We Came, We Saw, We Conqured

This Damn Canyon Was Going To Kill Me

***Three years later***

Goddamn rookie had killed Church. The tank was a mess and Texas was dead. The only reason Caboose was here was because Florida overdosed on Aspirin. Where the hell he had gotten that, I had no idea. He knew better. After burying the bodies, I had sent the Blues back to base, so I could get some quiet and think.

"Hey," Simmons said joining me on the cliff.

"Kill me," I told him.

"What?"

I looked up from the spot I was laying. "Kill me. I can't do this anymore. That rookie is going to be the death of me."

He laughed and sat down next to me. He pulled off his helmet. "Ours thinks he captured your flag."

"Caboose gave it to him, while Church and Tucker were arguing over a tank."

"The same tank that killed Church, right?"

"Yeah...the same one that tried to kill ye Reds. The same one that got blown up again. Stupid tank."

"Hmm," Simmons hummed. He leaned back on his elbows and looked up at the sky.

I watched him as he watched the sky. The way the setting sun illuminated his face really brought out the red of his hair. Freckles covered his cheeks and his bottle green eyes seemed to hold an unfathomable desire for knowledge. His Irish accent, unlike my Scottish one, was only thick on certain words or when he was mad. In the three years I have known this man, not once had I kissed him. I should really do that. I pushed myself up to move to kiss him when I realized what I had thought. Wait... setting sun? That wasn't right. The sun never set here. I looked up to the sky.

My radio crackled. "Hey Riley," came Church's voice.

"I swear to God..." I grumbled before answering it. "What?"

"I think Tucker is dying."

"What did Caboose do?"

"He didn't do anything. Something bit Tucker."

"There aren't animals in this canyon." And the sun didn't set either... "Look, don't panic. I'll be right there. And no one is to go outside. Got it."

"Yeah."

I cut the transmission and turned to Simmons. "Ye need to get back to Red Base. Have Sarge lock it down. No one goes back outside till I say so."

He frowned, "What's going on?"

"I don't know. Come on we need to get inside." We walked toward Red Base.

"Simmons," Sarge snapped, "what are you doing with a Blue?"

"Sarge," I said, "ye need to get yer men inside and keep them there."

"What are you talking about?"

"There's something in the canyon. Something dangerous. It bit Tucker and my men are freaked."

"Like an animal?" Simmons asked.

"There aren't animals in this canyon, Simmons," Sarge said.

"Yeah. And the sun doesn't set either." I motioned to the sky. "Something is going on here and until I figure out what it is abo'dy needs to stay inside."

I could tell that Sarge wanted to argue with me. Instead he said, "Can you make it over there in time?"

"Yeah. Don't worry about me. Just lock this base up tight."

He nodded then headed into the base.

"Radio when you get over there," Simmons said.

"Ye got it."