Allen hated it when they called him a hero of war. Hated it, hated it, hated it. They called him a hero for learning how to kill, for taking lives and breaking people away from their friends and families. They thought he deserved to be called a hero for being a killer. Allen just couldn't find the justice for that.

His father gave him a gun and said that if he carried it around for the military he could keep it, and they'd even pay him. It wasn't really much of an option, though it sounded like one. The message was clear, an order to go out to war for the country Allen was hardly even native to. His father told him to see the world, and Allen was going to follow command.

They cut off his hair, but it looked all right.

A hero of war, yeah that's what I'll be.

Allen made friends with his fellow soldiers as they taught were taught to fight, ate with them and laughed with them. He made light of his future with them, listened to their jokes and replied with a cheery attitude. He was one of them, though he was of different attitude than most. Not that mattered much, he was soon shipped off to the war he hated so much.

He did his job, tore people out of their homes and away from the people who want to love them. The children were crying, but he got his man. He took one back to camp with a bag over his head, and once at camp Allen's peers stripped the man of clothing and pissed in his bound hands. Allen shouted at them to stop, but then joined in. Not just once but again and again.

They beat him without the butt of guns, batons and they didn't do it once, no, they did it again and again.

A hero of war, yeah that's what I'll be.

A woman walked out, into the street. He begged her to stop, he begged her to leave. But she shook her head, and he took out a gun. The casings gathered at his feet as she collapsed, a flag in her hand. The flag was white as though to give in.

A hero of war, is that what they see? Just medals and scars, so damn proud of me. And I took home that flag, and now it gathers dust. But it's a flag that I love, it's the only thing I trust.

Allen's father looked at him, a melancholy smile. "Son, have you seen the world?"

I'm not hero of war, I'm a soldier disgraced.