The Major (294 words)

Bombs were falling everywhere. Once the bombing stopped, the infantry moved into the region where a lone sniper lay prone upon the narrow opening in the chapel steeple.

The sniper fired but the prey quickly ducked behind the shell of a bombed tank. The bullet rounds hit the tank shattering to pieces, bouncing off the tank and landing in or around anything nearby. The Major felt the stinging fragment and knew he had to find shelter quickly.

Finding a spot to hide the soldier pulled out a mini first aid kit. He removed his jacket, took his knife out of its sheath and cut his undershirt to reach the bullet fragment. He prepped the injured area with an alcohol pad, wiping clean the wound and taking the knife to remove the fragment. Wiping clean the blood from the open wound the Major dabbed a homemade ointment, used by the generation of Stone family soldiers, applying a compress of sterile gauze and tape to the affected wound. After carefully wrapping up the wound, he put on a clean undershirt, pulled on his jacket and used the destroyed shirt as a makeshift sling. Before returning his first aid kit to his backpack, he took time to clean his knife.

Major John William Stone loaded the ¾ inch by 7 inch by 2-inch plate of steel, inscribed with the letters JWS upon its wooden handle; into the scabbard snapping shut its metal locket. The blade had punctured with the precision of a needle into the soldiers left shoulder blade allowing the Major the ability to remove the fragment of bullet left by the sniper. However, the sniper had not given up on his prey but rather silently remained in position for the return of the soldier.