Giving Up On Stars...

Chapter 4 Rosaline

We file back into the hall and spread out. Tal squeezes my hand as we approach the many shelves of guns.
"It's alright, just try not to see them as people," he whispers into my ear.
I nod in approval and head for a small black pistol with the Cathiopia flag printed on the back.
Tal's gone for a rifle because he wants to look good in training in order to impress Jansidie Hope, to try and get us a better accommodation for the predicted year of fighting. Only worthy fighters get a motor home, the rest get tents, with the exception of the worthy's family members.
We live on the coast of Cathiopia and the battle is in the centre of the three countries. That means that we'll have to ride a train out, and there is no way of getting back until the battle is over. It is a very civilised war really, with all three sides agreeing on the location and starting date of the battle- a first in the history of warfare as far as I'm aware. However, all generous thoughts regarding the battle flee my mind when I arrive at the first station in the training hall and am reminded of the killing device in my hands.
There's a poster on the wall, with an outline of a man and his heart is marked with a red cross.
Bang.
I aim for the target required, instead get the head, which in the scenario of a battle would do just fine.
Bang.
The second one punctures the wall just outside the black outline of the red cross.
Again, would do just fine.
I turn over my shoulder and spy Tal hitting the victim's heart every time. Secretly, I'm jealous of Tal, he was always my parents favourite because he was clever, and really lovely. Frankly, not being weird here, but if he wasn't related to me I would fancy him like there was no tomorrow. But he's my brother and my best friend. My parents named him Tal after our great grandfather who died the year we were born, to keep him alive almost. I'm called Rosaline because my hair is red. Well it was. It's gone kind of auburn now.
Tal strolls back in his relaxed manner and slots the rifle back in it's place.
"Having trouble?" He asks
I pull a face at him and shoot another bullet. This time, it lodges it's self right where the victim's nose should be.
He laughs. "Hand me the pistol Rose."
Bang.
On his first attempt, Tal hits the centre of the red cross.
"Here, look, let's move on to another dummy. There." He says moving to the next poster. "Now this time you're aiming for the head, watch"
I watch him shoot and hit the next cross. When it came to my turn I hit the heart. Typical. I finally hit the target of the last poster. I hate training. Good thing it's nearly over. But death is still to come.