id: 662 name: Fankasia Writing Challenge Spring 2022 author: Kobold date: 10th April 2022 text len: 20279 views: 17 My wifes hand wakes me, rocking my shoulder as my eyes open Oh yeah, my wife... for a moment I forgot The morning light filters through the trees and illuminates her bedraggled blonde hair, making it appear as a halo. Her slim features are drawn and covered in dirt, but even still she looks beautiful, unearthly. I reach up a hand and rub it down the side of her face, tweeking one of her long ears. Yeah, my wife is an elf. Long story. "Are you okay?" she asks me, concern in her hazel eyes I sit up, the blanket falling off my shoulders. There is a clatter as my rifle falls to the ground. Its an old thing, but reliable. My hand caresses her cheek then slides down over the small breasts to her swollen belly where our child waits to be born. "Im good" I murmur "Just dozed off a little towards the end" Im lying of course. I dont think I have ever been this tired, not even during the Glasgow campaign, with the gnomes launching constant raids. I can see from her eyes she is not convinced and sure enough here it comes "You should let me take watch one night Ellis... You need to sleep. Please let me" "No" I shake my head "You need your strength" I press my hand firmly onto her belly and hers joins it, meshing fingers with mine "But even so-" "No" I shake my head again "I cant let you" She nods and sits back, her own blanket wrapped around her like a poncho. The clothes she has are too small for her pregnant form, the top riding up and the jacket refusing to close whilst her pants are held up with a length of cord spun from nettle. They are dirty, like mine, the camo nearly hidden under a layer of ingrained muck. We havnt had chance to stop and clean them. Not for a long while. As I stand up and stretch, hearing my back crack, she turns and kneels by the remains of the fire, poking life into the embers with a stick. Soon the fire is going again and she places the kettle over it. I sling my rifle, checking the chamber out of habit, and begin my morning ritual of patrolling the area around our little camp and checking for tracks. My breath comes in dragons smoke as I step over a patch of young brambles and make my way as silently as possible through the forest, my eyes scanning for tracks. Winter is past and spring reigns, but the nights are still cold and it takes time for the mornings to warm. Its not good, not for Meri'le, not in her condition. She should be resting in a warm house, not out here trecking through the wilds, in the cold, not able to properly rest for fear the ones chasing us ca- The gurgle of the stream shakes me from my tangent. I have to focus, have to search for tracks. I have to look. Its so hard though, so damn hard... When did I last get a good nights sleep? Must have been 2 weeks back, when the dwarf merchants gave us shelter. That long ag- There I go again. I smack my head with my palm then crouch down by the stream and splash water onto my face. The shock of the cold brings me too my senses and I look around again. Tracks. My heart sips a beat, then I look closer. Deer, and fresh too. I finger the rifles strap and consider, for a moment, following them, taking the shot. Maybe getting some fresh meat for us, hell Mrei'le could do with it. Just as quickly I abandon the idea. We have little enough ammunition as is, and the sound could attract unwanted attention. I turn back, heading to the rocky hollow where we made our camp. A small plume of smoke is rising from the fire and as I approach the smell of cooking food and coffee reaches me. I drop down and Meri'le jumps, her eyes wide as she looks round. When she sees me she relaxes and a small smile flits across her face "Anything? "No, nothing." I pause "Is that real coffee?" "Yes... We still had a little left and I thought you needed it" "Im fine, really" "Your not fine" she stands "Look at you" she leans in to me and her hands loops round my neck. I can feel her belly poking me in the groin as she lays her head on my chest "Your dead on your feet my love, look at you" I smile and wrap my arm around her back "You need your energy more than me" my hand slides up and ruffle her hair. Her eyes squeeze close and she giggles and for a moment, just one sweet moment, we are back in the village in our new home with the oak table and the stone floor in the kitchen, polished smooth by skilled Dwarf craftsmen. Then the smell of burnt porridge fills my nose and she lets out a yelp and quickly turns back to the pan. I laugh and reach for my mug. ----- Midday, we are following the stream East. The forest floor is thick with pine needles here, the dedicious trees having given way to a dense copse of New World pine trees. Birds sing in the trees as we walk by. The coffee really helped and the sun shining down has warmed the day. Behind me my wife puffs and lets out a groan. I turn back to se her standing there with one hand supporting her belly, the other on the small of her back. "You ok?" "Just a moment" she huffs "Hes a bit active today" "He?" I