The Joys of War

Americans at rest in Guadalcanal.

Chapter 1

World War II, 1942: a humid, temperate rain forest on the riverfront of Hiroto River on the Japanese island of Guadalcanal. In the damp riverside, American soldiers are pinned down by a larger group of Japanese soldiers.

Gunshots and grenade explosions reverberate throughout the battle, creating a symphony of hostility. Yelling and screams of pain are shouted from both sides, adding in a faint harmony to the ongoing ensemble.

A small group of reinforcements come for the Americans, including James, a machine gunner who turns the tides of the battle both swiftly and decidedly. James is a young man, around 26 years old. He has thick, brown hair, moss green eyes, and lightly tanned skin. He has a lithe frame with a height of 5"11 and a weight of 150 pounds. He breaks through the bulk of the Japanese force, allowing the Americans to gain a firm position.

            Eventually, the Americans power through the Japanese foothold. Both sides of the battlefield are cluttered with cadavers, suffering extensive losses. However, the Americans are much better off. They head to their camp on the outer edge of Guadalcanal, tallying their losses and preparing for the next skirmish.

            A group of soldiers are sitting by the fire, including James. They all sit in silence, demoralized. Even though they had achieved victory, it didn't feel like victory to any of them. Some lost some of their closest friends. One soldier pulls out a small, beat up, blue-striped box and says, “Poker, anyone?” All the soldiers practically jump for joy as he brings out a deck of cards from the box. They finally escape from the horrid reality of war for a brief moment of solace. They then find their way to sleep. Well, the majority of them, others shiver and quake as they slowly break down mentally, feeling the spirits of war churn within them.

            The Americans wake and venture onwards. They stumble upon a heavy, thick rain forest. Bushes all around them begin rumbling, the sound growing louder and louder with each passing second. Soon, the forest has become a cacophony of rustling and whirling as the wind joins in. The Americans tread carefully, but the oncoming ambush is still a surprise. The first shot is fired and the soldier targeted immediately falls. Mass hysteria. Wails and shrieks aching in agony resound in the ears of the troops as they fight on. Again, we find James, shifting the sands of combat once more. It is just enough to deter the Japanese forces and both sides resolve to retreat. The two parties endure arduous casualties.

            As they withdraw from the fight, James notices a familiar face on the battlefield, lifeless and stiff. He sifts through the body, searching all pockets and depositories. From the corpse's inner chest pocket, he pulls out the all familiar blue-striped box. He pulls out the deck of cards and quietly says to himself, "Poker, anyone?" James smiles in reminiscence. Later that night, with his remaining comrades gathered around him, he repeats the adage that everyone has come to love. The consolation is short-lived, and soon the gears of conflict begin to crank and twist once again. And so James treads on, living day-to-day, night-to-night, reveling in the daily moment of peace and homeliness that has been passed on from his fallen comrade.