Not Just Paintball

• Walking the sands of the Gobi Desert. The sand was wet from the rain a few hours ago. The smell of paint is in the air. The dusty wind blowing through my dark sandy hair. I didn’t get a chance to have some water before I was deployed. I haven't been in any combat yet because this is our first night here.

• The first night roles around and all day we have been building our base out of wet barrels and broken tree branches. By the morning we should all be set and done with our base. We will talk about the tactics in the morning but for now we have to go for a little hunt to get to know the place and make sure we are safe. Me and my general set out for some food and natural resources.

• While our air force comes in to land at the base they have resupply of paint, water, and food. Me and my general get a good greeting from the captain. We took the food and off he goes. He was our last hope for anything, life, food, water, everything. If anything happens now, we are on our own.

• We head back with our food and supplies. We end up running into some traps on the way to the base but they were too obvious too see. I ran across a carving in a tree saying “Michael.” I didn’t understand what it was for but it must have to do with something of the enemy. There was literally no where too look because sand is in your eyes 24/7.

• When arriving to our base I start building onto our base, making a safe room, putting ammunition and food in there. Our flooring is mainly sand so if we ever get locked out then we can just dig our way back into the safe room. I load my gun and clean my barrel and just writing letters to my family just so they know I'm safe.

• While I’m writing my letters in the safe room, I hear some sand remove from the ground underneath me. I didn’t really understand what was going on but I just let it be because I haven't seen any enemies yet. I walk out of the safe room and head back to my bed room. It’s a quarter past 12 and I’m just now going to sleep. Tomorrow I have a big day and training is coming up.

• I wake up too whistles in my face and being yelled at we are under attack. I look out the window I see all my soldiers dead. I see one of the enemies and I think its only one of them. This should be easy. I pick up my gun and run into the safe room. And that’s when I saw it all. There was a huge tunnel running from our safe room to the enemies territory. That’s must be how they attacked.

• I started shooting down to make sure the tunnel was clear and that there wasn’t any soldiers in there. It was clear. My whole squad is dead and its just me and this one enemy. I started to take shots out of the window when he started to run off. I didn’t know what was going on so I tried to see if I had anymore men back. In the sand I saw a red metal name tag and it had to be the enemy's. The name read “Michael Knecht”

• I body checked all the men. As soon as I figured out that I am all alone and that there was no one left I decided to pick up my gun and get ready for a 1v1 battle. “I haven't been trained but I can still do this” I kept saying to myself. My gun as a full tank left and I still had hope. At the very back of my mind I had to get my letter shipped and it might be the last letter I ever send. I run into the safe room and put the letter in the box. I teared up and jumped down into the tunnel.

• I heard footsteps echoing down through the tunnel. I lifted up my gun and right then I looked down my sights and there he was pointing his barrel right down my throat. I dropped the gun and was told to get on the ground. He asked if I needed any last words and that’s when I made my move I got up and pulled the gun away from my face. He kept taking shots but none hit me.

• He grabbed me by the neck and threw me head first in the sand. Smashed a glass jar on top of my head and pulled out his bayonet. That’s when it was over. He asked if I had any last words and cut my throat open and snapped my head. And now I’m here telling this amazing story in heaven.