THE PRAYER

Aponte never heard the blast.

Something startled him, as if he had been shaken violently from a dream.

He heard the flames. He looked around.

Then he heard voices. "C'mon, Aponte! Get out! Get out!"

View a graphic of the attack

Cannon and Harrington were right outside the Humvee, peering in. But to Aponte, they looked far off -- as if he were watching them through the wrong end of a telescope.

"What happened?" Aponte asked. "What's going on?" His own voice sounded like he was talking underwater.

He felt warm liquid run down his forehead.

Oh, [expletive], he thought. I got shot!

Then he reasoned.

No, I didn't get shot, because I can think. How can I be dead if I can think? Maybe the bullet just grazed my head.

Keep calm, he told himself.

If you get scared, you're gonna bleed faster, because your pump is gonna pump faster. Relax. Remember, you have Cannon, who is the medic. Whatever you got in your head, whatever is wrong with me, I know Cannon is going to fix it.

Somebody took him out of the Humvee. He collapsed and grabbed for the vests of the soldiers beside him.

They laid him down.

Cannon started working on his head.

Aponte fretted that the squad was under attack. "Be careful, be careful," he said.

Somebody took his boots.

His right hand burned. He begged for somebody, anybody, to pour water on it. The sun was in his eyes; he asked somebody to block it.

Now someone was taking his pants.

"No," Aponte said, "I don't have no underwear." It was hot; he hadn't worn any.

People were talking to him.

Aponte! Aponte! they said, don't worry, you're going home.

He grew sleepy.

Stay awake, they told him. What kind of food would his wife cook when he got home,they asked. Aponte was in pain. He was grouchy.

"Man," he said, "leave me the [expletive] alone. I don't know what the hell she gonna cook."

He fought sleep. When he thought he couldn't stay awake any longer, he prayed.

Please God, don't let me die. I don't wanna die. I wanna see my family. I wanna see my son grow.

As soon as he had completed the thought, Aponte changed his mind.

You know what, God, I'm sorry, I take that back. I know I'm not gonna die.

Right there he fell asleep.