Sniper
The Trials of War
Loki wiped away the beads of sweat forming on his brow. He was confused. The
briefing told that this place was an enemy stronghold. But it was deserted.
They'd just finished making a sweep of the city and were returning to camp.
It'd come up empty. No one was in site. Intel got it wrong. Again.
"Three more hours to go," sang Richards, next to him.
"Lucky prick," called someone down the line. Loki couldn't see whom.
"Oh come on, don't be like that. Your turn will come soon."
Richards was referring to the news that he would be shipped home that night.
He'd already packed and was ready to go.
"The first thing I'm gonna do when I get home is take a nice, long, hot
show-"
With a sickening pop Richards fell back, a gaping hole in his head.
"SNIPER!" came the call as everyone dove to the ground.
"Where's it coming from!" yelled O'Brian. He was quickly silenced
with a shot to the head.
The sniper was ruthless, killing all who even flinched. To his left a one of
the many flies buzzing around the death settled beneath the nose of another
soldier.
"ACHOO"
"BANG!"
"Shit" cursed Loki.
"Keep it down," whispered the colonel. "The bastards playing
with us. He's going to see how long we can stay down like this."
"Where is he?" asked Bates.
There's a line of trees that can be seen between those two buildings to the
right. He's somewhere in there. Can you see?"
"Just give me a sec," he replied, and Loki heard the faint sounds
of boots scraping dirt as he shuffled around, followed by the all to familiar
ring of gunfire.
"FUCK!" screamed Loki through clenched teeth. He was forced to watch
his friends die and there was nothing he could do about it.
Loki began doing something he hadn't done in a long time since the war started.
He prayed. And it was answered.
"A chopper!" hissed the colonel. It's one of ours.
Loki's hopes quickly began to rise, but the plummeted just as fast. The chopper
past overhead, unaware of the sniper, assuming the body's were long dead.
"It's gonna pass right over." Hissed the colonel.
"We need to get its attention somehow," thought Loki out loud.
"Your right. It's been a pleasure leading you boys. I just wish I didn't
lead all you into such an obvious trap.
"Colonel?" uttered Loki weakly.
With one move the Colonel was on his feet, hands cupped over his mouth.
'SNIP-!"
The Colonel fell back, his call unfinished, but the desired effect still achieved.
Someone in the chopper noticed him rise, and his sudden fall. A stream of bullets
flew form the forward gun and a figure fled into the trees, protected from the
chopper's fire.
"What do we do?" asked one particularly green soldier.
Loki chewed his lip for a moment. Pursuing into the trees was dangerous, but
the sniper had reduced the platoon of a dozen to just five able soldiers.
"Let's move out!" he yelled.
They all picked up their weapons and made chase. They quickly gained on the
malnourished soldier. He'd probably been left out for several days without adequate
rations. Loki cruelly fired several shots at his feet, sending him into a panic.
The sniper tripped over every rock, stumbled over every fallen log, slipped
ducking over every low branch. And still Loki walked forward, occasionally firing
a few more shots to spur him on. The sniper cried out for mercy and fell over
his last tree log.
"Give it up. I don't care what you have to say. Besides, you killed our
only translator."
Somewhere deep down the sniper knew he was finished and preceded to whimper
quietly.
Loki was filled with rage and wasn't interested in taking prisoners. He was
vaguely aware of the other four soldiers coming up behind. He looked into the
eyes of the sniper and relished in the fear he saw as he placed the barrel of
his rifle against the sniper's forehead.
But there was more than one sniper in the forest at that time, and while Loki
tortured the prisoner he was also being framed by cross hairs.
With hate in his eyes Loki began to squeeze the trigger.
The sniper took his perfect aim.
"Fuck you!"
BANG!