K9LTW – a fiction by MKHurder
Chapter 15: The Edge of Sleep
Dawn Patrol
The jungle pressed in like a living wall, its silence heavier than gunfire. Bearcat was patched but not whole. Sandbags were stacked, the wire was checked, canvas flaps repaired and tied down. The men moved with ritual precision, repairing what could be repaired, making note of what could not.
Donnie moved among them like a shadow. He hadn’t slept. His eyes were hollow, his skin pale, his uniform soaked through with sweat. Bodie stayed close, ears flicking, tail low, his own body showing strain.
McCready watched from a distance. He knew the signs. He’d seen men burn themselves out before. Fear turned into obsession, obsession into collapse. Donnie was walking that line, and Bodie was being dragged down with him.
The jungle was wet and heavy. Mist clung to the ground, curling around roots and vines. Donnie led Bodie out. His rifle at the ready, eyes scanning.
They were thirty meters out when Bodie froze, his tail stiff, head locked in place and sat.
Donnie’s exhaustion dulled not just his senses but his reactions too. He kept moving towards the wire.
Bodie growled, low and guttural.
He stopped mid-step. His boot hovered inches above the trigger. Donnie followed the dog’s gaze and saw it: a thin wire stretched across the trail, nearly invisible in the morning haze.
Donnie backed up slow, heart hammering. “Good boy,” he whispered, voice cracking.
They marked the trap and radioed it in. But Bodie didn’t move. He just sat, panting hard, eyes glassy. Donnie knelt beside him, hands on the harness, forehead pressed to the dog’s.
“You saved me,” he said. “Again.”
But Bodie’s chest heaved, his body trembling. Donnie saw it now. The exhaustion etched into the dog’s frame, the toll of endless patrols. He ignored it. He couldn’t stop. Not yet.
Midday Confrontation
Back inside Bearcat, McCready cornered Donnie near the sandbags.
“You’re killing yourself,” he said. “And you’re killing him.”
Donnie’s jaw clenched. His hands tightened on Bodie’s harness.
“Look, Sarge. I said it before. If I go,” he said. “Bodie goes. That’s it.”
McCready stepped closer, voice low but sharp. “You think you’re the only one who cares? You think you’re the only one who bleeds? You’re not. You’re just the one too stubborn to admit you’re breaking.”
Donnie’s eyes flicked to the treeline, then back to McCready. His lips trembled, but no words came. Bodie pressed against his leg, sensing the tension.
McCready sighed. “I’ve told you before. I’m telling you again. You keep this up, you’ll burn out. And when you burn out, you take him with you. I won’t let that happen, Donnie. Don’t make me intercede.”
Donnie turned away. He couldn’t answer. He couldn’t stop.
McCready shook his head in resignation. “Shit!” he whispered. The cog they could least afford to lose was a Handler right now. Security was thin as it was with all the casualties. With one less K9 team working the berm, they were 50% more vulnerable. But it would be way worse with a burnt-out team working the berm. The camp would have a false sense of security over a team that was underperforming. He had to do something. Working with one team would be a challenge at night, but they could compensate putting more troops on the line. They had to know they were down a team though.
Afternoon Collapse
The heat pressed down like a weight. Donnie staggered along the perimeter, sweat pouring down his face. His vision blurred, his stomach twisted. He doubled over, retching into the dirt.
Bodie whined, circling him, nose nudging his arm.
Donnie wiped his mouth, tried to stand, but his legs buckled. He fell to his knees, gasping. His skin was clammy, his eyes unfocused. Dysentery had drained him, dehydration hollowed him, fever burned through him. Malaria’s touch was unmistakable—the chills, the sweats, the weakness.
McCready and two riflemen rushed over, hauling him upright.
“Get him to the med tent,” McCready barked.
Donnie tried to protest, but his voice was a whisper. “I can’t leave him… I can’t…”
Bodie barked, frantic, tugging at the harness. His eyes were wide, his body tense. He knew something was wrong.
They carried Donnie inside, Bodie straining against the leash, whining, pawing at the canvas flap.
Med Tent
The vet tech worked quickly, checking Bodie’s paw, soothing the dog. Donnie lay on a cot nearby, shivering, sweat soaking his fatigues. His eyes fluttered open, searching for Bodie.
“I’m fine,” he muttered. “Just tired.”
McCready stood over him, arms crossed. “You’re not fine. You’re done. Orders are coming down. You’re being sent to the Philippines. Thirty days. Recuperation.”
Donnie’s eyes widened. “What? No. I can’t leave him.”
“You don’t have a choice,” McCready said. “You’ll die if you stay.”
Donnie turned his head, staring at Bodie. The dog whined, ears perked, eyes locked on his handler.
“I can’t leave him,” Donnie whispered. “He needs me.”
McCready’s voice softened. “He’ll be here when you get back. But if you don’t go, you won’t come back at all. You know he’ll go right along with you to the gates of hell if you let him.”
Final Scene: Separation
The Huey’s rotors thundered overhead, dust swirling through Bearcat. Donnie was carried toward the transport, his body weak, his face pale. Bodie strained against the leash, barking, whining, pulling with all his strength.
“Easy, boy,” Doc said, gripping the harness tight. But Bodie fought, teeth bared, eyes wild. He lunged, trying to reach Donnie.
Donnie lifted his head, eyes meeting Bodie’s. Tears streaked his dirt-stained face.
“I’ll come back,” he whispered. “I promise.”
Bodie barked, frantic, straining against the leash, claws digging into the dirt. His body shook with desperation; his eyes locked on his man.
The Huey lifted, dust and smoke swirling. Donnie’s hand reached out, trembling, as Bodie leapt, held back by the harness.
The distance grew. The sound of rotors drowned everything.
Donnie closed his eyes, agony etched into his face. Bodie’s bark echoed across Bearcat, raw and unrelenting.
Partners, torn apart by war.
(Attn: all images AI generated from my prompts unless otherwise noted.)
This ends Part 1 of Donnie and Bodie’s story. Before they reunite, Donnie has a lot of healing and soul-searching to do. Can he find his way back, or has war wrecked him for good. Stay tuned to find out.
Look for the What’s New at Popi’s thread for updates to the continuing tales of:
- Doh-Rey-Me in the – Sanctuary Saga
- Donnie & Bodie in the – K9LTW Missions
I’ll be using this break to clean up my notes/outlines, unused imagery and plot lines, get rid of all the editing trash, compile what’s left into book form, so I can pass them out to loyal fans. After a certain time frame, I may turn the Doh-Rey-Me and possibly the K9LTW Series into salable items.
Click the link to start from the beginning of – Doh-Rey-Me/BOOK1-Chapter1
Click the link to start from the beginning of – DohReyMe&theKitties3/BOOK2-Chapter1
Click the link to start from the beginning of – K9LTW/BOOK1-Chapter 1
Related Links:
- Four-legged-fighters
- Vietnam Dog Handlers Association
- Military Working Dog Heritage Museum
- Top Dog – Lucca
Bonus Fiction Feature:
If you read any of the fiction I create here to the end, you will be able to download a free copy when It’s complete. If I get a referral from you, I’ll throw in the fiction – Burtt the Blade.
From Popi’s Tales & The Book of Wonders
More from Popi’s Collection of Facts & Fiction
- Burtt the Blade – fiction
- Doh – Rey – Me – fiction – book – written here
- Mystery of Willow Woods – fiction – short Story – written here
- The Last Signal – part one – fiction – book – written here
- Rift Guardians – chapter#1 – fiction – book – written here
- DohReyMe&theKitties3-ch1 – fiction – book – written here – in progress
- Shorty’s Path – non-fiction auto biography book
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