It All Came Falling Down

six

    “Everybody out!” shouted Lieutenant Truxin. Not too long before, our vehicles came to a stop after some distance. The sun was beginning to set when the lieutenant ordered us off the backs of our trucks. “Come on! Hurry, and form up!” 
    From several vehicles, we soldiers of the Esdrusian Freedom Forces unloaded ourselves and gathered in a neat formation, standing attentively.  
    “Attention, comrades! Our brothers and sisters have conquered this town! Today, we will march into town to demonstrate to the people Esdrusian military might! We shall march in firm and steady steps, following our tank crews and their beautiful weaponry. Army strong, my fierce warriors. To the glory of our beloved leaders and Esdrusia, hail victory!”
    “Hail victory!” every soldier cheered in unison.

    Left, right. Left, right. I marched in an organised fashion, in step with the rest of my comrades. The Freedom Forces had entered this town in Southern Anfaria victoriously, flashing our weapons and military might. People watched from the streets and their windows. Some cheered, others silent in anger and disbelief to see their home taken by those they deem as invaders. Through the setting sun, we had finally reached the end, at the town forum. At last, we were given the orders to fall out. 
    “To the bar!” a soldier shouted happily. The crowd laughed and celebrated loudly.
    “The bar!” someone else repeated. And the troops went wild again. We made our way into a tavern close to the forum. It was a fairly big place, with plenty of tables and seats. I shoved my way to get a seat at the edge of the long bar.
    I gestured to one of the two bartenders; this one was a beautiful young maiden with fair skin, blonde hair, and a pretty face. She forced a smile by curving her dark red lips upwards. “I’ll get a glass of water.”
    “Water?” interrupted Lieutenant Truxin, who took a seat next to me. “Are you mad? Get us two shots of whiskey,” he said, turning to the woman. 
    “Thank you, sir,” I said, although I didn’t really want alcohol. 
    “Don’t mention it, Corporal,” he told me, his eyes not even for a second leaving the bartender. “Damn, she’s a pretty one, isn’t she?”
    “Yeah,” was all I answered, as the blonde handed us two small glasses filled with a rich, brown liquid. 
    Lieutenant Truxin stood up from the bar seat. “What is your name, honey?”
    “Gwen,” she said with her forced smile. 
    “What a beautiful name, Gwen. It’s almost as beautiful as yourself. Care to spend the night with me?” flirted the lieutenant.
    “No, thank you,” she told him uncomfortably and annoyed. 
    “Come one, I insist!” Truxin reached out and touched her hand.
    She pulled back. “Don’t touch me please, sir.”
    The officer climbed over the bar counter and hopped behind it. He grabbed Gwen’s arms. “Come with me, baby.”
    “No!” she protested. That’s when the lieutenant pulled her hair with one hand and gripped her neck with the other. The other bartender, a middle-aged male, clenched his fists, but a soldier at the bar saw him and pointed a rifle at him and demanded the man to stop and raise his hands into the air. 
    “Let’s go, Gwen,” Truxin kissed the young maiden on the side of her head. “Corporal Wyllis, follow me.”
    “Yes, sir.” I took my shot of whiskey and walked out of the tavern with my superior. He led the way into the alleyway between this building and the next. 
    “Wyllis, keep guard,” he ordered, pushing the overpowered Gwen onto the brick wall. I turned around, facing the street, and unslung my rifle from my shoulder. I kept watch, looking and making sure people were not curiously taking peeks of what was happening in the alley. 
    “Please, no! Please!” begged and cried Gwen, who became muffled as the lieutenant cupped his hand over her mouth. 
    “Shut up! Ughhh!” I closed my eyes, trying my best to ignore his sick moans. This was wrong, but orders were orders. 
    What felt like hours later had passed when he shouted to me. “Hey, Wyllis! I’m about done with this girl. It’s your turn to get some of this!”
    “No thank you, sir!” I replied, concealing my disgust and anger.
    “You thinking about that sweet little wife of yours?” Truxin said in a mocking tone. “Ughhh! This feels good... Hey! What the hell do you think you’re doing?!”
    I faced back to see Gwen, half nude and wearing torn garments, fighting and struggling, her nails digging into the lieutenant’s skin and creating bleeding cuts. Truxin landed a strike into her head and threw her onto the ground. He then proceeded to draw his pistol and shot the poor maiden twice, leaving her lifeless body on the cold cobblestone beneath his feet. A pool of blood stained and soaked the area surrounding her. Truxin fixed up his uniform and walked towards me. “Bitch attacked me! Let’s get out of here. And Corporal, you didn’t see anything tonight.”

    The gunfire outside was only getting louder and louder. The Resistance was closing in. I readjusted my helmet and reloaded my weapon. Ammunition was running scarce; I was going to have to survive by strategy, not brute force. A female comrade knelt by the windowsill, aiming her rifle out of the window and shooting at things on the street below. 
    “Addilyn? Addi, is that you?” I asked, hurrying to her. 
    “Hey, K! Get your ass over here and help me out, eh?” the tough brunette said. “Shoot those Resistance bastards down there!”
    “Wait! Wait! Weren’t you— weren’t you killed in Central Anfaria?” I asked, surprised to see her. 
    Before she could answer, a bullet whizzed in and pierced her chest. She fell to the wooden floorboards beneath her feet, blood shooting out from the new hole. 
    “Addi! Addi!” I shrieked, but it was too late. She laid lifelessly on her back, and her eyes were open wide and still. I took up my rifle and aimed out the window. That’s when I saw him: a Resistance sniper, brandishing a lethal weapon. And his scope and the ugly muzzle of his firearm was pointed straight at me.