PUBG Origins

Ambush

My last assignment still rings clear even after 8 months leave from duty. After a successful assassination of a major figure within the enemy ranks I had received high praise and awarded 2 years leave. I sigh and pinch the bridge of my nose clearing away lurking battlefield memories. I grip the wooden handle of the axe and swing heavily to split another chunk of wood. I find that keeping busy and physically demanding manual tasks for some reason helps calm my nerves. Crunch! Into another chunk as I continue on seemingly unaware of the large pile behind me that far outweighs any need.

Finally i stop as sweat drips down from my chin and my clothes feel uncomfortable as they stick to me. I lug a good amount of wood into a bag and sling it over my shoulder with the axe before making my way back home over the fields. I can just about see my fairly sized countryside house nestled neatly on a hilltop with a few conifers framing the wooden residence. A rumble from the distance perks my ears up, I soon come to notice dust tracks of three or four black 4x4's powering down the narrow dirt road towards my home. Wood thuds to the ground followed by the bag that held them as I sprint forwards axe in hand. Panic creeps into my mind as the jeeps close in before I can make it back. Barking echoes over the fields followed by a child's scream. "No! Miya!" I scream in my mind. "Let her go! Nooo!" I recognise my wife's angry but fearful voice. A gunshot shortly follows silencing the barking. I slide around the corner of the house to see the trucks all still on the road at angles.

There are signs of a commotion but it has now gone almost silent. A puddle of blood leads to my dog lying motionless on his side, his eyes still open staring up at the sky. I have no time to waste, I must save my family, I burst through the front door practically taking it off of its hinges. Thuds of footsteps upstairs. I leap three steps at a time up the stairs to reach the top at the moment a large man, middle eastern complexion with AK47 in hand, reaches the same point. He had barely lifted his arm to aim when the axe thuds into his chest, a spray of blood painting the walls and ceiling. Behind him an accomplice yells as he charges down the landing, gun held high. I use the first man as a meat shield and with the axe as a handle i charge towards him. The momentum and weight propels him back down the corridor and I scream in anger as I shove him into a cabinet causing bone china to crash to the ground. He is hurt and dazed but he regains his composure and looks up over the shoulder of the body of his comrade to the barrel of an AK47. Bang!

My chest heaves and my heart thuds in my chest practically deafening me, pure adrenaline and desperation drives me on. Two down but there are more and they have my family. "Where are they!?"
The house has gone quiet and I decide to follow suit, with gun in hand I tread carefully but with haste back down the corridor towards the bedroom which has the only closed door. Deep breathes are essential for calming down which in turn leads to thinking clearly and acting efficiently and effectively. I listen for any sign of motion within the room but silence meets my searches. My hand shakes as I reach slowly for the door handle but settles as I grip tightly. I twist carefully and push to produce a tiny crack. Thud! I'm suddenly falling to the floor and the lights are going out despite any fight I have in me. I'd taken a hard hit to the head from behind, knocking me out cold.
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Cole drives the UAZ and Brendan is in the passenger seat leaving me and Ana in the back. The seats are dusty, the engine is loud and it's not very quick. But it's sturdy and offers decent protection, it should get us to where we want to go. So far we had been lucky in that we had only had a few pop shots with the closest hitting just above the rear tail light. "There's something weird about this place"

Ana had practically not stopped talking since we set off, I'd quickly gathered from her shaking hands and restlessness that it was down to nerves. I'd tuned out for a while but was now listening. "Some things just aren't right", she holds up two blue cans that look like energy drinks "see these? Just energy drinks you may say ... but Cole took a hit to his shoulder and was bleeding badly, he had a couple of these puppies and within minutes the wound had healed and he felt fine!". I look around and meet Coles eyes in the rear view mirror and I can tell from the look he gives me that what she says is true. "Can I take a look?" I ask and Ana holds out a can. I peer at the blue label but the only thing on it is a muscled cartoon man with a thumbs up. "No drink I've ever had has done that" I reply as I hand it back.
"Guys keep your wits about you, this isn't some kind of road trip" Brendan pipes in after a while of being silent. To our right is a large long hill, I'd not hesitate to call it a small mountain, labelled on the map as "George Hill". I peer ahead and to the right of the road is a bundle of houses, I'd say a couple of large settlements with a few bungalows nestled in. "Wait" I mutter my eyes narrowing "movement by those buildings!" I shout. Ahead a car had suddenly crossed onto the road effectively blocking it. Simultaneously around the corner of the nearest large house an enemy fast balls a grenade onto the road ahead of us. Cole swerves, the tyres screeching, and the grenade explodes metres to our right. Immediately he swerves right and a grenade bounces by my window to explode this time behind us.