Chapter Text
Golden muzzle flash sparkled across the bushes, lighting up dark pooling between trees. Gunfire—shouting—ringing flooded his ears. Slash gasped as his back hit the tree. He gripped his rifle, panting for breath while fumbling to reload. He burrowed his fingers in his pocket. His heart plummeted. “I’m out!” He screamed. Shadows darted past him, crouching behind logs.
Other rolled and leapt over the barbed wire fence. He held his breath then peeked around the tree, parting the bushes with his shaky hand. Shadows crouched, swamping the dip down a steep hill. The creek nested in it sparkled in the moonlight breaking through the canopy.
The noise died. Slash looked up. He couldn’t help but smile at the white circle swallowing the sky through dots of blackened leaves. They swayed above him far as the clouds as if on a warm summer day back home. The muggy heat burnt to cool. The sweat brimming his gloves dried. He swore peppery but sweet wildflowers drenched his senses.
His head hit the ground. The canopy blurred. Rough ground skidded his back as red burst above him. Crackling ripped through the air, drowning out gunfire. The tree swayed like a tower. Screaming and yelling clashed as shadows darted out of the way. It toppled in slow motion, kicking up dust glowing from the moon. Slash’s heart hitched as whoever gripped his shoulders loosened.
“Get your head back in it!” Izzy boomed, “You could’ve died!”
He shoved a fistful of ammo in Slash’s pocket, reloaded his gun then jammed it back in his hands. Slash gulped. Izzy grabbed his arm and ran. Slash clambered after him. As he peeked over his shoulder, his blood iced.
A figure floated, arms outstretched as if to give a hug, interrupting the light. Its shadow stretched across the forest floor. Red swirled between its fingers.
“No, no, move!!” Izzy whisper-shouted.
Slash scrambled off.
Click!
Izzy pulled the pin to a grenade and tossed it before rushing after him. Muzzle flash erupted from further in the woods. The ground shook. Clouds of dirt puffed from the ground as bullets whizzed past them. More figures smeared past. Izzy glanced around before dragging Slash—the two tumbled. Slash’s back hit the rocks, soaked by the creek.
His mind blanked before be blinked himself awake and sat up.
Red burst behind him. More trees swayed. He gripped Izzy’s arm and tugged him out of the ditch. His blood pumped and pumped. When they got out, he forced Izzy over his shoulder and ran.
Besides distant crackling, gunshots and yelling, the jungle hushed. He laid Izzy against a tree. Izzy’s head lolled slowly from side to side. He murmured things while looking half asleep.
“Jesus..!” Slash muttered.
Slash padded around his belt. He ripped off his canteen before splashing it in Izzy’s face. Izzy gasped then sat up.
“Slash, listen-” He gripped his arm, “They only have one supe.” He whispered, “Just one fucking..” His eyes darted around, “Where is everyone??”
Slash winced. “They scattered.” He said softly, “But we’ve-”
“Where’s Steven? And Duff??” He grew panicked.
“I-I don’t know-”
“-We’re going in.”
“I-”
Izzy pushed his hand over his mouth. He froze. Slash paused. Gunshots surrounded them. Izzy’s grip tightened. “That way.” He stated.
“We’re going in?”
“Fuck yes.”
He tugged Slash. Slash grasped his gun like a baby. Leaves crackled. Twigs snapped. The two ran. Bushes yanked at their clothes. Branches whipped their faces. Their heavy breathing thundered in their ears. Soon shadows darted past them. Izzy yanked Slash down behind a log that climbed up to his shoulder standing. Moonlight burst through the crease under it, pooling shadows behind the rocks.
Izzy reloaded. His gun glinted. The leaves crunched. Slash jumped as someone crouched beside them.
“This way.” The person muttered, handing Izzy a sack.
Slash went rigid. The man climbed over the log. His gear clicked on his belt. Izzy vaulted over it. Slash’s throat clenched. He hopped up, hugging it then sliding over and falling on his back. It knocked the breath out of him. Footsteps crackled around him.
He staggered to his feet. A man in a thick army coat drenched in colorful patches and tears swung around a torch. The flames billowed and smudged through the night.
