Yellow Footprints

Yellow Footprints
Written 8/10/07 Jeremy L. Smith
Published in Leatherneck Magazine; May 2008 Edition

Anxious energy fills the bus
Young men unsure what awaits
Rumors swirl in their minds
Images from movies. Family stories.
Some crack jokes. Nervous laughter.
It is dark.
Bus creeps through the gate.
The sentry in dress blues somberly waves it on.
A faint smile of remembrance crosses his face.
Bus stops. Air brakes release.
The door opens with a metallic ring. Then,
Silence
Silence
Silence
A palpable, unending silence
But it ends.
A Smoky is all they see.
But it’s not what they see it’s what they hear. Yelling.
Bodies tangle. Scrambling. Running. Tripping.
Move. Move. Move.
Descend the stairs. Trip and fall. Spittle in their face.
Teeth. The brim of his Hat gouges a forehead.
They can’t move. Frozen.
This is it.
Welcome to hell.
Get on the Yellow Footprints.

(link to PDF of magazine to be provided later)