Diary of a Red Ring Survivor

Wednesday, May 18 2011, 23:26

It’s been fifteen days. Fifteen days spent in this grim hell. I’m starting to feel the true horror of the situation kick in. My mind is cracking, my reactions dulling, my senses going numb, I fear that soon I may be beyond saving. I thought this would be easy, thought I could last through this pain and suffering, but as each day passes the light at the end of the tunnel is getting dimmer and dimmer. How long must this last? More importantly, can I survive? The chances of getting through this fall somewhere between ‘slim’ and none’. I fear I may not be long for this world. Therefore, I hope this message reaches somebody and that this story is told, not only so that I may be remembered, but also to warn others of this fate so that perhaps they can be more prepared than I was.

I’ll start by mentioning that this isn’t my first battlefield. In fact, I’ve been a soldier since 2007, serving my faction proudly and without hesitance. I’ve found myself fighting in this particular war of attrition at least three times before, though none of them have been this bad. I’ve always had some kind of hope, be it in the form of backup, or a temporary restationing. Of course, I was always eager to return to my original post. It was like home to me, not to mention I could never abandon all the comrades that served with me over the years. And I always did return, without fail.

Like all soldiers I started out rather green, but over time I became a veteran, known the world over for my exploits and daring service against all odds. I met many experienced soldiers both friend and foe, a lot of whom I still associate with to this day. I never once thought of retiring- I always knew that I’d fight this battle ’til the end, and I never once questioned that. I still don’t question that, even faced with the situation I’m in now. Like many of my companions, I even went so far as to get a tattoo to commemorate my everlasting loyalty. And though I may have wound up doing mild mercenary work for rivals just to stay afloat, I always remained loyal to my allegiance and never once dared to raise up arms against that which mattered most to me in this war, for they were my family. And you NEVER attack family.

My exploits were…memorable, to say the least. If I recall my original commanding officer went by the name of Moore, though he’s no longer with our unit anymore. Assisting in revolutions, infiltrating shadowy complexes, helping to enforce crackdowns, you name it and I’ve most likely been a part of it. And though at some point it felt like the gears of war never stopped turning, I didn’t mind. I always accomplished my goals to massively effective results, and though to the outside world it may have seemed like I was in bad company, I never felt more at home in my life. As I mentioned before, they were my family.

But then I found myself fighting the battle I’m currently engaged in now, pinned down by Squad E74. Never before in all my years of service have I felt this tension, this dread, this fear. Whenever I can sleep I’m plagued by nightmares, all I see when I close my eyes are those damn flashing lights. The enemy has never been this brutally uncompromising or indomitable. One by one my resources have failed, and it only got worse from there. Over time it became incredibly clear that this was to be a one-man battle for survival- there would be no backup. No reinforcements, no pulling out, no emergency retreat to ensure my continued ability to do battle. At one point I had a faint glimmer of hope appear in the form of news that an emergency resupply was to arrive, but to date fifteen days have passed by with no sign of my unwitting saviors. It appears the higher-ups had forgotten me this time. Perhaps maybe even the ‘family’ that I held so dear had forgotten too.

But I will not end this fight in a cowardly fashion. I will march on diligently, knowing full well the risks involved. My weapons have all been rendered useless and my options for continued survival grow slim. The situation is unfathomably bleak as the aforementioned backup continues to never arrive. I will not lose hope, I will not falter in my loyalty. I will hold out as long as I can. And though this may be my final hour, I will make it my finest. I’d rather go out with a bang than a whimper.

And so I must end this letter here, for there is no quiet time left on this battlefield for me to continue writing. I pray this message does not fall on deaf ears, that somebody hears my words and remembers them well. I’m no hero, and I don’t expect to be regarded as such should this message find its way to somebody. The only thing I hope is that, should you find yourself in the same predicament as I, you’re more adequately prepared than I. If this becomes my final message, I have one final request- please tell my girlfriend and my dog that I love them dearly.

…Also, if I do wind up not making it, tell that stupid UPS guy it was all his fault. He shoulda had my Xbox delivered to me a week ago dammit.

Sincerely,
Robert Russell
1st Battalion, Xbox Division