Page 11 of The Power of a Myth

The boy froze, his eyes going wide as he began to scream out. Hayden had learned enough of the local language to know the boy was calling for help from his father.

“We’ll follow behind him. Keep your eyes open for any other movement. Guns at the ready. Don’t shoot until you are certain it’s the enemy. These people are civilians until proven otherwise,” Hayden ordered

“Yes, sir,” the men answered in unison, and they made their way deeper into the village, following the boy.

These types of missions were always dangerous but needed to be done. After all, it was one of the primary reasons he was here—to help the people.

“This way,” the boy urged with desperation.

Eventually, they came upon a small hut made out of sticks and mud. Hayden made his way inside to find a man collapsed on a makeshift bed. By the pool of blood around him, he’d obviously been shot. A woman stood crying over him. Hayden knew it didn’t look good.

There was a medic on Hayden’s team, and the doctor stepped forward and started looking at the critically injured man. Hayden started to question the woman, in her native language, about what happened.

“How long has he been like this?” Hayden asked.

“A few hours,” the woman replied through her sobs. “He’s my husband. Please can you help him? The men, they came and took anyone who was able to fight. He refused, so they shot him in the stomach. Why are they doing this? We’re peaceful. We don’t want this. Please can you save him?”

Hayden relayed everything to the doctor. “How’s he looking?”

“I can stem the bleeding easily, but he’s lost a lot of blood. He needs a transfusion. I don’t want to attempt anything else without that, and moving him to do the transfusion at the hospital will kill him.”

“I’m type O negative, use me,” Hayden ordered.

“Captain.” The doctor went to protest but then shut his mouth again. They both knew it was the only way to save the man.

Hayden pulled up his sleeve and motioned for the doctor to continue. Everyone fell quiet as blood was transferred from him to the man who would certainly die without the lifesaving treatment. All the time, the other men kept a lookout, making sure they weren’t about to be ambushed.

The more blood that rushed from his body, the lighter headed Hayden felt. He shut his eyes, knowing that his second-in-command would take over for the time being.

“All done,” the doctor announced, and Hayden shuffled aside so the doctor could continue to work on the injured man.

“How’s he doing?” Hayden questioned.

“If we can get him out of here and to safety, you’ve probably saved his life, Captain.”

“Good.”

“How are you feeling?” the doctor asked.

“I’m good.” Hayden pushed himself to his feet. His head spun a little, but he took his time, resting his hand against the mud coated wall of the ramshackle building they were in to steady himself. “Is he ready to move yet? I’ll request a helicopter, but we’re going to have to carry him some distance to the clearing. There’s no way it can land here.”

“That’s what I thought. I’ve prepared him for the move. We need to get him straight to surgery.”

“Good, I’ll get the rest of the men together.”

The little boy they’d originally followed into the village came up to Hayden. He wrapped his small frame around Hayden’s legs.

“Thank you for helping my daddy,” the boy said.

“He’s a brave man, just as you were to come and get us,” Hayden replied. Both of them spoke in the local dialect.

“It’ll hurt,” the boy then informed Hayden. “But only for a second. You’re destined for greater things.”

“What?” Hayden shook his head, not really understanding what he was being told.

“That’s what he said to me.” The boy looked down at the ground before looking back up with tears in his eyes.

The hairs on the back of Hayden’s neck stood on end. His heart beat quickened.

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