Grim Reaper

Chapter 2

    The grin that spread across Addax's face as he watched Jinx perfectly hit target after target at both close and far range was terrifying to the other soldiers. He had perfect stance, the steadiest of hands, and his breath was so shallow and slow you could barely see his chest move, he held his breath when he shot. Once he got brave, he started moving while shooting.

    "Don't get carried away yet!" Addax shouted and caught Jinx's attention who turned his head while pulling the trigger. Still getting a perfect shot. "Why? It's fun!" The pure insane smile that crossed his lips scared one of the soldiers enough to make him cough and go inside. "But fine, if that's what you want... Then I'll play with knives now." The kid grabbed five knives and took a running start before flipping and throwing. They landed in a perfect line along the neck and head of a dummy target.

    "Yawn, this is boring!" Addax again shouted and pissed off Jinx. "WELL, I don't know Addax, are you challenging me to another blind folded fight considering last time?" He retorted. The taller shrugged and took out two bandannas. "Maybe. If you're not scared that is?" 

    They put on the blindfolds while taking a knife. The soldiers became confused but the General started smirking, "Smart kids. Dumb, but smart all the same." 

    The boys stood up on a slight platform while tying the blindfold around their eyes and holding their knives steady. Jinx was already growling while Addax stayed silent. Once ready, they were both silent as panthers.

    The whole courtyard was silent except for the breathing of the other soldiers.

    Everyone waited with baited breath as the two stayed deadly silent. But before long, one of them breathed in the slightest bit too deeply... Jinx lunged at full speed toward Addax with barely the scratch sound of his shoe skidding the platform, but it was enough to allow the taller to block the hit aimed at his heart. The soldiers all gasped at the precision block. "How...?" One asked quietly as the two continued to fight. Jinx constantly went between patient and aggressive. His tactic to confuse his opponent. Addax knew, and adjusted with every switch.

    Several hits around his neck and legs, then dead silence. The smaller was too good at being quiet. He barely breathed, barely moved, and when he did it was like his limbs were as light as a feather. But he slipped up. Opening his mouth once to take in a slightly larger breath without noise, he let too much air at once. Addax lunged. Jinx moved to dodge it and tripped over his own foot making him fall to the ground. The taller took his chance and pinned him down while placing the knife at his throat with a growl, "Surrender?"

    Jinx put on a wicked smile and tilted his head back and away from the blade. "Never, Adder," He grabbed his wrist and yanked it away from his neck while jumping up. An advanced move. Next, he kept on the attack and twisted the taller's wrist to force the knife out of his hands and turned both against his neck. "Correction to this situation, do you surrender?" He cockily asked. The annoyed growled and double tapped Jinx's arm as a sign of surrender and they both took off their blind folds. "Why? Every time! Those ten seconds I give you to surrender with a knife to your neck are ten seconds an actual threat could've taken to slice you open! Don't you remember Harold?" Addax scolded.

    "Don't you DARE talk about that. I have the scar. I have the memory. I have the fear. I don't need you scolding it into me every ten minutes!" Jinx lashed right back and hit his friends arm. The taller just stood still, not budging as Jinx got out his anger. "You done? I'd like to have some lunch and see what the General thinks."

    Most of the boys were shocked that Addax had almost zero reaction other than a warning voice to the smaller boy. They continued a staring contest for about two minutes before Jinx clicked his tongue and turned away. Before he could take a step, his collar was harshly grabbed and a slap echoed around the courtyard. Everyone gasped as the boys cheek turned red. He didn't even make a sound. "Talk back again and you'll get worse than a slap. If I hear a sound out of you until after lunch I'm doing something worse." Addax hissed and then walked away.

    The younger boy was taking deep breaths to control his emotions. Snipers show no emotion. He told himself and touched his cheek. It hurt. But it wasn't worse than getting whipped. A subtle cough was the only sound he made but his eyes moved over to where Addax stood to make sure the taller didn't seen it. 

    The General was shocked at the boys interaction. He knew the place they grew up was strict, but he didn't know that one slip caused for a slap hard enough that the kid should've fallen to the ground without his collar being held. But he held a straight face and walked inside.

*****

    Jinx became quieter than a cat hunting a mouse while eating his lunch. In fact, he barely ate. While every other soldier ate a full two servings of the chicken and rice bowls, he ate an apple and the smallest bowl of rice he could get. Addax watched him the entire time. Waiting for him to slip up again. The soldiers watched them. Waiting to see what would happen.

    "Wonder how long they're going to stay silent. Wanna bet?" A soldier asked not too far from them. "Why not? I bet ten bucks they won't last ten minutes longer." The one across answered. "Okay, I bet twenty they last an hour." The General walked up to them, "I bet your lives if you don't take those bets back. You can't keep your mouth shut more than five minutes, you'd never last as a sniper. For them this is both a punishment and an exercise for silence. If you were in the field with them as an enemy, they'd know where you were before you could start looking for them. To put simply; you'd be dead within five seconds."

    Looking over at the boys they were both smirking but Jinx still kept his down and avoided eye contact with Addax.

    Lunch lasted two hours. Elongated for the purpose of Jinx's punishment. The kid lasted. He kept still as snow leopard and silent as a cat. He grinned once the end of lunch bell rang through the building. "Good. You're free to speak now." Addax told Jinx who took a deep breath and then yelled at the taller. "WHAT THE HELL?! Why?! OF ALL THINGS-" He was cut off. "If you're going to throw a tantrum go do it outside." Addax calmly stated. Jinx shut up.

    The General came over to them.