silence.
“I can’t believe we’re here,” Jacob said.
“Get used to it,” John said.
“Just this morning I was in the arms of a beautiful woman, and now I’m here in the middle of a forest with you three,” Mark said. “How do you think I feel? Believe me, we’ve all got places we’d rather be. If anyone should be complaining, it’s me.”
They carried their weapons in their arms crossed at their chest. They were careful to keep under the thick foliage. They avoided the wide open stretches of grassland that ran like bald patches on a man’s head.
The forest was quiet, save for the gentle background noise of cawing birds and rustling foliage of small furry creatures. It wasn’t the dead silence nature adopted at the approach of dangerous invaders. It was difficult to teach soldiers how to be aware of such things. It was instinct, learning to turn on an ancient part of their brains that had once done this without thought.
A hush came over the forest.
The soldiers’ heads snapped around, their movements slowed, and they crouched down into the foliage, peering about with slow measured movements, each looking out at the forest with heightened awareness, every muscle in their bodies tensed and ready to spring at a moment’s notice.
This was not merely a practice drill. There was nothing ‘mere’ about war, including its training. Every experience and emotion that passed through their bodies was incorporated into their brains, stored and ready for use at a future date when it could very well save their lives.
The birds began to sing again, the foliage rustling with furry life. The tension in their bodies relaxed.
“Break,” Mark said.
The soldiers loosened their bags from their shoulders and took turns heading into the forest for a slash.
Mark spread the map over the rough contours of a tree and pointed out their position, and the location of their objective, the compound.
“How far left?” John said.
“Must be a couple of miles,” Daoud said.
Neither Mark nor John reacted as if they heard Daoud. It was the way they’d all treated him since disembarking from the helicopter. If they couldn’t trust him, he didn’t exist.
“Patrols’ll be coming up soon,” John said. “What do you want to do?”
“Avoid them,” Mark said.
John rolled his eyes.
“Really?” he said. “I thought we could just stroll merrily up to them and ask for a lift.”
“I had considered it,” Mark said. “They’re not meant to know we’re here.”
“Of course they know,” John said. “Why else would they be out here on a training mission? They know we’re here all right.”
“Sort of defeats the point of a training mission, doesn’t it?” Daoud said.
“It never hurts to assume the worst,” Mark said. “We could have dropped behind enemy lines and someone could have spotted us, informing the authorities. There’s no way of really knowing until you’re out in the open.”
“So how do you want to do this?” John said.
Mark cast an eye over the map.
“We make our way around the compound, get a good look at their security and figure out a plan,” Mark said.
“Short and sweet,” John said.
“Hopefully not too short,” Daoud said.
“They’ll have road blocks in place,” Mark said. “They’ll know we won’t have transport.”
“We could commandeer something,” John said.
“No,” Mark said. “It’ll leave us too open to attack. We’ll continue on foot.”
John turned to Daoud. It was the first acceptance of Daoud’s existence.
“I hope you’re not getting any ideas about revealing our position to your old friends,” he said.
“Not unless you give me good reason,” Daoud said.
John blew across his knuckles.
“I could give you one, if you want,” he said.
Jacob came from behind a bush. He looked from John to Daoud and sensed the tension.
“What’d I miss?” he said.
Z-MINUS: 7 hours 32 minutes
They walked through the undergrowth, roots and trailing
“I can’t believe we’re here,” Jacob said.
“Get used to it,” John said.
“Just this morning I was in the arms of a beautiful woman, and now I’m here in the middle of a forest with you three,” Mark said. “How do you think I feel? Believe me, we’ve all got places we’d rather be. If anyone should be complaining, it’s me.”
They carried their weapons in their arms crossed at their chest. They were careful to keep under the thick foliage. They avoided the wide open stretches of grassland that ran like bald patches on a man’s head.
The forest was quiet, save for the gentle background noise of cawing birds and rustling foliage of small furry creatures. It wasn’t the dead silence nature adopted at the approach of dangerous invaders. It was difficult to teach soldiers how to be aware of such things. It was instinct, learning to turn on an ancient part of their brains that had once done this without thought.
A hush came over the forest.
The soldiers’ heads snapped around, their movements slowed, and they crouched down into the foliage, peering about with slow measured movements, each looking out at the forest with heightened awareness, every muscle in their bodies tensed and ready to spring at a moment’s notice.
This was not merely a practice drill. There was nothing ‘mere’ about war, including its training. Every experience and emotion that passed through their bodies was incorporated into their brains, stored and ready for use at a future date when it could very well save their lives.
The birds began to sing again, the foliage rustling with furry life. The tension in their bodies relaxed.
“Break,” Mark said.
The soldiers loosened their bags from their shoulders and took turns heading into the forest for a slash.
Mark spread the map over the rough contours of a tree and pointed out their position, and the location of their objective, the compound.
“How far left?” John said.
“Must be a couple of miles,” Daoud said.
Neither Mark nor John reacted as if they heard Daoud. It was the way they’d all treated him since disembarking from the helicopter. If they couldn’t trust him, he didn’t exist.
“Patrols’ll be coming up soon,” John said. “What do you want to do?”
“Avoid them,” Mark said.
John rolled his eyes.
“Really?” he said. “I thought we could just stroll merrily up to them and ask for a lift.”
“I had considered it,” Mark said. “They’re not meant to know we’re here.”
“Of course they know,” John said. “Why else would they be out here on a training mission? They know we’re here all right.”
“Sort of defeats the point of a training mission, doesn’t it?” Daoud said.
“It never hurts to assume the worst,” Mark said. “We could have dropped behind enemy lines and someone could have spotted us, informing the authorities. There’s no way of really knowing until you’re out in the open.”
“So how do you want to do this?” John said.
Mark cast an eye over the map.
“We make our way around the compound, get a good look at their security and figure out a plan,” Mark said.
“Short and sweet,” John said.
“Hopefully not too short,” Daoud said.
“They’ll have road blocks in place,” Mark said. “They’ll know we won’t have transport.”
“We could commandeer something,” John said.
“No,” Mark said. “It’ll leave us too open to attack. We’ll continue on foot.”
John turned to Daoud. It was the first acceptance of Daoud’s existence.
“I hope you’re not getting any ideas about revealing our position to your old friends,” he said.
“Not unless you give me good reason,” Daoud said.
John blew across his knuckles.
“I could give you one, if you want,” he said.
Jacob came from behind a bush. He looked from John to Daoud and sensed the tension.
“What’d I miss?” he said.
Z-MINUS: 7 hours 32 minutes
They walked through the undergrowth, roots and trailing
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