Where Are We Now
Chapter 25
As this is a little short have added two chapters today
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Afghanistan – Helium by Sia
It was pitch black and she didn't know where she was. She was probably still in this bloody cave. She really didn't like it when it was this dark. Living in London or being in Barracks there was always some sort of light never pitch like this. She couldn't remember anywhere being this dark and if it was she probably would have had Charlie lying beside her so she didn't feel too alone.
"Do yah wanna hold my hand" said the familiar voice
"Thanks Elvis, I'm being a bit of a woozy aren't I"
"You're all right darling" and she could hear him smiling
"Will we be here much longer?"
"No help is on the way and then you'll be home"
"I wish he were here holding my hand"
There was a soft chuckle next to her "My hand not good enough"
"You're not really here though are you? I'm just dreamin"
"Everything's going to be OK Molly. You and him, you'll be fine"
"I hope so"
"Oh, and Molly"
"Yeah?"
"Try not to scare the shit out of Spanner by stroking his beard" and she could hear him cackling with laughter
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There was noise from the entrance which woke them all up. Blue came through to the main area to tell them it looks like they've been found and they are starting to clear the rubble to get them out.
"Let's hope it won't be too long" said Brains "Not sure I could put up with this lot for much longer"
Blue went back to the entrance see if there was any contact with the outside other than the banging they could hear. The Engineers had cleared a small section towards the top of the cave worried that more of the rock face may come down if they took too much at this stage. According to Blue they were waiting on a structural engineer to check if half the mountain would come down if they continued but it should only be 12 hours before he was here. In the meantime, there was enough of a hole to pass food and water through and give a shaft of light into the cave. It felt so much better now that they could tell if it was day or night.
"Well at least I can identify what I'm eating now" said Throbber in his strong Wolverhampton accent "I wasn't sure what those SF blokes were feeding us"
Brains laughed "You really don't want to know mate"
"I think I feel sick"
Dangles and Monk decided to pass the time they may as well wind him up a bit more
"Remember that time in Kenya Dangles, we were trapped out in the bush, what they gave us to eat out there" he was shaking his head as if in disgust "Mansfield was ill for a week after"
Spanner was smirking but didn't join in
"I don't know" Dangles replied "Everything was deep fried, definitely crickets, possibly scorpion and let's be honest Mansfield would eat anything not sure about the 50 cricket challenge though"
"Do you think we've been eating scorpions then?" asked Throbber showing his naivety and scouring the cave for evidence.
"Don't think you find scorpions here mate" said Monk "but I would imagine in a cave like this there are a few spiders, maybe a snake, probably a rat or two"
"I'm going to be sick" and he rushed off into the darkness leaving the group giggling
"You tossers" laughed Spanner "Its only bloody combat rations from the back of the truck. We were meant to be out in the field for weeks so it would have been a while before we needed to start supplementing"
"Well he's prepared now isn't he if we don't get out that quick" and Brains, Monk and Dangles fell about laughing.
"Looks like only one more night here, can't wait to get back to Jacks"
"Yeah but I'm not sure I want to spend too long in that hospital looking at the pair of you though" laughed Brains
"You just want to get back to that MP don't you"
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Molly saw that Mimi was on her own and normally she was with her colleagues Throbber and Prof. She thought that she had a soft spot for Throbber. She wasn't sure who he reminded her of or even if it was a combination of Smurf and Mansfield. On first impression and she knew she didn't make a good one either, he seemed a bit bolshie but he'd grown on her while they had been here. The way he believed what the lads told him was quite endearing really.
"You OK Mimi"
"Yeah. But I really hate the dark" she started "It was from my past I think"
"Why what happened" asked Molly and put her arm round her in comfort "You don't have to say if you don't want to"
"Well I grew up in a children's home, that's how I know Cheese"
"Poor you" Mimi laughed in response
"When we were naughty they locked us in a cupboard now I can't stand the dark" her head went down and she seemed to be shaking thoughts from her mind
"We'll get out of here soon" said Molly
"Do you miss your family" asked Mimi trying to change the subject from her chaotic upbringing
"Not really, well me Nan of course and me brothers and sisters"
"What about your Mum and Dad"
"Well you're not the only one with a dysfunctional family" laughed Molly "Me Dad is a bit of a tosser, prefers the pub to us always spending his money there or the bookies" she shook her head and grinned "and his get rich quick schemes, well let's just say they never succeed"
"Do you think we will get sent home as soon as we get out of here?"
"Nah! After this we will probably get an overnight in hospital for a check-up make sure we are fine" Molly started matter of factly. "Then it will probably be trauma debrief and normalisation"
"Will we be in Cyprus like last time?"
"Hope so could do with topping up me tan but they may keep us in Afghan and then ship us straight home from here"
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They were now on their fifth day and it was getting more difficult each day with the repetitiveness and boredom was sinking in. Conversations were drying up and they were all hoping the Sappers would get them out soon.
Kingy and Blue came through from the entrance with an update.
"Explosives are going to be placed to blow the entrance so we will have to move to the farthest point of the cave at 17:00 hours"
"Why have we got to wait all day" asked Monk
"It was felt that after this length of time in the cave it may be better to wait until later in the day so we can adjust to the light levels better"
While they were all extremely anxious to get out as soon as possible they could see a logic but at least an end was in sight.
At the allotted time they all moved to the back of the cave and laid flat with their helmets on and waited for the explosion. It was loud and there were clouds of dust filling the cave. They could hear voices calling for them asking if they were alright.
They were all smiling as they could see through the settling dust that the entrance was now visible and they were free. They picked up their belongings and made the slow walk to the entrance where they were greeted by medics, Colour Sergeant Kinders, Captain Hurst and the rest of the other sections. A cheer went up and everyone was wreathed in smiles. No casualties, all was well.
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Aldershot
Charles thought he would wander to the mess hall even if he just got himself a sandwich he needed to eat something. Five days now Molly had been missing, he knew there was a rescue mission and he knew it was close to its conclusion but it felt like eternity waiting on news.
He was sat with a coffee and sandwich and he noticed Beck coming towards him with a big smile on his face. He stood up and smiled back. It was good news he knew that from the expression on Becks face. Molly would be coming home