An Alternative Ending to Trapper’s Story (written for lounge-lizard)
“Are you 4077?” The breathless villager asked, gasping from running for what seemed like a very far distance. He was young, looking to be in his early twenties.
Hawkeye, who’d received the visitor who came stumbling in to their camp, nodded as he checked the man for signs of injury. “That’s our name, don’t wear it out.” He muttered, listening to his heartbeat with the stethoscope.
The villager shoved his hands away. “I am not hurt,” he managed to get out, “I am fine. My name is Jeong.”
Hawkeye raised an eyebrow at this man, this poor villager who looked like he’d seen a ghost. “Hawkeye. Look, not to be a doubting Thomas, pal, but people don’t typically visit this place for vacation. What do you need, food? We can spare a place for you at the mess tent, though I should warn you the food here isn’t always dead before you eat it.” He said.
“Pierce, what in blaze’s is going on over here? I thought I told you to check inventory with Hunnicutt an hour ago!” Colonel exclaimed, walking over to the men who sat beside the water tower on the edge of camp.
“Sorry, Colonel, we had an impromptu guest. I was just checking for shrapnel like any gracious host would.” Hawkeye smirked wryly, standing up and folding his arms.
Colonel frowned in concern at the prospect of having an injured patient. “How’s he look?”
“Fit as a fiddle.” Hawkeye replied casually, slinging his stethoscope over his shoulder.
“Enough!” Jeong interrupted the two, “I do not have much time to spare here. My people need me in Ouijambou. I have a message.”
Hawkeye stood up, ready to leave. “Sounds interesting, I won’t lie, but I think Beej will kill me if I make him do inventory count all by himself. Be careful getting home, kid.”
Jeong watched both doctors get ready to go, but frowning in determination, he knew he couldn’t stay silent. Anger burned inside him already at the knowledge of what the US had done. And he himself would be damned if he disrespected the dead any further.
“I know what happened to John McIntyre!” He cried desperately.
This caused both doctors to stop walking instantly. Hawkeye froze, shoulders tense before turning around to face Jeong. “What are you talking about? How do you know that name?” He asked, voice flat.
Fearing they wouldn’t believe him, Jeong hurredly looked through his trouser pockets before finding what he was looking for. Hands shaking, he pulled out the small, crumpled photograph, which was ripped and slightly singed around the edges. “I know what happened to this man.” He repeated slowly, showing the picture to Hawkeye.
The doctor’s eyes widened in shock and confusion, looking to Jeong again. It was Trap. He’d recognize that photo a million miles away. It was his old med school license picture- the two of them used to make fun of each other’s graduation day photos to pass the time, laughing at how the years had changed them. “How did you get this picture?” Hawkeye demanded, looking to the boy.
“Now hold your horses, you two, what’s going on here?” Colonel walked back over to them, then, seeing the picture, frowned in confusion. “How did you come across this, son? Captain McIntyre was discharged months ago.”
“No he wasn’t!” Jeong tried to keep himself from being hysterical, but it was hard to keep the anger inside. They didn’t know.
The two men stared at Jeong, both silent and confused. It was clear that Hawkeye had been closer to this man. His shoulders had tensed since the moment Jeong spoke his name. Looking into their tired, weary eyes, Jeong felt guilt and sadness ripping away at his heart. The last thing he wanted was to be the messenger of such awful news to them. But John was a part of their village, their lives. They deserved to know. The deserved the truth, not the disgusting lie that those men in shiny suits had told them. So, taking a deep breath, he didn’t stutter. He didn’t try to deflect. He just came out and said it.
“He was killed three months ago.” He said, “He died saving my little brother, Kim. He came to give care to the wounded people in our village for a while. He shared his stories and photographs with us.” He gestured to the photo. He didn’t dare look at their eyes as he continued. “It was just a normal day,” his voice cracked, “it wasn’t supposed to happen… But… The north found us. And they set fire to our houses, our streets, our livestock. They raped our women and murdered our friends, they took our children as slaves!” He screeched, flashbacks of the horror rushing through his mind. He remembered desperately trying to find his mother, Kim, and their father amidst all the chaos. “M-m-my brother, he got pinned under a rock as everyone fled… But everything was in flames. No one stopped to help him… except John. The Southern brigade came to fight back and herded us onto busses to leave. I couldn’t find Kim anywhere, but they wouldn’t let me go back and look for him. One minute, my brother was gone, and the next, he was… there. In my mother’s arms, safe. Your doctor saved him.” He paused, looking to the dirt. He could tell a crowd had gathered. He could see other boots outlined in the sunbaked ground. But still, he dared not look up. “But we could not save your doctor.” He whispered hoarsely, unable to keep the tears in his eyes. “Our trucks left without him. So he stayed behind. A-and when we came back, three weeks later…. All that was left was ashes.”
Suddenly, tears turning to anger, Jeong looked up. He looked up at all the facesMASH, men and women, staring at him in shock, some in disbelief. “But your government has lied to you all!” He yelled, so everyone could hear. Everyone deserves to hear. “They sent him there for one last mission, knowing he shouldn't have gone in the first place! They knew the North was advancing, but they sent him anyway to curry favor with Ouijambu! And when they found out they had condemned him to die within the fire, they lied to cover their shame! They lied to you then, and they’ve been lying to you ever since! He did NOT go home to his family, his family buried an empty coffin because his ashes were created here, and were scattered by the wind that blows through THESE GODFORSAKEN MOUNTAINS!” He screamed, out of breath by the time he finished.
Everything was silent. No one spoke. No one uttered a sound. Hawkeye was looking at him with a broken gaze, eyes red from tears. He could barely stand up by himself. He was instead being supported by one tall man with a mustache, and one blonde woman with haunted eyes. The colonel stood stoically, his facial expression unreadable.
Taking a deep breath, Jeong composed himself. “I have no reason to lie to you,” He raised his voice again, “I have no ill will against you. This man saved a child’s life. And your army ignored that. I am a man of my word, or, I try to be. That’s why I am here. Because I cannot let a dead man’s legacy be in vain. Go to your government if you will, tell them what you have heard today. They will deny it, they are selfish and care only of their honor. But they cannot deny me, as a witness who saw this warrior’s fate. I stand before all of you, telling you what John cannot. It is my duty to do so as someone who is forever in his debt.”
The only sounds that echoed through the camp was that of Hawkeye Pierce’s weeping.
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