David squeezed the trigger, the gun spitting silently in the night, smoke rising almost lazily from the barrel. The figure at the far end of the block jerked and crumpled to the ground.
David lowered his gun slowly to his side; he did not hurry away from the scene, he did not skulk or even walk fast. David approached the cooling body on the pavement and looked down at the once vibrant face of the woman. He told himself that it didn't matter, that she was a traitor, that he was just doing his job. He wondered however, why the gun felt so heavy at his side.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Helping Hand
It had to have been near 12 hundred when David paused on his way to his quarters. He was near the large multi-purpose room that served all functions when he heard sounds coming from the dim room. Poking his head in he saw Joe. David leaned against the door frame for a few minutes watching the young man. It looked like he was practicing on the fighting moves that they had worked on this afternoon.
"Joe, what are you doing?" David asked, shouldering his way away from the door.
Joe spun around and snapped off a sharp salute. "Practicing sir."
"At ease Joe," David said, entering the room fully. Joe relaxed a little, wiping sweat from his brow.
"It usually helps if you have another person to practice with."
"Everyone else is busy sir."
"Your form could use some work Joe."
"Yes sir." Joe looked down a little.
"I am not busy, so let's see what we can do about your form."
"Yes Sir!" Joe said enthusiastically.
David guided Joe through the motions of the attacks, gentle in his corrections and advice.
"Joe, what are you doing?" David asked, shouldering his way away from the door.
Joe spun around and snapped off a sharp salute. "Practicing sir."
"At ease Joe," David said, entering the room fully. Joe relaxed a little, wiping sweat from his brow.
"It usually helps if you have another person to practice with."
"Everyone else is busy sir."
"Your form could use some work Joe."
"Yes sir." Joe looked down a little.
"I am not busy, so let's see what we can do about your form."
"Yes Sir!" Joe said enthusiastically.
David guided Joe through the motions of the attacks, gentle in his corrections and advice.
Pranks
Mark and Brian were huddled in the far corner of their barrack room, just out of sight of the door.
"Shh, you'll wake up Joe." Mark said, elbowing his twin in the side.
Brian stifled his snickers as best he could. his eyes darting back to the bucket of water that was perched precariously on top of the door. Mark had thought that this prank was a little to unsophisticated for them, but Brian had insisted. "It's a classic," he said as he filled the bucket. They knew that Steve would be back soon.
"Shh," Mark said again as they heard the faint footfalls in the corridor. They heard the creak of the door being opened and the clatter and splash as the bucket hit the ground. The yell of surprise however did not sound like Steve.
Brian peeked around he bed and saw a very wet Commander Cole.
David was brushing his wet hair out of his eyes and looking around the room, his gaze finally fell on Brian and Mark.
"Uh oh," Mark said.
"Uh oh is right," David said, advancing on the two soldiers.
"Shh, you'll wake up Joe." Mark said, elbowing his twin in the side.
Brian stifled his snickers as best he could. his eyes darting back to the bucket of water that was perched precariously on top of the door. Mark had thought that this prank was a little to unsophisticated for them, but Brian had insisted. "It's a classic," he said as he filled the bucket. They knew that Steve would be back soon.
"Shh," Mark said again as they heard the faint footfalls in the corridor. They heard the creak of the door being opened and the clatter and splash as the bucket hit the ground. The yell of surprise however did not sound like Steve.
Brian peeked around he bed and saw a very wet Commander Cole.
David was brushing his wet hair out of his eyes and looking around the room, his gaze finally fell on Brian and Mark.
"Uh oh," Mark said.
"Uh oh is right," David said, advancing on the two soldiers.
Training
David was flat on his back again, his opponent disarming him with amazing speed. All around him were other pairs sparring in the large room that was practically the hub of his world now. It was here that he learned how to fight, how to shoot, how to disarm and build bombs. It was here that his path to revenge was taking shape.
"On your feet Dave," James said from above him.
David arched his back and flipped onto his feet, falling into a fighters stance.
"You moved to soon again," James said, demonstrating the move again. "It is all about knowing how and when to strike. Speed is not so important at this point, it will come in time with the muscle memory. Now, try it again."
James was one of David's frequent sparring partners, and the closest person he had to a friend. James had taken care to show David the ropes, helped in his training.
