Dead Silent

Dead Silent - Intro

"We should be safe here for the night. You get some rest, I'll keep watch."

"We can take shifts-"

"No, you sleep."

"Americans! Come out with your hands up! We know you are in there! If you do not come out within ten seconds, we will storm the building! Ten! Nine! Eight! Seven!" The man was obviously speaking through a megaphone.

"James, we better go."

I heard Esther say something but I was too deep in thought about how we were going to get out of there alive. Because we both knew if we went out there, they would kill us on the spot.

"Six! Five! Four!

"Please, say something. James I'm scared!"

"Three! Two!"

"Follow me." I told Esther.

"One!"

I heard the front door slam open and footsteps running through out the house. We were hiding in the basement. Bad idea, I know. But how did they know we were in the house?

"Clear!" a soldier shouted.

The floorboards cried hysterically. We hid, Esther behind a shelf near the fernace, and myself behind crates with a view of the stairs up to the door. We heard the door open. Flashlights shined down the staircase. She looked at me with horrified eyes. Voices could be heard from the soldiers. They knew we were down there. All the other rooms had been cleared. It was only a matter of time before they found us. And killed us. Holding my breath, I closed my eyes. Waiting to feel the cold steel barrel of a pistol push into my skull. "James! Help!" Esther cried.

The soldiers apparently didn't know there were two of us because they were looking around furiously. So, I took advantage of that and sprang out from behind the crates and knocked a soldier out with a pressure point and took his gun. I shot three of the four other soldiers that were there. After the forth soldier's body fell to the concrete floor, it revealed their obvious leader holding Esther at gunpoint. "I saw the way you took out those soldiers. You have skill. With pressure points, not weapons." He laughed. "Stupid Americans. Always trying to be the hero. Let me put this into perspective for you. If you even try to kill me, you will both be dead before you can fire again. If you happen to hit me, I have more soldiers and medics surrounding this house. Along with armored trucks, tanks, and hounds."

I stood there, aiming the gun, shaking, crying. He continued, knowing I had to process things through, "Let us have our way with the girl, and maybe we will let you live"

He laughed again. I fired.

*Four years earlier*