Excerpt: Namesake

Walking across the grass, Brad glanced to his sides, flowers sprouting up everywhere, making it harder to see the words on some of the headstones. He had decent enough directions, though, and he walked a straight path over the grass.

Stopping several rows in, Brad took another look around, seeing a family farther off, leaving flowers. It wasn't a national cemetery, no small American flags flew anywhere, no military honors to be had. He felt out of place in his dress blues, but the feeling passed.

That Solid Snake rested a few feet in front of him instead of Arlington seemed, despite everything, fitting. Snake had been Army in title, but Brad, for the small amount of time he'd known the man, couldn't imagine him wanting to be remembered as a soldier. He'd been tired of being a beast of war.

There'd been no warning that he wouldn't wake up again, no sign that it'd been his definate, last day, no worsening of his health beyond its already terrible state.

Putting his heels together, Brad straightened his back and saluted. It was the only way he could think of to pay his respects. To let the world be, he read the headstone's single line of words to himself.

It was so quiet that the jeep driving up behind him seemed louder than it should have. When he didn't turn, the horn honked to get his attention. Brad headed off before the driver lost all sense of tact and started yelling. The headstone two over from Snake's caught his eye, another one with no name on it, just 'In memory of a true Patriot.' Maybe Snake wasn't the only serviceman here wishing for a low profile after their end.