The Head of a Hydra (YoungWritersShortStory)

The Head of a Hydra

I cradled my fallen comrad's head in my arms, letting the tears run freely down my dirt-covered face.

He's gone, and I just stood there, powerless and paralyzed, as that arrow was plunged deep into his chest and he collapsed to the ground, the light leaving his icy blue eyes. I had screamed and ran over to him, slowing his descent before his body could hit the dirt. Now here I sat, with his motionless head in my lap.

I brushed away some of the sweaty, chestnut hair from his clammy face and closed his pale eyelids, forever covering those now lifeless eyes. All of this was observed by the man who had caused it all, the man who had taken him away.

He watched with a small smirk on his aged face, pacing around me like a tiger stalking its prey. A ray of light peeked through the gray smoke covering the sky, revealing a small amount of stubble on his hard chin. Not a hint of sorrow was shown from this cruel man, but I wouldn't expect any different. His sword was held firmly in his sheath, and I was anticipating the moment when he would reach for it, end this torture already, but he never did. He kept his hands firmly clasped behind his back, continuing to circle us... well, me.

I felt a sudden rush of anger wash through my body. He was one of them! They had struggled to keep us under control, but this was too far. But him? He was the leader, the worst.

I felt my eyes narrow in his direction and I gave him a cold stare.

"What are you waiting for!" I snapped. "Just kill me already!"

He took his time answering, examining his fingernail. "My dear, where would that get me?"

I felt my blood boil. "Your men killed him!" I sniffled, but quickly regained my icy composure. "Why should I be any different?"

He didn't answer, but instead gave me a 'compassionate' smile. "I'm sorry,"

He sure as heck didn't look sorry. "Sorry that he's dead or sorry that you didn't get to do it yourself?"

He shot me a sly grin. "A bit of both. You see, with him dead, it makes my job easier. Too easy, in fact. However, it would have done me satisfaction to end him myself. A little duel would've fun, don't you agree?"

I just returned my attention back to the fallen soldier, or should I say, fallen general. I should have done more... if I was just a few seconds earlier, I could've stopped it!

I could've taken his place! I could've died instead of him and he could have finished this war!

If I had been braver... I wouldn't be feeling this pain. Dying would hurt less than seeing our only hope crumble to the ground.

He wasn't just any soldier, he was a leader. Our leader...

My leader.

I refused to let his head out of my lap. Yes, he had slept on the dirt before but... he shouldn't have. He deserved so much more than this.

He deserved more than the countless nights in the cold, sleeping huddled in blankets on the ground.

He deserved more respect from the others. He shouldn't have been the one breaking up fights between our soldiers, he already had a bigger fight to worry about.

He deserved so much more... we all did. We deserved more, and we fought to earn more. But so far, we've lost more than we've gained.

And let me be one to say... we've lost a lot.

The man brushed some dirt from his red undershirt, now revealed as he unequipped his armor. He tossed the iron away carelessly, not bothering to watch as it clattered to the ground. I got his message pretty clear: 'I'm so amazing that I shouldn't have dirt on me and I don't need to protect myself because you're not a threat.'