I clap my hands and smile as I sing along with my friends. As we sit in a recently captured bunker, I stand up and sing louder as my favorite part comes up.
"When this lousy war is over, no more soldiering for me,
When I get my civvy clothes on, oh, how happy I shall be!
No more church parades on Sunday; no more begging for a pass.
You can tell the sergeant-major to stick his passes up his arse."
My friend taps my shoulder, and I look at him.
"Wanna accompany me for a smoke?" He says
"Sure, I'll be out there with you," I reply.
I walk out with him. I light a match for him and light his cigarette. I throw the match down as we stand outside the bunker, watching the water and the stars.
"You think this war will end?" He says
"This war?" I say this as I lean on a tree.
He stays quiet and takes a long drag of his cigarette. "What other war would I be referring to?"
I scratch my head and smile. "Yea.. right. I mean, I hope so. We pushed back hard, so it'll be nice if they just surrender. So Ronnie, volunteer or conscript?"
He takes a while to respond, like he's looking back at some memory, then he responds, "Volunteer."
"I see. Well, at least your mom knows she raised a good lad."
He throws down his cigarette and takes out another. "I guess so. I need another light."
I light another match and light his cigarette. "I'm almost out of matches." I look over to the water and throw a rock down the hill.So you think we can shower in that water?"
He looks down, then up at me, "Your clean enough. Either way, you'll probably find a body or two in that water."
I smell my clothes and sigh. "I stink."
"Rub lemons on yourself," Ronnie responds.
I look around and sigh. "And where the hell am I gonna find lemons?"
Ronnie looked at the grass in front of me and back at me and said, "atleast Rub that on your armpits."
"The hell is that gonna do?"
"Somewhat kill the smell." He walks in front of me, pulls out some grass, and tosses it to me.
I rub my armpits and smell myself again. "I guess it kinda worked; I still smell horrible. Like grass with sweat."
"Better than only sweat," he responds.
"True."
And then, with a loud whizzing sound, a bullet hits the tree next to me. As the corvuns go on their offensive, I grab my rifle, but feel a hand grab me as Ronnie grabs my shoulder and throws me down the hill. I look up, my vision blurring as I hear yelling and loud whistles, then everything goes quiet and I pass out.
I wake up about 3 in the morning now, still dark. I get up, hold my head, and stumble to the water. As I clean my face, I sit up, grab my rifle, and start walking up the mountain. I stumble on
A corpse and jump back as I hold back a scream.
I keep walking to my bunker. There's no way we just lost. We've only held this land for weeks.
I stop and look at a flag. Black and white with that damned bird on the side. I sit down, catching my breath as I look up and sigh.
And then I hear footsteps around me. I take out a knife, and I ready myself. I see his shadow as he walks closer and closer. As soon as he turns the corner, I grab him by the neck and stab him. As I drag him to the edge and throw him down, I clean my blade and look around as I start to walk away quickly.
After what feels like hours, I think I crossed the border, or I'm at least close to it. Close to Cetus. I walk by an area and hear something. I move closer to the window and hear someone crying and someone pleading with someone else, but I can't make the words.
I know it's not my business, but. I go to the window and try to get a view as I see two Corvun soldiers taking a young girl upstairs.
Now I'm stuck with a choice: be a hero or lose my chances of making it home.
And I open the door quietly and walk. I leave my rifle on the floor and take out my knife and pistol as I walk up the steps. The crying gets louder. And for once, I wished the Corvuns didn't speak Librae.
I kick open the door and see the Corvun soldier trying to force himself on the girl as another stands and waits for his turn. I put three holes in the first one and turned to the other, who drew his gun.
But I was faster. I unloaded the remaining bullets and went and kicked the Corvun down as I stomped on his hand. He's still alive. Both are.
I pick up his pistol and blow his brains out. Then I walk to the other side and do the same. The gun is a nice trophy. I stare at it with content and then look at the girl as she fixes her clothes.
She's already seen and has been through enough. I walk away, but I feel a hand grab my wrist. I turn to her.
"What?" I say.
She looks at me, her hands shaky as she replies, "I have nowhere to go.. No one to run, too.. Take me with you."
I look at her and sigh. "I'm a soldier. I have duty, and I have to return to a place where I can't take civilians. You don't understa-"
She grabs my arm tighter and pulls me. "Please. They'll just come again, please. You have to take me. They massacred my family. I don't even know where they are! You have to take me. I won't be deadweight, I promise!"
I pull my arm away from her and stare at her in silence. "Why do I have to? And what can you do that doesn't label you as deadweight?"
"I can... uh..." She pauses for a moment, thinking of anything that could possibly make me take her. "Well... I can clean, I can cook... I'm kinda strong, so I could... uh..." she keeps thinking, but then her eyes light up. "I know! My mother taught me much about herbs and medicines. I see your wounded. And I can carry a gun like you too!!"
I stare at her, scratch my head, and let out a loud sigh. "I think anyone can hold a gun. And for me, being wounded, they aren't so bad. I can fight and walk, and so on."
She stares at me silently. Even after so much, she's persistent. "What about infections? Have you ever thought of that, and... and you can teach me how to use a gun?"
I look at her, annoyed, and reply, "Yeah, that makes a lot of noise and isn't something you learn quickly. And I can treat the infections on my own."
She grabs my arm again and holds me down with all her body. She's not so heavy, but I'd rather not hurt her. "I can still heal you quicker and better. And I won't let you go till you take me.."
I take a deep breath and sigh. "Fine. Do just. don't act stupid."