step back and rest my hand on her belly. A kick, then another. I look down and am rewarded by a series of small bumps rising on the skin "What makes you think its a he?" "Well" she looks up and I lean down, our foreheads meeting "Could be a she but I dont think girls are this boistorous" I chuckle and then our lips meet. Our troubles fade and we stand together. Then she grunts in pain and breaks off "Damn, he really take safter you, you know" "Why's that?" I help her sit "Hes so active, he never sleeps. Just like you" her laugh eachoes off the trees and I crouch next to her, my hand soothing her belly. "Im not that bad" "Yes you are" "Am not!" "Are too!" she slaps my chest and I sit back laughing. Then all at once her face is serious "Do you think they are still following us?" I think of our pursuers, my old unit "Yes" There is no doubt in my voice, I know them, know the bastards. "They wont give up, not until we are out of their reach for good" She shivers in spite of the warmth "Why cant they just leave us alone? Wasnt the- the- th-" she starts to cry "Wasnt the village enough?" I shudder myself. For a moment im transported back then, 3 months ago. Waking to the screams, the smell of fire. People being butchered in the street, civilians shot as they tried to run. The towns militia completely overwhelemed. "It wasnt... I dont think it ever would be" She looks at me in that curious way. She knows I know something of them, just like she knows there are things I have never told her. She doesnt pry, instead accepting that there were things I had buried and didnt want dug up. "So" I take the rifle from my shoulder and plant the butt on the ground "how far away are we?" She looks up at the trees, pondering, then looks downstream "About 2 days before we reach their territory, another week after that if we are not picked up before then" I nod. Meri'le comes from an old Elf city, one that was contacted early on by STALKER's and has since become a well integrated hub. She has family back there, and the place is not a target our pursuers would want to come near. All we have to do is get there. A hand finds mine "Hey, dont worry" I look into her eyes, at her tired smile "We will make it" I smile back "Yeah. Speaking of which, lunch" "Already?" "Yeah, its about time. Besides we have to keep your strength up" "Okay" We drop pakcs and pull some supplies out. A little smoked rabbit that we snared a few days back. Some leaves and roots she gathered. Flatbread, made this morning over the fire. Its sparce fair but it does us good, washed down with a little water, filtered from the stream. Sitting there, together, I am taken back to the days when we used to go on picnics together in the forest surrounding the village. The weather is pleasant and the sun shining through the trees comforting. I lie back, my eyes feeling heavy as my wife watches me with a smile on her face. My eyes close and I feel at peace A cold shiver runs down my spine, the hairs on my neck prickle. Old instincts kick in, and I sit upright gasping, looking for Meri'le as my hand grabs at my rifle. She is dozing by me, one hand stretched out over my chest. I grab her shoulder and shake her roughly, startling her awake. "What, what is it" "Shh" I raise my finger, scanning the trees. Something isnt right. Something triggered those old, deep ingrained senses. Something. The pines seem claustrophobic suddenly, silent and close. She is looking at me with a mix of bemusement and fear, wanting answers, not understanding. "Up. Now. We need to go" "Why?" "Just do it" My hands grip the rifle, my knuckles white as she sees the fear in my eyes and grabs her bag. I shoulder my pack and we start off as fast as she can manage. ------ There is no mistaking it now. They have found us. Meri'le protests, one hand clutching her belly, the other out to balance her as I hurry her on down the slope. The ravine ahead looms like the maw of a vast beast, a leviathan waiting to swallow us. She stumbles and I grab her, steadying her. She looks back and the complaint starting in her mouth dies. My heart pounds as we reach the edge of the clearing. Between here and the ravine is an area devoid of trees or cover maybe 40 metres across. 40 metres, but it feels like 400. If we are spotted whilst crossing we will have nowhere to go. My hand squeezed Meri'les shoulder and she looks back at me, scared. She can tell something is wrong. "Can you run?" I ask "Y-yeah..." "Okay, im going to count to three then we are going to run for the ravine. Dont stop until we get there." She looks at me and gulps "I love you" "I love you too" I grip her shoulder and for a moment the idea strikes me that if I let go she will be lost forever "Ready?" She nods "1.. 2.. 