“If you’re dead, you’re dead.” He announced, hushed but hoarse with hardly a voice left, “We can’t go back for you cause then we’re all dead. Understood?”
Slash nodded rapidly. Tears stung his eyes. The man turned, waving. They darted uphill through the woods. A branch caught on Slash’s leg, yanking him down. He grit his teeth then pushed himself up—Duff grabbed his arm and pulled him the rest of the way. Slash smiled at him. Duff grinned back before staring ahead intently again.
A fire glittered distant through the leaves. Everyone slowed their steps. Slash’s legs burnt. He wobbled, falling against Duff, who hugged his arm around him. He sunk low to the ground. Slash followed. His heart pounded like it would burst through his chest. His head spun violently. As they stalked closer, Duff knelt.
Men patrolled with big guns between a wall of army trucks. Motors clattered. Some men lounged in the open backs of humvees, one throwing an apple which bounced across the dirt. A couple jeeps sat by the fire. The people wore army clothes mixed with ripped jeans or hoodies or T shirts. A silver chain around one’s neck gleamed.
Duff’s breathing quickened. Slash held his hand. The men laughed and chattered until—the first gunshot was followed by a wave of them. Slash shoved Steven to the ground before scrambling to fire. Duff joined him. Slash’s ears seared as ringing muffled them. The trucks stuttered to move while men crumpled and cried out. Their shadows raced around like ants.
Headlights blew through the bushes as the trucks raced through.
BOOM!
Ones hood spiraled with flames. Duff hopped up as their guys leapt from the bushes. They climbed in the trucks, pounced people, fired and rushed around. Slash and Duff climbed on the back of a truck. Duff slid up the door while Slash aimed his gun. A couple men stood, staring with wide, fearful eyes. One clutched a remote.
“Drop it!” Slash roared shakily.
Then his eyes landed on a woman. She huddled in a cage, clenching the bars. She wore a stained up white dress that looked like a hospital gown. She stammered to breath between soft sobs. Then her eyes started glowing. The man with the remote squeezed his eyes shut and pressed the button. “Don’t!” Slash cried, aiming his gun at him.
As he pulled the trigger, the woman’s head exploded. Both fell. Slash’s gun threatened to slide from his weakening hands. He went rigid.
Duff rushed over and snatched the remote. Slash laid against the wall then peeked out. In the back of a truck behind them, another head exploded as a couple more men were shot.
“Holy shit..” Duff murmured, almost amazed.
Slash grabbed his arm. “W-We have to go..” He faltered. Duff nodded before the two bolted. Flames swerved under a truck as it plowed through the center then toppled on its side. Men scattered out of the way before one leapt onto the back and fired into the crowd. A truck raced toward the bushes. Slash and Duff looked at each other before jumping on the back of it.
The truck rocked from side to side. “You get the back, I get the front.” Duff shouted.
“Right!” Huffed Slash before Duff climbed on the roof. Slash yanked open the door and aimed his rifle. A group of men raised their hands. One bent. Slash fired. The man’s hand sprawled beside the remote he reached for.
“Kick it over!” Slash demanded, stepping in. A bullet whizzed past him. He backed against the wall.
“You need to press it!” One raged, “I don’t care who you kill in this room just press that goddamned button!”
“Keep your hands up or it’ll be you!” Slash cried.
He kicked it over. Slash slowly bent, keeping eye contact as he picked up the remote. The men’s eyes were wide, wild and feverish. The man who’d yelled wore a headlamp on a helmet beaming with spray painted art.
“Press it!” He begged, “Just press it-”
“-Line up, put your hands higher!” Slash demanded.
The truck stopped. Outside started to quiet. The men shambled into a line quickly. Slash glanced at the remote. The big red button waited under a transparent case. He slowly looked at the back. Between ammo boxes and crates, in a cage sat a smallish man.
His pale face was blotched by locks of red, straight hair. He stared Slash down, calm. He’d been hugging his knees and hunching like a lunatic. One of the men started shaking his head. He quickened and quickened like a bobblehead about to snap.
Slash held his breath. He stared at the caged man. A small strip of cardboard was taped to the bars which read:
Axl