She smiles and takes my hand, to which I pull my hand away and walk forward. "Don't get so touchy... anyways. what's.. your name?"
She looks at me and tilts her head as she tries to read my face. "Aliceson.. Aliceson Johnson. What's yours, stranger?"
"Alexis"
"Alexis, what? She looks up at me once more.
"Alexis Collins."
"That's a nice name!" She looks up at me and smiles.
"How far am I from Cetus?" I ask
"Hm. Cetus cetus, or.. the frontier." She responds
"The frontier," I say to her.
"A bit far. Seems like your men retreated." She says this as she walks downstairs.
"And what are you, Cetan. Corvun?" I ask
"Me? Well.. I guess I'm a Corvun. But my parents are from Cetus."" She responds
"And why are you here?" I ask.
"There was better work and cheaper land. That was until southern Corvus got annexed." She responds as she glares at me.
"... so you're a Corvun sympathizer." I respond as I reach for my rifle.
"Not really. I hate both sides." She responds
"I see. I guess.. for a civillian, it's understandable." I move my hand away from my rifle and walk behind her.
"Come here. Rest I'll heal your wounds. They seem like a lot of blunt force injuries. It's almost like you fell off a mountain." She motions for me to sit in a chair as she begins to boil some herbs.
I sit on the chair and watch her as she works on the herbs. After a few minutes, she comes to me with a bowl and a rag, which she places it on my wounds. I grunt in pain. Mostly because the water is hot.
After a few minutes, she stops and looks at me. "All done! I would recommend you rest for tonight," she says as she stands up and smiles.
"Ah. Yeah, thank you. I'll rest for the night. Tell me if you see anything." I respond
"Goodnight!" She says.
"Goodnight." I respond as I lay down and try to sleep.
The sun rises as a new day approaches. I get up and look at Aliceson; she's still asleep. I get up, tie my boots, and pick up my helmet. I grab my rifle and look at her once more before walking away.
I make it into the forest and hear some running behind me. I grab my rifle and aim behind me.
"Wait!!! It's me. Alice!"
I stare at her. Worried. Then, annoyed, "How did you even find me?"
"Luck," she says.
She extends her hand and shows me an old revolver.
"Where did you get that?" I say.
She looks up at me with pride as she holsters her gun in an old and worn-out holster. "It's my father's gun. He told me where to get it just in case I needed it."
".. are you sure it even works? Do you even know how to use it?" I say
She takes her gun back out and looks at it. "y-yes. My father showed me how to shoot. And reload"
"But it's not loaded?" I respond
"Yes.. because.. I forgot where the ammo was.. it's just for intimidation for now!" She says.
"Whatever you say." I sigh and keep walking as we go deeper into the forest.
"So how much further until I'm close to my people?" I say.
She shrugs her shoulder and keeps walking. "I dunno. We probably crossed the border. I don't have a map, yknow?"
.. "But you said you knew the way." I say
"I lied... well, somewhat. I know some of the trail, but as I said, we probably crossed the border."
I let out a deep sigh and kept walking. "Can you carry some of my stuff? It's heavy."
"I'm not a mule," she says.
"You said you were strong." I respond
"I'm just a girl," she says with a slight grin.
I stay quiet and turn around as I take my shovel and hand it to her. "Carry it."
She stares at me, annoyed, and pokes me with the shovel as I walk.
"Can you stop?" I say
"No." She responds. As she pokes me again,
I stop and see some figures. In the distance, I stop Alice and look at her. "Stay here.. I'll go check it out."
"Let me go with you. I can fight too."
"Not unarmed, you can't." I respond
She holds up her revolver. "Just let me get some ammo, and I can help."
"Alice. No." I start to walk forward and crouch down as I pull my rifle down, and I look forward to seeing a group of corvuns patrolling. I cock my rifle and hear Alice go behind me.
"I told you to stay."
"I know, but I'm with you for a reason. I won't stand idle while you go risk your life," she says.
I sigh and walk forward as I try to sneak around. I trip on a root and fall down, making the bushes move and causing a loud thud.
I heard a voice speak as it walked closer to me. "Hey, I see something.. something in Zat bush."
The footsteps get closer as I grab Alice and run away from the corvuns right behind us, but they aren't giving up anytime soon, and fighting them is impossible to win.
I grab a handful of handgun ammo from my pocket and put it in Alice's hand as I shove her down into a bush. I turn around to the corvuns and raise my hands. "I Surrender!!"
"get down. NOW!" They yell at me as I get down, throwing my gun down, as they go behind me and tie my hands together.
"Where's ze girl?" They say
"What girl?" I respond.
"Don't think I'm playing games, cetan. Ze girl, now!" He is annoyed.
"I don't know of any girl you speak about."
He curses under his breath and hits my face with the butt of the gun. I fall down and look back. I see Alice hiding in a bush. She looks at me worried but eventually crawls away slowly.
The corvuns pick me up and force me to walk. I hear one of them say:.
"Look for Ze Girl; she can't be far from here."
They push me forward, and I feel something hit the back of my head as I fall unconscious.
Later on, I wake up in a dirty cell. A man across me. A prisoner as well, he looks at me and sighs.
"Don't you worry, friend. We won't be here for long."
To be continued.
YOU ARE READING
The Centauran Wars.
Hành độngThe Centauran Wars (1908-1944) were a series of wars of conquest conducted by Antares and Corvus against the numerous coalitions and oppositions in Centaura. It is the main event in which centauran wars takes place in. It resulted in a series of con...