War Torn

THE TIME TO LEAVE THE FOB DREW NEAR. TAREGUE MASUD MADE lemon meringue pie by popular request. People cemented friendships and gave each other addresses and phone numbers. Men who had argued or fought with each other suddenly became mates. Posters were swapped, photos traded, and Masud did a roaring trade in Sin City T-shirts. The OC announced that Martyn was inviting the whole company to dinner at a London hotel soon after their return.They were scheduled to depart in the afternoon. The men piled their stuff on their cots ready to grab it when the helicopter landed. Some were taking a last look around FOB Sin City. They saw the advance party of the company who were replacing them huddled by the wagons looking miserable, pale and lost.‘We were like that six months ago,’ said Angus. ‘I reckon I was a different person back then.’Finn said: ‘I think I’m going to miss this place.’‘I know I will,’ said Angus. ‘I don’t want to go. It’s like leaving home. ’Specially because it won’t be the same now.’Sin City was to remain an FOB but there would be no more civilians. The oil project was abandoned, Taregue Masud was leaving with R Company and the number of troops here were to be doubled.‘What you going to say to your old man when you get back, then?’ Finn asked Angus. ‘Going to tell him that his boss from the Jedi still cooks a fucking good lemon meringue pie?’‘Nah. I’m keeping my mouth shut. He wants to be a war hero, so let him be. It costs me nothing.’Finn nodded. ‘Big of you, Angry. I think you got bigger since you came here. Come on, let’s have one last sniff of the Cowshed so we’ll remember the whiff for ever.’They passed Mal.‘Feeling nostalgic, mate?’‘I’m thinking about women. Women with curves who don’t walk around wearing sheets wrapped all over their bodies. And I’m just wondering how quickly I can pull.’‘Tell the birds you’re a war hero. That should do it.’‘You going straight up to Manchester?’ asked Angus.Mal shook his head. ‘Nah. My family reckons it’s better for me to stay in barracks and they’ll come down and see me.’Angus brightened. ‘You hanging around in barracks, too? I was thinking of doing that.’They looked at each other and grinned.‘We can go out on the pull together then,’ said Mal. ‘What you doing, Finny?’‘I’ll go and see which of my babymothers has got room for me. That’s probably the bed where I’ll start. After that, who knows?’They got to the Cowshed and found Streaky and Binns there.‘Come to inhale the last whiff?’ asked Mal.‘Mmm,’ said Streaky, breathing deeply. ‘If they could only bottle it.’‘Think we’ll come back here? On our next tour?’ asked Binns.They looked at each other. No matter how much they wanted to go home, a part of them didn’t want to leave this strange place. Although no one would admit it.‘Yeah, maybe,’ said Angus. ‘Maybe we will come back here.’They heard the throb of rotor blades.‘Come on, come on, come on,’ roared Sol’s voice at the door. ‘What are you all doing here? Get your kit and get out to that Chinook!’‘Here we go!’ said Mal, taking a last look around. ‘This is it.’When the Chinook finally took off, the men were silent. Dave felt as though he was leaving Jamie behind in this desolate place. Or maybe its desolation had crept inside him and he was taking it with him. He looked down at the base’s right angles, etched in the desert landscape in hesco. He saw the shining gym equipment, the thick mud walls, the tents, the isoboxes, the hardware and all the men of the incoming company racing to grab the best cots.