right?"

Harvey went to sit beside his gramps on the bench.

"Yes, gramps. " Harvey replied.

Good. This was a story of me back when I was fighting alongside my fellow comrades. "

" It all started when I was your age. Back then, I never really wanted to become a soldier. But my dad does. He forced me to join the military because I was a sloppy, worthless, lazy bastard who does nothing but sleep, eat, and repeat."

"Then on the basic training, I was just following orders with no care in the world and really didn't take it seriously. I just did whatever they told me to do and not learned the lesson. They said that It's faster to go home when finishing basic training than to quit. So I grudgingly finished basic training just to get it done and to go home already."

"But at least my fellow squad comrades also graduated. I'm glad that they've also finished basic training, and to be part of their squad."

"Then after a couple of months, news came out that we are going to Vietnam for war. Our squad was also drafted there."

"What happened then, gramps?" Harvey asked.

" *sigh* It's while we are on a patrol in a plain rice field. We suddenly got ambushed by the militia. Gun fires are coming from everywhere. Then, being the incompetent, cowardly chicken that I am, I hid in the nearest hut and waited until the gunfight is over. "

" I fucking left my comrades outside, left them dying. They needed my help, but I didn't help." Grandpa Alex angrily said to himself while clenching his fists, and tears came out of his eyes."

" By the time the gunfire stopped, I peeked through a hole and saw my lifeless comrades scattered across the fields. I'm the only one left. To see them lying there lifeless, it hit me. I deeply regretted my cowardly hiding. So then, anger came rushing into me in hopes of getting revenge. "

" I aimed my M16 rifle toward the militias that were walking out of their covers and started shooting. That's when I realize that my shooting really sucks cause I just saw splashes and dust where my bullets struck. I can't even hit at least one living creature."

" There are so many militias that I thought that this is really my time and that this is my karma for my cowardice. But I just didn't care. My anger let me spend most of my ammo shooting relentlessly at them. I just wanted to hit even one of them or kill one before I die."

" Then, what happened? " Harvey asked.

"....after all of my ammo was spent, I laid down on the cover and laughed, thinking that I deserved this. I deserved to die cause of my cowardice. But then, I heard some explosions. I looked up in the sky and saw F4 Phantoms laying down fire missions on the fields."

" Then I saw the reason why there are F4 Phantoms - I saw one of my comrades who is a radio operator, lifelessly sitting underneath a tree with a phone in his hand. Then it hit me like a wall. It made me cry in rivers."

"Despite betraying them, they still fought to the bitter end and didn't betray me like shooting me beforehand, or leaving me. They still fought. They still covered me. And, they still think I'm their comrade, a friend, a brother. " tears came out of Grandpa Alex's eyes.

" It made me feel like a total piece of worthless shit. I deserved to die for my actions. But I didn't. It's like my brothers were telling me to make up my sins and to learn from my mistakes."

"Therefore I decided to train rigorously again and join the Special Forces."

"Wow! Special Forces? Cool!"

"Yep. Special Forces. That's where I made up my mistakes and faced my fears."

" I got my aims correctly, my mind was honed with discipline, and most of all, I got to pay back for my sins. "

" Wooow! Looks like it's fun to be in the Special Forces!" Harvey said with anticipation.

"Ahaha. It sure is. It makes you really feel like the best of the best. But it's really because you earned it. You earned it through tough and hard work, determination, and discipline. So it's really hard getting that Special Forces role."

" I was then deployed to various secret missions. Sabotages, assassinations, infiltration, and other fun stuff! "

Grandpa Alex then looks at Harvey.

" And for you my boy, I saw hopes in you. I'm sure you can be one of the Special Forces someday!"

"Really gramps? Do you think so?"

" Ahaha. Your marksmanship is only the beginning and it will help you along the way. If you ever want to join, you need to train yourself more. Build up your body and health."

"O-okay gramps. I will consider it! "

"*sigh*. If only I also got the talent for guns back then or learned the lessons back in the training, I could've killed every single one of them or even save my brothers."

" But listen, Harvey my boy, I got a question for you. "

" What is it, gramps? " Harvey questioned

" A gun is meant for killing right? " Grandpa asked

" Uhm, yes? " Harvey replied

" Wrong! It's true that guns kill but, the true meaning of a gun is for protection. It's for protecting your country, your life, and your loved ones. "

" Humans don't have superpowers. Humans are weak and fragile. So, if any evil may ever want to hurt us, hurt our loved ones, what option we will have if peaceful talking never worked? "

Harvey came to a realization.