3" We break from the treeline and run. Sweat runs down my face and I can feel the sniper lining up his shot, aiming between my shoulder blades, his finger tightening on the trigger, squeezing tighter and tighter and tighter until the hammer falls hitting the primer and setting the charge off that sends the bullet spinning down the barrel straight into- We reach the ravine, Meri'le panting and clutching her belly with one hand as she braces herself on the rock with the other. She should not be running in her condition. I resist the urge to help her and instead look back, scanning the treeline for any sign of pursuit. Nothing. I turn back and Meri'le straightens up "Are we safe?" her voice is a fearful whisper "I think so. For now" It is a struggle to keep the tremble out She nods and gulps. We start down the ravine, her in the lead, me behind. The ravine is anrrow with just enough room for us to walk by the stream that has swollen now to a small brook. For a crazy moment I consider stopping here and making a stand, its the perfect choke point. Then I glance at my wife and the thought dies. I cant, I have to think of the woman I love and our unborn child. The ravine is not a long one and soon the hard rock walls fall back into steep slopes that in turn give way to gentler ones. We proceed, following the stream as fast as we can, but its not enough. I know its not enough. Meri'le stops and her ears twitch. Then she turns and looks back and I see the look of fear on my wifes face. "How many?" my voice is horse "I.. A lot" she whispers "How far?" "Close" I nod. There is a lump in my throat and nothing will shift it. Mechanically I plant the rifles butt in the ground then take my pack off. "What are you doing?" the fear is pallpable in her voice I take my pack and hand it to her. Its heavy, far more than she should be carrying, but it would be ebtter she has it "No.. No, no" she takes a step back, her voice a sob "You cant" "I promise I will catch you up" "You cant, I need you" "I know." She steps forwards and flings her arms around me, tears flowing as her slight frame is wracked with sobs. Hot tears roll from my eyes too and I hug her, leaning down and burying my face in her hair. We stay like that for a minute, crying and hugging, then I push her back. "I have to stop them here. Or at least buy you-US time to escape" "But what if something happens do you?" My hands tighten on her shoulders "It wont. Just keep going, I will catch you up eventually. For our childs sake" She nods and takes my pack, eyes trembling, then turns and flees as fast as she can. I turn back and set myself up behind a rock justting from the ground. My hands tremble as I check the rifle, an old G43. Its served me well in times past, and hopefully will do so again. Spare clips on a ledge in the rock, gun braced and ready. I do not have long to wait, and the first of the dappel patterned uniforms comes around the ravine. I let it come closer, and the three behind it too, then fire. The lead takes a hit to his gut and staggers as the others scatter. I crack another shot off at one of the others, hitting his thigh and causing him to collapse, then a spray of bullets sends chips of rock flying as the figure I shot first sends a spray of fire from his M16. I curse and duck back, of course they would be wearing plates. Adjusting position I lie down and lean around the rock. His body might be armoured but his legs are now and my volley takes him in the knees. he screams and goes down. The other two fire on me and I manage to crack off a couple more shots at them before taking cover again. I reposition and fire some more shots off over the rock, discouraging one who lookd about to move out of cover. The slide locks open and I grab two stripper clips and hastily push 10 new rounds into the magazine, my hands fumbling. I duck back out in time to see one of them run out to the man lying in the open. Two shots, one hits him in the helmet, the other finds a gap by the collar of his plate carries and strikes something vital. Blood sprays in a crimson jet and he falls screaming. The last one fires on me but ducks back quickly, clearly unwilling to risk a bullet. I grab the spare clips off the ledge and stuff them into a puch then send another spray at his cover and leg it back, further downstream. Here, a boulder, fallen years back, gives me adequate cover. Behind me I can hear shouting, angry. More people, more old comrades. In shooting the others we passed a point of... Who am I kidding? We passed that years ago, when I left the unit and fell in love with an elf. I risk a look out. More figures are spilling out of the ravine, some wearing heavy Sturmsuits. They are spreading out, preparing to assault my old position. Good. I wait, let them fire on that rock, let it eat their scorn as they advance. Then I fire. One man falls, shot in the head, and another howls as his arm is hit. A Sturmman is hit, but his armour shrugs it off. Then my cover is drowned in lead. I risk blindfiring a few shots around the cover and am rewarded with a horrible ripping sensation and agony. My hand comes back, red pulsing from the ragged stump of my 3rd finger. I gasp and clutch it, feeling the wave of nausae as it hits me, then grit my teeth. I lie down and crawl through the leaflitter to the trunk of a downed tree and roll over it, shots instantly hitting the downed giant and sending splinters flying. I