The End

Almost

Slowly Hannah and I trudged through the sludge that covered the road we walked on. Mud had spilled onto the Tarmac after the heavy rainfall, from earlier today, flooded it and washed the brown muck into our path.

It had been hours now and we hadn't stopped walking since leaving that lounge. Oddly enough during all this time and this walking we hadn't been disturbed once. Looks like we wouldn't have to fight as quickly as Hannah thought we would. During all this time traveling we actually managed to enjoy each other's company for a while, we talked, joked, swapped stories, discussed interests.

We were almost relaxed but then we realised we were wasting potential energy talking rather than walking. So we fell silent and we've been that way for the last hour or two. Our boots continued to squelch in the mud as we got nearer to our destination, it was about 2 kilometers to go and we were feeling hopeful as we neared safety.

Hannah broke the silence suddenly "so" she said quietly "we managed to get back". "We're not back quite yet" I answered without looking back "let's keep our eyes peeled, we wanna get back before it gets dark". "Okay" came the reply and we relapsed into silence again, but the silence didn't stay for long. "Jason? Can I ask you something?" She asked and this time I looked back at her as I walked. "Sure!" I said and Hannah didn't hesitate, "how can you be so reassuring and positive but such a realist at the same time? I mean how can you make me feel better but then tell me to think about something realistically?"

I was once more surprised by the question Hannah asked me, "err I'm not really sure to be completely honest but, but I think I have a theory". I paused and Hannah nodded at me eagerly, "I think I'm just able to switch between mind sets easily". Hannah still looked confused as I said this and I thought about it a bit more before continuing, "I mean when I'm not fighting or in danger or at risk I can turn to a more optimistic view but when it comes to the nitty gritty I lock down and only focus on what's in front of me and what keeps me alive," Hannah looked interested by my answer. "I never noticed until now to be honest" I said "I suppose I'm a little bipolar?". Hannah giggled "you are an interesting man" she said as she smirked slyly at me as I looked embarrassed, "I'll get to know you better over a drink I'm sure" she smiled and suddenly I felt more exposed than if I was being stared down by the giant bird I had encountered earlier.

"Errr..." I said and Hannah laughed properly, a warm joyful noise and for a moment I remembered another time I thought this as another person had laughed. Unfortunately as I was lost in my thoughts Hannah stopped me by holding out her arm and winding me a little.

"Ow!" I said but Hannah shushed me, "listen..." she gestured somewhere to our left and I also strained my ears. As I stared down a dusty road, that ran between some more decrepit buildings, to our left I heard something. Something definitely not natural, "is that buzzing?.." I asked and after she Hannah cocked her head slightly she nodded, "yeah...it does sound like buzzing....."

As we stood there I began to feel uneasy, the buzzing was becoming incrementally louder and more and more apparently mechanical in nature. "Who do you think it is?" I questioned and Hannah frowned, "it could be a NATO patrol" she mused "we are quite close to the base after all.." but somehow I wasn't so sure.

Soon the buzzing had become quite loud and I was searching down the road for a vehicle to appear, hoping against hope I would see NATO soldiers mounted on a military vehicle. Maybe I should stop hoping because I obviously jinxed this. Round the corner of the road streaked two motorbikes both with sidecars and both mounted by olive clad soldiers.

"DUCK!!" I yelled and Hannah ducked in front of me just as I raised my rifle and emptied a magazine. The UEFP soldiers were completely surprised by our presence and the rounds from my gun slammed into the driver of the first motorbike. I watched as he jerked and shuddered with the impact of my bullets, blood washing over the man in the sidecar next to him. The first bike skidded out of control and flipped onto it's side throwing the man in the side car onto the side of the road.