" Yo-You're right gramps. Even when you are a politician, a businessman, or some high-ranking person, a single bullet can take your life away. "

" Alright! I've decided gramps! I'm gonna join the military and become a Special Forces as you did! "

" Hahahaha! That's my boy! I'm sure you can do it! " as Grandpa Alex pats Harvey's back.

" May you protect ourselves and our loved ones from the ones who want to do evil. Like I should've done back then to my fallen brothers. " Grandpa Alex raised a root beer in his hand and drinks it.

" Okay! Let's do now the pistol!"

"Roger gramps!"

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Back in the current day, inside the kitchen...

" Oh, that's right. Clara is now coming here huh? " Grandpa Alex asked while preparing the boat meat with Harvey.

" That's right gramps. I'll be tidying up my bedroom and packing up my things." Harvey replied while washing the cut meat.

" You do that while I'm gonna also pack something up for you."

"Huh? What is it, gramps?" Harvey stops as he looks at his grandma with anxiousness.

"Come here. I got something to show you. " Grandpa Alex washes his hands and grabs a box case inside a kitchen cabinet and opens it up.

Harvey looks and is surprised by what's in the box. In the box, it was Grandpa Alex's Browning Hi-Power pistol with four loaded magazines

"Keep this. This is yours now. Don't tell your parents about this okay?"

"Bu-but. This is your pistol gramps! I can't take it!"

"Oh, I'm giving this to you now. I don't know how long I'll last, my boy. I'm now an old champ ya know. So consider this as an early next year's birthday gift from me okay?"

Harvey then hugged Grandpa Alex.

"Thanks, gramps. You're the best."

"Hahaha! And you're the best hunter bud." Grandpa Alex pats Harvey's head.

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After preparing and cooking the boar meat, Clara's car came and parked outside of the house to pick up Harvey just in time for dinner.

Clara came out of the car and went inside the house and greeted his dad.

"Hi, dad! How are you doing?" Clara asked as she kissed Grandpa Alex on the cheeks.

"I'm doing fine sweetheart. How's Danny?"

"He's fine. Although he's got so much paperwork to do and I've got to help him. Sorry if we are leaving quickly. "

"Oh, is that so? How unfortunate for the dinner time. But seeing you do well is enough for me."

"Thanks, dad. Where's Harvey?"

"He's upstairs. Go talk to him while I prepare some take-out food."

Clara then walks upstairs to greet Harvey.

"Harvey?"

She sees Harvey wearing a headset, playing an FPS game, not noticing she just arrived. Because of this, she flicks Harvey's ear

"Oww. Mo-mom! " Harvey then hurriedly paused the game.

"I see you're doing well on evading your school assignments huh?" Clara said with a menacing smile.

"Th-that's not it mom! I finished all of it! Hehehe. " Harvey lied.

"Make sure it does or else I will be giving away your PC or selling it."

"O-okay mom."

It's now late in the evening. After a couple more minutes of packing things, Clara and Harvey came downstairs to say farewell to Grandpa Alex.

"Bye Dad. We will be on our way home now." Clara kisses his dad on his cheeks.

"Bye sweetheart. Say hello to Danny for me okay? "

"Goodbye, gramps! Thank you for everything! " Harvey hugs Grandpa Alex.

"Aww. I'm gonna miss my hunting buddy. " Grandpa Alex with a sarcastic frown on his face.

"You two get to take care now okay?"

"We will!" said Harvey.

Then Grandpa Alex watched his two loved ones drive off into the road.

"*sigh* And there they go. I'm sure that lad will be a tough man someday. I'm sure he will." 

Granda Alex stretches his arms.

"Alright! Time to go back into my quarters to sleep. But first...."

He then goes to his room and picks up a guitar to sit in front of a portrait - a portrait of his passed wife - Grandma Suzy.

"Oh let me get another lullaby song for you, my dear. Hoping you have sweet dreams and a good evening for the night. "

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As Grandpa Alex strums his guitar the house is filled with echoes of his songs throughout the night.

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UPCOMING NEXT CHAPTER:

Chapter 01 – Enlistment