The Soldiers Key

Chapter 13: Blackout

I followed Revens orders and stayed near the walls. The enemy started to fire back with their own artillery the walls constantly being hit. Occasionally a building within the wall is unlucky enough to get hit. I leaned against the cold stone of the wall, the vibrations of every hit against it tickling my back.

Two other soldiers made their way towards me. One of them is a tall man while the other is the young man who was running around shouting orders. Neither of them held weapons, and both of them... well, they don't seem very...

The young man fell against the wall sobbing, while the tall man stared at me blankly.

"So... were just stuck here, huh?"
I looked at him.

"Seems so..."
Another explosion sounded off somewhere.
The tall man grabbed onto his head.

"Boom! Every five fucking minutes! Boom! Boom! Boom! I don't know how much longer I can handle this...? And you...? Come on... someone else has to be sick of it too!"

I looked at the man in uncertainty.

"I... don't know... to be honest."
The man laughed as he held onto his head.

"I guess we all handle this differently... hehehe... our impending deaths!"

Is this... what I was like...?

I reached out my hand to him when the younger one spoke up.

"Hey! We're not going to die! I don't want to die! I can't die! Not now! SO just shut up! SHUT it!"

The tall man shook his head.

"Sure... maybe not now, but you know this place only has so many resources... and all they have to do is wait us out... and then one day we are all found to be dead! Then they can make their way in here no problem!"
He's losing his mind...

I grabbed one of his shoulders.

"Hey, calm-"

The man shoved me backwards as he stared at me angrily.

"Don't tell me to calm the fuck down! I don't have to listen to those commanders! I am going to leave this place- otherwise I am going to-"

A gunshot rang out as a bullet shot through the man's head.

I looked to my left to see Arpegio as he looked at me and the other soldier.

"There... we cannot afford these parasites... understood? Everyone who becomes a problem or even thinks of rebellion will be killed, is that understood?"

The young soldier nodded as he ran off.

Arpegio looked at me.

"To the walls soldier."
He held his pistol towards me.

"Now!"
I turned around and ran after the young soldier.

So, that's what they have resorted to?

Reven... you wouldn't be part of this... would you..?
I made my way up the nearest stairway leading to the top of the wall.

My heartrate slowly climbed as I did, as I thought about my chance of death.

Last time I stood on this wall, I was shot. I survived, but I don't know about my chances anymore...

At the top of the wall soldiers laid against the side of the railing, most of them exhausted.

I knelt down quickly to avoid any bullet that would fly by.

The young soldier from before stayed silent against the wall, holding his knees against his head, tears streaming from his face.

I looked along the wall to see hooks, every so often along the railing.

Dead soldiers in white uniforms along the walls.

So, they decided to climb over...

I slowly walked towards the railing to peek over, to see many dead soldiers and destroyed vehicles... out across the distance from the wall.

The little sunlight that's left however... is starting to fade into the darkness of night...

If anything we at least have the lights within the city.

I looked away from the wall, an uneasy feeling coming about me.

I stayed sitting down as I stared at one of the hooks on the wall.

Suddenly one of the enemy soldiers started to climb over the edge of the railing.

Damn it!

I stood up briefly for a moment as I used the back end of my rifle to slam into the soldier's hands as they held onto the rope.

He wailed in pain for a moment before he fell off the wall and hit the ground in a fatal impact.

I leaned back down, below the cover of the wall...

I looked behind me to see Arpegio as he climbed the steps angrily.

"Get up! Everyone! We can't rest-not now!"

I made my way and knelt next to the edge of the wall, looking back as Arpegio walked, pistol in hand towards the young soldier crying in the tower.

"Boy! Get up!"
The boy shook his head.

"Please... no..."
I can't stand by and let him...

Arpegio grew angry as he flung the pistol into the young soldiers face and pulled the trigger, however only a click sound came from the nozzle.

The young soldier laughed violently as he pulled out his own pistol and shot Arpegio repeatedly through his chest, until the clip was emptied. Arpegio falling backwards off the other end of the wall.

The young soldier continued to pull the trigger, only a clicking coming from it.

"I don't want to die! I won't die! I don't... I...!"
A loud whistling noise suddenly flew through the air and exploded behind us, all of the lights within the city... turning off.