Guarding Love

Chapter 13 - Promises Promises

A/N Possible Trigger Warning violence and mention of death. If violence and mention of death trigger you, feel free to skip the paragraphs with italics. 

"Of all forms of caution, caution in love is perhaps the most fatal to true happiness." - Bertrand Russell.

Kelly POV

Sweat trickles down my forehead, mixed with the dust on my face; it stings my eyes as the blazing hot sun beats on us as we patrol the hostile territory. Each step is deliberate as we try to maintain stealth, but the rhythmic crunching of our boots on gravel, dirt and sand echoes through the barren landscape as we move information. I'm positioned at the front of the formation with Dad (Lieutenant Colonel (LTC.) Williamson) to my right; Reeses and Pieces are a few paces behind with Conroy, Rogers, Jones, West and Raven. In the last couple of missions, we have seen a bunch of activity, so tension is high as we advance cautiously through the rugged terrain, scanning the surroundings for danger and readying our rifles. We keep our chatter to a minimum and communicate through hand signals. Today's mission is reconnaissance to search out enemy strongholds.

Dad kneels and signals for us to halt as we approach a cluster of dense vegetation. There is no denying that my Dad can read the terrain and sense danger almost on instinct. Perhaps this is why he is held in such high regard by the Rangers. I have never questioned any orders he has given me, even though we rarely have been on patrol or missions together. He had taken Major Mason's spot, but I am unsure of its reasoning. I guess he pulled rank and wanted to spend one patrol with his daughter before heading home, although he'd never admit it, and the Rangers wouldn't tolerate that reasoning.

Taking cover behind rocks and fallen trees, my eyes scan every direction for potential threats. The silence is deafening, broken only by the wind rustling through the vegetation. We freeze when a twig snaps in the distance and raise our rifles, instinctively with our fingers hovering over the triggers. I take several deep breaths to slow my racing heart. Two hares scurried across the path before us, oblivious to our presence. I released the breath I held, which lessened some of the tension in my body. There was a mix of relief, but my adrenaline lingered.

Resuming our mission, the terrain alternated from an open field to a narrow path lined with hills and mountains. Being trapped in the narrow opening put me on edge since it gave the assailant many options to attack. Since there were no other options, we took this direction. My nerves continue to increase as we continue deeper my eyes constantly scan every direction with my rifle. The mountains are eerily quiet. There a no birds in the sky, no sounds from the local wildlife, and the wind had died down. Dad signals us to stop, and we immediately get into cover.

Suddenly, insurgents stood up from the tops of the hills and a few on the ridge close to us. The crack of rifle fire echoed around us as a barrage of bullets whizzed through the air. We opened fire. Mortar and RPG fire reins on us, spraying dust, dirt and debris.

As the firefight dragged on, I lost all concept of time until I heard the thump of a grenade hit the dirt close to me. "GRENADE," I shout, and before I can jump on it to muffle the blast and protect my men, Reeses grabs my rucksack, pulling me backwards as I watch my dad jump on the grenade—

"NOO!" I shout as I jolt awake and upward in bed, with my hand instantly moving to my stomach as I grimace in pain. I'm shrouded in pure darkness as I try to get my bearings. The unknown consumes me, casting an unsettling aura over the darkroom as my mind races.

"Hey. Hey, easy, you're okay." A soft voice whispers in the darkness, and I become hyper-aware of a body beside me. They try to take my hand, but I jolt it away as I move out of their reach. I do not know where or if I am in enemy hands, but the bed feels strange. "Kel, it's me. It's okay. Calm down. Kelly, you're safe."