The Experiment

~07~

It haunts me. Till' this day. I always have them in the back of my mind. Their spirits haunt me. It even brought me few times to the edge. I wanted to end my life. But I never could; I'm just selfish.

***

As we were approaching the building, I had a bad feeling in my gut. I started feeling pressure and pain in my chest. It crushed me from the inside. 

"Okay soldiers, we're going in on three. Smith, throw the smoke granade; everyone, step back."

Private Smith threw the smoke granade and everything became invisible. I could barely recognize the houses through all the smoke.

"One, two, three. GO, GO, GO!" - the sergeant yelled.

We all went inside and hid. As the smoke cleared out, we realised that we were alone there. We all turned to the sergeant.

"Fuck. False Intel." - the sergeant said.

"What do we do now, sir?" - a soldier asked.

"We have to go back. This could be ambush." - the sergeant said worriedly. - "If they gave us wrong Intel, that means that they know we're here right now. We have to go!"

We put the night vision goggles on and went carefully. We didn't know what to expect nor if someone is there. We had to watch our backs at all times.

In about 25 minutes, we circled arount the town a bit and came back to the field. One of the soldiers started speaking. 

"Sir. Sir." - a private said.

"Yes, son?" - the sergeant answered.

"I'm not completly sure, but I think I saw someone on the way back."

"Where? Was it only one person or more?"

"I...I'm not sure." - the soldier stuttered. - "I think it was one person."

"Alright. Where exactly did you see this person?"

"Right there next to the shed. In that small house."

"Okay. Listen, soldiers. Williams thinks he saw someone there." - the sergeant points to the shed. - "Next to that shed."

Everyone starts looking around and trying to see something. We knew that something was wrong the moment we stepped on this field. The feeling only got stronger as we approached the town. 

"We will send two teams. In each team will be two people. Rodriguez, you're with Davis. And Taylor, you're with Lee. Scott, you will go with them only to the entrance of the town. You will hide there and signal us if you see something."

"Yes, sir." - they all said. They grabbed their rifles and put their night vision goggles on. We watched them carefully. As they approached the town, we hid in the field. I felt bad because we were here safe, and they were out there risking their lives. We just didn't know that we will all soon be in the same place.

~10 minutes later~

*gunshot*

We heard the gunshot and immediately stood up. There was no signal from Scott. We were in the dilemma because we didn't know if that shot was maybe accidental. But on the other side, maybe Scott couldn't signal us. Maybe he's hurt or went to help the others.

"Okay, we need to make a plan and we need to make it fast. Nelson, suggestions?"

"We could split into three or four teams and approach from all sides. That way they will be trapped in."

"That could work but we don't know how many people are there and what fire power do they have. If anyone even is there, of course."

"Sir. May I suggest something? - I asked. - "I know that it will sound crazy but if you could only hear me out."