Jennie, having ran almost 10 miles from Mann Co. headquarters, was exhausted, and her throat felt drier than hell. She foolishly drank all the contents of her Gatorade before the bus who got her this far dropped her off, and was now left in a cold, dry desert plateau, slowly getting dark. Before she could stop and think, she tripped over a jagged rock and landed on an inconveniently-placed-by-nature cactus, likely brought there by heavy wind.
Jennie now had three problems: Possible dehydration, cactus pricks in her once-flawless skin, and an ankle injury. The girl was afraid to sleep, because she feared that sleeping would lead to death, or move, for fear of worsening her injuries. She laid there, in total peril and despair. While she remained immobile, she remembered Soldier's last words before she ran, and as much as she hated him, he had a point. A damn good one.
"M... maybe... I r-really am not ready for war... I-I'm sure he's taken in worse than this without a single complaint... and that's why I h-hate him..." She moaned, wincing at her realization. She wanted to cry more than ever now, but her body after being thrown into overdrive for ten miles, was now in no condition to do so. She wished that she stayed in her home, albeit the cruelty from many people, because fate and nature are, and always will be capable of being worse than any human. Jennie just wanted to be back home, to be with her family, to have fun with war in simulation, not reality.
The night hours passed, and sunrise had begun over the rocky desert plateau. A cell phone could be heard vibrating in Jennie's pocket, but she didn't pick up. She died from a combination of an anxiety attack and multiple bone fractures, mainly from lying on solid rock. With her death, Jennie selfishly abandoned and disrespected everyone close to her. Her parents, her brother, her grandparents, her friends, and especially Soldier; he was her last hope for a good life.
Back at the RED barracks at Mann Co. during ceasefire, the Soldier, looking out a cracked window, had considered Jennie destined for death as soon as she ran away, and wondered if he'd ever see her again. If he somehow managed to find her, the American vowed he would allow the late girl the privilege of a proper burial. He felt that just like Skippy before her, she should at least get another chance once she ascends into Heaven's gates.
With that, he slowly sank back into his bed, hoping for a better day in his midst, and a better afterlife for the girl he never knew.
AUTHOR'S NOTE
Wow. I wasn't expecting this part to be so damn sad, but really, this is what I see happening to those OC's I mentioned last chapter. I didn't want to kill Jennie off, believe me (because killing is cruel), but I needed to do this for the closure of the opening the last chapter left behind. Thank you for understanding. ~G.R. Daluiseau