Taste For War - Chapter One

Sweat dripped down the man's brow, he let it drip down to his cheek before wiping it away with the knuckle of his thick-gloved hand. His other hand rested on the sights of his Calibre 5.56 M16A2 assault service rifle. His feet throbbed and ached as he trudged down the sandy street in his black combat boots. His somewhat loose combat uniform fluttered in the wind like a brown and beige flag amongst the white buildings. The flag he wore on his bicep sleeve consisted of a Union Jack in the upper hoist quarter and a large seven pointed star on the lower hoist called the Commonwealth Star, while the fly presented a constillation of five stars known as the Southern Cross. His combat vest was packed with two grenades on his right pec and a combat knife on the right. His abdomen was surrounded with 5.56mm magazines, while he kept a camelback and a hand-held anti tank device on his back. His belt donned a canteen, a pack of medical supplies and two packs of rations.

The soldier walked on, his eyes scanned his surroundings. White clay and plaster buildings stood in the blowing dust of the town Sahail, Iraq. Everything was quiet, his companion, also another soldier clad in urban desert combat clothes, had his face hidden behind a cloth mask and a helmet. Suddenly, a hail of bullets sprayed over their heads. Bright red blood spattered on the wall of the building next to them. The soldier's masked companion collapsed at the bottom of the wall with a large hole in his thigh, screaming in pain. The soldier growled and turned to the window of the building across the street. A Middle-Eastern man in a desert jacket and black balaclava fired an Avtomat Klashnikov through the small second story window to their left. The soldier growled and lifted his M16 at the building and fired, the bullets struck the man's ear and just above the window. The man screamed and disappeared from the window. "AAGGGHHH!! That motherfucker! My fucking leg! AAGGHH!" the fallen soldier screamed. The other soldier quickly slung his rifle on his shoulder and wrapped his partner's arm around his neck and dragged hima round the corner of the building, followed by more AK-47 fire. The soldier dragged his fallen comrad behind a stack of crates and grimaced at the sight before him. The wounded soldier's eyes held a dazed look in them as he looked up at the hot blazing sun. His skin held a pale colur, all the blood was gone from his face. His shot leg gave small shakes, the large hole in his thigh had blood pumping out of it and staining his brown pants. Dark red blood started to pool around him. The soldier fought back tears as he started to wrap a bandage around the wound. A hand fell heavily on his shoulder, he looked up to his wounded comrad who stared at him with blank pale eyes, his mouth rasping for air "Don't" he managed to whisper "Don't...Just...Run" The soldier curled his lips back to keep from shuddering "N-No...You need help, I-""You will run" the wounded man interuptted, his head bowed down "You will run"
"Jack, I...I" the soldier stittered, his dying friend did a weak smile "Don't worry Dalv, we all...die...someday"
Jack's eyes fluttered shut, his chest took one final heave and then he lay still, Dalv shuddered, a rustle was heard ahead, he looked up to see a robed woman hidden behind a silk cloth, his eyes blinked and she was gone. End of chapter One