David flowed through the movements again, waiting until he thought the time was right to strike. David suddenly jerked his arm forward, grazing James across the jaw. David grinned, but suddenly found himself on the floor again.
"Never lose focus."
"On your feet Dave," James said from above him.
David arched his back and flipped onto his feet, falling into a fighters stance.
"You moved to soon again," James said, demonstrating the move again. "It is all about knowing how and when to strike. Speed is not so important at this point, it will come in time with the muscle memory. Now, try it again."
James was one of David's frequent sparring partners, and the closest person he had to a friend. James had taken care to show David the ropes, helped in his training.
David flowed through the movements again, waiting until he thought the time was right to strike. David suddenly jerked his arm forward, grazing James across the jaw. David grinned, but suddenly found himself on the floor again.
"Never lose focus."
Another Beginning
David jerked awake at the klaxon call of 0500. Bleary eyed he stumbled out of bed and grabbed for his uniform pants. He growled in frustration when he realized, a few futile moments later, that he was trying to pull them on over his shoes. Hopping around he tried to get them off again when he over corrected and fell over. The cement floor of the barracks was ice cold against his bare back.
"Here," a voice said from above. David squinted, trying to make out the figure above him, the halogen lights above making it difficult. David focused and grabbed a hand that was offered to him, he was quickly hoisted to his feet.
A smiling face greeted him when he was able to pry his eyes open all the way. Bright green eyes set in a friendly face, the man's blond hair buzzed close to his head.
"The first week is the hardest." The man said laughing. "Well actually the second and third weeks are the toughest, but at that point you're either committed or you're not."
David smiled wryly, "Where else would I go?"
The man grinned broadly, "Me too. Hey I'm James," he held out his hand again, this time in greeting.
"I'm David." David said, accepting the hand again.
"Better hurry up, the commanders will be in in a few minutes to inspect us." James stood up and stepped a few feet away to his own cot and made the bed. He pulled a quarter out of his pocket and bounced it off the bed after he was done.
The inspection was mercifully brief, though David did have a strike against him for not having his cot made up proper. He vowed to have it right the next day.
"Come on," James said, throwing an arm around David's shoulder, "let's go get some food."
"Here," a voice said from above. David squinted, trying to make out the figure above him, the halogen lights above making it difficult. David focused and grabbed a hand that was offered to him, he was quickly hoisted to his feet.
A smiling face greeted him when he was able to pry his eyes open all the way. Bright green eyes set in a friendly face, the man's blond hair buzzed close to his head.
"The first week is the hardest." The man said laughing. "Well actually the second and third weeks are the toughest, but at that point you're either committed or you're not."
David smiled wryly, "Where else would I go?"
The man grinned broadly, "Me too. Hey I'm James," he held out his hand again, this time in greeting.
"I'm David." David said, accepting the hand again.
"Better hurry up, the commanders will be in in a few minutes to inspect us." James stood up and stepped a few feet away to his own cot and made the bed. He pulled a quarter out of his pocket and bounced it off the bed after he was done.
The inspection was mercifully brief, though David did have a strike against him for not having his cot made up proper. He vowed to have it right the next day.
"Come on," James said, throwing an arm around David's shoulder, "let's go get some food."
Gift From a Friend
Silky smooth and cool to the touch, it lay on the table, full of promise. A heady aroma floated up from the soft and supple leather. Finely stitched and even finer grain spoke of elegance and a touch of anachronism. Gilt edges are slightly worn with time and use. The paper is thick and off-white; covered with a close and careful hand at times and loose hurried scrawl at others, capturing words. Words that flowed, occasionally, from the delicate quill pen that lay near the inkwell on the table, other times from a serviceable and worn fountain pen. Words expressing a soul, a life and a passion. Words that are hidden from the world, tucked carefully away on the shelf, waiting for an addition.
Spring Joys
Brightly stitched cloth flutters up into the sky, born aloft by a warm breeze out of the south. The fresh scents of spring lay heavy in the air that sends up a kite. Blues and greens swirl across the nylon fabric, it looks like waves in they sky. String is played out bit by bit, keeping just enough tension to keep it in the air. As it rises slowly in the golden light of they day it takes less effort to keep it in the air, and more to keep it connected to the ground, and the hand that controls it.
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