Pick Your Poison

. Preface .

In a drunken daze, Tom trails a good distance behind Edd and Matt. The two where conversing about something, he was too far back to hear, and even if he could he was too nauseous to string the words into reasonable sentences. Though he hears something about Britain possibly losing to the Red Army.

He merely laughs at the impossibility, but some part of his rational mind tugs at this hope. Reminding him that losing was just as likely of a possibility now, especially after how far the Red Army has already pushed into the country and how much of the world has already fallen beneath the army's rule.

Silence again falls between the three. Each of them wary of their surroundings, they were too close to the warfront for comfort. Tom had once insisted that the other two should go back and find safety in the part of England that was still under the government's protection. The two refused, claiming that if Tom was going to stay around this area, they would too.

Tom stayed to provide support. He'd stay in the back, knocking down enemies from afar. Soldiers soon figured out this mysterious shooter, and often he'd be greeted with praise for his marksman skills. Rumors say that he could shoot a bird out the the sky with a pistol, blindfolded. He never confirmed the rumor. Nor did he deny it.

The military, on repeated occasions asked him to join. He turned down every offer. If he left for the war, who would protect his friends? His declining vision did not aid their argument. Of course, no one else knew about this. He couldn't simply say, "Yeah, I'm going blind". He was suppose to- no. He had to be strong, if he wasn't going to stay standing for his friends, would anyone else?

A gunshot rang out followed by a scream. Whirling around, Tord's mind instantly cleared up at the sight of his wounded friend.

Edd was held in a headlock, blood spilling out of the bullet wound in his leg. The brunet was shaking, only able to stand from the adrenaline shooting through his veins. Restrained, Matt cried out pleading the strangers to let him go.

Despite his urge to run in and attack them all on sight, he had to think. There more of them than him. All of them waiting to shoot him down the moment he made a move.

Retrieving the pistol from it's holster, he ducked into an alley.

"Find him! There's a third." A voice loudly commanded.

Tom presses himself closer to the wall, holding his breath as people searched the abandoned town.

Tightening his grip on the gun, he pulls the trigger as someone walks past the alley. They soldier drops dead. It was only now he could actually see the tag and attire the people wore. Red Army. He should've guessed.

He could hear soldiers readying their guns as they warily approach the corpse of their fallen companion.

Reloading the pistol he jumped out, firing 5 bullets, each one was a direct shot. Killing the intended target. Part of him was glad he couldn't see the remains of the people he'd killed. Though, his hands were already stained with the blood of the hundreds of lives he'd already taken. But it was redeemed if the intention was good, right?

"Let. Them. Go." Tom demanded, his voice was harsh. Scary even.

The man simply laughs, only to roughly pull Edd up and hold a gun to his head.

"How about no, if these two idiots are so valuable to you, I'm sure Red Leader will find them as good bargaining chips."

Tom holds up his gun aiming for the one threatening his friend's life.

"Shoot me. I dare you." The man sneers, his gun clicked.

Edd froze. Tom shoots. Twice.

The first bullet was aimed for the gun, knocking it out of his opponents grip. The other aimed at his arm. Edd freed himself from the grasp of his captor, dragging Matt along, they got away.

"Run! Find safety in the city, I'll see you there later!" Tom shouts, Edd opens his mouth to protest only to be shushed by Matt. The two of them left the scene.

Tom strolls up to the man on his knees and clutching his shoulder, "You were saying?"

"Behind you."

Tom instantly turns only to be met with a fist and greeted by the darkness that soon followed.

- - -

"Good work." The wounded officer praises, pulling himself up. "Let's go."

"But sir, the other two-" The soldier asks.

"Leave them, we don't have the people to chase."