The sound of the Abrams was like ringing death's bell. Haden James Murphy was a U.S. Army 19k. In other words, he was a tank crewman. The sound of the war machine's gears turning was enough to make any man cower.
"Hey yo, Murph! Bet you miss your mom tucking you in your bed in Louisiana, huh?" Haden looked at his driver with a grin.
"Yeah, sure Rodriguez. I'll make sure I stay away from your backward ass state of Alabama." The Afghanistan air was hot and hard to take in.
"Besides Murph, who's gonna make you cookies too?" Sgt. Ryan stopped the banter.
"Eyes on kids, we got suspicious movement. Looks like bad guys. Murph, on the.50!" Haden pops the hatch of the tank open and mounts the .50 caliber M2 Browning.
"Pop-pop assholes," Haden says racking the charging handle of the heavy machine gun. The streets of Afghanistan were treacherous. I.E.D.'s, ambushes, and just about anything that could go wrong. A shot rings out and hits the tank a foot and a half away from Haden.
"Dammit Haden! Murphy's law much?" Haden lets bursts of steel-death rain from the mounted gun.
"Shut up and get the convoy outta here Rodriguez! I ain't goin' home in a box!" The trio of humvees and second M1 speed up to keep up with Haden's Abrams.
"What the hell we transporting that they want so much?!?" Haden shoots at every direction they received fire.
"It's above our pay, I know that much!"
"Oh, thanks Sarge, I feel MUCH better about dying in a metal box."
"Shut it and drive Rodriguez," Haden exclaimed.
The tank was stopped by an enemy technical blocking the road.
"Shit, what do we do!?!" Sarge turns to Rodriguez.
"Crush the bastard like a coke can!" The tank speeds on as Haden ducks and they receive a barrage of incoming bullets. Enemy gunmen pour out as the M1 crushes the run down truck with ease, flattening it.
"Whooo yeah boys!" Sarge lets out.
"Maybe we should crush more stuff with ya Sarge, maybe you'll lighten up a bit, huh?"
"Yeah, hey, Rodriguez? I'm kinda exposed on this big ass mounted gun. Wanna get us the hell outa here?" The convoy keeps speeding on until they reach the outskirts of the city.
"Anyone hit?"
"Well Sarge, since I'm the only one exposed to even take a shot, and I'm clean, I'd say nope."
"Funny, Haden. If I didn't find your Irish Smartass funny, I'd make sure you WERE hit."
"Aww, love you too Sarge." Haden smiles, then climbs back into the tank, closing the hatch.