The Last Ride

Jenkins pulled back on the stick, his helicopter slowly rose above the heaving carrier deck. The smell of saltwater saturated the air. The heat was quickly ushered away by the chopper's quick acceleration. He could feel the tension in the air. Jenkins, his copilot and door gunner were all wondering, will they let uf leave them behind? He tried to take ghis mind off the war with thoughts of home and family, but to no avail. He could not remove his thoughts from their plight. Those that were left behind would be subjugated by the communists, many would likely die. It was not his to wonder why, but to do or die, these words were ash in his mouth. How could they leave them there?
They were there.
The city was covered in smoke, people were everywhere. Running. He angled the chopped in to the parking lot and slowly decellerated. The crowds were just as large as they had been that morning. The marines could barely hold them back. The chopper was ssoon full, too many were left on the ground. This was the last flight, all the rest would have to face their doom. He felt his heart fall as he pulled back on the stick yet again, how could he do this? He could feel the despair in the air, everybody knew the end was here. He wept as they left, he wept for those left behind, for home, for all he wished he could do but could not.