lie back against it then peek over the top and fire, ducking back as bullets thwock into the wood inches from my face. No good, I need to move, cant let them pin me. I start to crawl along under the cover of the trunk and start up the hill. The roots signal an end of the tree, but a dip in the land continues the cover. Gritting my teeth against the pain I crawl up this blessed bit of ground. The trees are in sight and closing, I keep going, I- White hot pain in my thigh. I fall and roll over gasping. Blood pumps. Is it mine? A shout from across the brook, at the treeline over there. A man stands with a DMR of some sort. I raise the rifle and fire back, he ducks and others appear. I pump bullets at them, scattering them. Then another appears, carrying a stick? No! A wand! I site on him and squeeze the trigger. "click" A soft blue light emnates from the wand and flows across the divide. I cant move fast enough I- ------ I come too with a gasp. Pain. Hurting. What... A hand slaps me. The voices. Some familiar. A cry of pain. Fear. That voice - no! My eyes open. Im on the forest floor by the brook but some way down. Across from me is my wife. My love, shes held, restrained by two burly orcs in dappel uniform. The badge, that hateful arrow and cross, on them. I try to get up and realise my hands and feet are bound together, a pole stopping me from falling. "Ellis" she cries and the men around us laugh. "Ellis" she cries again, "Im scared". "Its okay" I gasp, feeling another wave of pain hit "Its going to be okay" A sharp laugh cuts her off. And he appears in my view. My old commander. A man I never wanted to see again. "Hey Ellis" he sniggers at me, his chin dark with stubble. "Remember me" he grins, the scar caused by the Kobold pike all those years back twisting his mouth into a sneer. I spit on the ground and look at him, look into his blue eyes "Im the one you want" He laughs, a sharp bark "did you hear that lads?" he turns back to me "Oh we do... But whats this?" he turns to Meri'le who cowers back from him "Leave her" I shout He snorts at me "Look at this" he straitens and speaks now to the crowd "Look at this men, one of our finest. The hero of Four Fords, the man who shot the queen of the Lerilaurens as she begged for her peoples lives" Behind him I can see Meri'le, her eyes wide as she stares at him then at me, disbelieving "One of our greatest" he continues "a man who massacred knife ears for sport. And now look at him" he crouches down next to Meri'le and stares at her swollen belly in horror as she tries to pull away. "Leave her you bastard!" I shout "Look at this... he married an elf, a bloody knife ear!" "I SAID LEAVE HER ALONE" He stands again "And got her up the duff!" his foot comes up and Meri'le screams, I scream. She sags as her belly heaves. He raises his foot and rests it on her belly "GET THE FUCK OFF HER YOU BASTARD, IM THE ONE YOU WANT!" I pull as hard as I can against my restraints, trying to break them. He turns to me and walks over, crouching down next to me, grabs my chin. I can smell his breath, smell the chewing tobbaco he loves. "Your right. But you know our rules" he raises his hand and signals. I struggle futily as two young men, helmets off. Blonde hair and blue eyes, red hair and brown eyes, rifles, bayonets fixed- "NO NO NOOOO STOP" Im screaming. Meri'le is screaming, her eyes wide with terror, shes begging them to stop, trying to escape, im begging him to stop them, trying to pull free. The arms draw back, the rifles, the bayonets, Meri'le screams as they puncture her.. her... Her belly Something is screaming, an animal is screaming in agony, pain, pulling, straining, the animal is me and im pulling so hard, thrashing against the restraints, screaming, Meri'le is rolling over now, lying on her back, her ruined belly in the air, reaching up, clutching it, trying to stop the blood, the, the, no sound, her mouth is open but no sound comes out. Then one of the half orcs raises his booted foot and brings it crashing down on her belly. She convulses and even over the screams, even over my screams, I hear something give. Bloody discharge spurts from the bayonet rounds, she thrashes, her neck crains back and for a moment I see her face, twisted and contorted in agony, then shes back, trying to remove the boot thats pressing, twisting... "MICHAEL YOU BASTARD ILL KILL YOU ILL FUCKING KILL YOU ILL KILL YOU ALL YOU BASTARD YOU FUCKS YOUR DEAD" my voice returns, im still pulling, tighter, somethgn gives in my shoulder and im still pulling, the pain is there but its nothing, nothing compared to... Then he stands, Michael stands and nods to the half orc who unholsters a pistol, points it at my wifes head and pulls the trigger. I stop struggling. My breath is gone, I feel empty, like someone just thumped me in the gut, drained all the air from me, sucked it all out... My voice comes in a horse crackle, calling to her, breathlessly. Michael turns to me "All you had to do was stick with us" Then his pistol is up, and everything else seems blotted out by the barrel. Two flashes, pain. Black.