Foster

Chapter 8

It wasn't long before Edwards came up with a good distraction. He and Calvin had been inches from the hostage tent when he suddenly ran past the single guard outside it and stole his camouflage hat. Considering the soldier had quite the bald patch under his cap, Edwards had no trouble getting the stiff to chase after him.

Once they were out of sight, Calvin walked hurriedly into the hostage tent. It was just as dark and eerie as before, and the only visible objects in the room were simply outlines of shapes. To his surprise, he started having trouble breathing. It wasn't like him to get nervous like that, so he tried his best to keep it quiet. He crept toward the cot by the edge of the tent wall. Both of his hands shook uncontrollably as he neared it. The fear of who he might find lying there chilling him to the bone. This could very well be Kenneth's killer. If it was, would he kill him too?

He stopped next to the cot, practically quivering in his boots. He was truly facing the unknown. He would be the first to see this man- the first to know of the wrongs he had done. Other than General Abrams, of course. Before Calvin could make a move, the person lying in the cot sat bolt upright and grabbed him by his shirt collar. Suddenly he was jerked forward, which caused him to fall over himself and land flat on his back. The silhouette of a short, but muscular man loomed over him. He felt his heartbeat thunder against his chest. This was the end. He would die dishonorably, and without answers to Kenneth's shredded note.

To his surprise, however, the man stepped away. He had no weapon, no look of anger or fury that Calvin could make out. He found himself relaxed, oddly enough. The presence of the man no longer disturbed him. It was calming. He sat up on his forearms, staring up at the outline of the man.

"I want to talk," he said. "That's all."

The man didn't speak for a while. "Your voice... I know you, don't I?"

Calvin shivered, he felt as though he knew this stranger as well."Uh, we haven't met formally. I've snuck in before. You must recognize me from my girl-ish yelp." He chuckled nervously, unsure of what to say.

The man grunted, "No, it's not that. You are right though, you have an unusually high voice."

Calvin frowned and got up, realizing he was quite a bit taller than this supposed killer. "I didn't come here just to be made fun of. I want answers. And a goddamn light, so I can see that ugly mug of yours."

"I'm not allowed to have lights," the shorter man sighed. "Why do you all assume I'm so horrible? A different uniform doesn't make me any less human."

"Well it does, actually," Calvin reasoned. "Means your the enemy. We gotta view you in such a harsh light 'cause otherwise you're harder to kill. And vice versa, of course. Ain't you been in this thing more than a week? That's more than long enough to know that."

"Sure I have. Doesn't mean I'm a pessimist."

"Hell, you should be. You've killed, haven't you? I saw that letter you tore up. The one in your drawer. It belonged to my friend, and you went and ripped it to shreds after you smoked him." Calvin saw the man's face go slack through the blackness.

"You went through my drawer?" The man groaned and rubbed his face with his hands. Or at least, that's what it seemed like he did.

"I did," Calvin stepped up to him. " I know you killed Winston, asshole. So fess up." He pulled a concealed pistol from his pants, setting the barrel to the man's forehead. Or rather, what he assumed was his forehead. "Or else I do this right here."

"Whoa, don't go crazy on me!" The man shuffled back, "I didn't kill anyone! I sure as hell didn't kill Winston! I am Winston!"

Calvin dropped his gun almost immediately, and his entire body froze. Memories of his childhood with Kenneth played back to him, and he finally recognized the man's voice. How could he have forgotten? This was his closest friend! Then again, maybe it wasn't. Much time had passed since he had last seen Kenny alive. He was almost 19 now, and even though it hadn't been much more than a year, it felt like a lifetime.