Mohawk Mike

Mike grew up surrounded by veterans, his father, grandfather and great grandfather, whom he'd only met once, but you best believe, he has heard the stories, the legend that carries. It was almost like a family tradition, every man born into this family is fighting for our rights, for our sanity and for our country. That was ingrained into Mike from a young age. He was a bright kid, always either drawing or doing strange and cool things to his hair. As he got older he realised, he didn't want to fight, he wanted to be a tattoo artist and a barber. In his teenage years he was rebelling, hair in a mohawk, illegal tattoos all over his body. Eventually he got forced into the war. “Itll straighten you out.” his dad would carry on. He needs structure and discipline.” Nieve and full of hope, a vision of his shop, “get through this and you'll make it home, doing what you love, where you belong.” he would think to himself. The first day he meets his squad. He finds his friends but there's a guy named Pat. Mike likes Pat. Pat looks lost, Pat looks… pointless. It's almost like Mike sees his younger self in Pat. He introduces himself and they immediately become best buddies, forming a brotherly like bond. They are together on the front line, ready to take action. Mike is calm, chain smoking cigarettes, trying his best to keep his mind off the war. He offers one to pat. Shots fired and Pat was terrified, both of them running for their lives, too much to live for to get killed. Pat ran far. Mike yelled at him to keep going while he struggled to catch up, pat wanted to wait but he couldn't, he was fearful. A loud bang echos through the field. Mike had been shot. Pat watched in horror as the life drained out of him, the life left his eyes. Mike was dead. His dreams of opening a tattoo and barber shop were gone. His whole life ahead of him was gone. He had his whole life. He died doing what he hated, just to make his parents happy. In the end, his parents lost their son, Pat lost his best friend, his mentor, his brother, and Mike lost his life. No one ended up happy. Mike's story is an example of how a life that isn't your's to live is always going to be a life half lived