Bird of Prey
I moved through the countryside. I traveled the barren hills, sticking to the decrepit forests on the outskirts of tiny rural towns dotting the landscape. I moved quietly, refraining from using my weapons and avoiding conflict with the "locals." I used my hatchet to hunt wild boar and stopped at small streams to keep my instinctual needs at bay. I came to the forest I was to meet my crew in, just east of Grishnio, when I saw a can of beans lying on the ground. It was our signal.
I called out, "Star!"
The trees billowed as the wind gently brushed their leaves aside as if to say, "Shaddup."
A bush rustled, then stood up. However, this was no Bigfoot; it was my best buddy in a Ghillie suit! I greeted him in the usual fashion – with plenty of slurs – to which he replied similarly. He then led me to our Ural, which was cleverly hidden amidst a large clump of trees. We climbed in back and were on our way. We drove out of the forest and returned to the road. We had a merry time recounting stories of near-fatal occurrences and plans gone awry.
I heard an unfamiliar sound approach subtly. It was eerie and filled me with a sense of dread. Suddenly, as if some god were loosing his rage, the wind roared. I saw explosions charge up the road, one after another. I could barely hear a thing, but, as the driver swerved off the road, I caught a glimpse of it. Wings of Death… Super-Hornet… a jet, tore through the skies in the blink of an eye. The truck clipped a tree and rolled.
Barely conscious and barely breathing, I could hear the hungry snarls of the walking corpses as they wandered closer from town. By the blood on the window in the back of the cab, I assumed the driver was gone. I dragged my dear friend from the wreckage and draped him over my shoulders. I made a dash for a nearby barn, narrowly dodging those shambling heaps of rotted flesh. The screech of the jet engine and the delirious rambling of my rattled pal nearly drowned out the sound of the footsteps that reminded me I was still alive.
The jet turned to make another run. I watched it pirouette and slice through the wind as it twisted into a dive headed straight for me. As it came closer, I knew what came next. With all of my might, I tossed my friend as far as I could. The explosions dashed toward me once more. My body and the zombies chasing me moved slowly, but the explosions charged forward, as if unhindered by the passage of time. I watched my paralyzed partner smash through a window and disappear into the shadow of the barn.
As the flames enveloped me, the last thing I could see was a luscious green field being invaded by vibrant gold strands of wheat. It was beautiful and so captivating. It's a shame that it would be the last time I could ever see the shining scenery of summer in Chernarus.
