Even in desperate times, you must learn to enjoy the smaller things in life. I learnt that myself in this war, and found it to be true. Enjoying the little things calms the mind. One can always use a distraction in the harsh reality that is life.
Pennsylvanian Country, 12:36 15th March 2033, Jason's POV
I watched from a short distance away as the young dark-haired woman trained hard, each round hitting the center of the painted red circle on the white wooden board. Several 51mm rounds were lined up beside her by the M40 sniper rifle. She lay in a prone position, with the bipod resting against the dirt of the small hill she fired from. That day, she wore faded denim jeans and another dark shirt with a hard rock band logo on the front, this time being a band called Led Zeppelin. Obviously, I knew nothing about it. The only thing Lydia had told me about her shirts was that they were all hard rock bands, and that was it. Her hair was in a neat pony tail, a black baseball cap covering the top of it. I stood with my back against the wall of the barn, with my arms crossed. My attire consisted of a grey jacket and some grey jeans, as well as a pair of white sneakers, all of which I had borrowed. I could see why the others saw her as the most accurate one of them. Another round ripped through the wood, the bang from the rifle echoing around the area. I saw that the round had gone all the way through, hitting the ground a fair distance away.
My attention was drawn to a greeting at the other end of the courtyard and found Jill, wearing a blue shirt and dark blue long skirt. She carried a bucket to the water pump. Her face was very tired and flushed, and I could blame Wyatt for that. Although it wasn't his fault his arm had got infected. Ever since it had, Jill was awake 24/7 to make sure it got better. He was on lockdown, but that didn't stop him from getting out. That was easy for him. The hard part was staying out. And it was getting harder. She had even set up her equipment in his room to watch over him while she did her job.
"How's Wyatt doin'" Hank questioned her while she walked back.
"Fine" was all she said back without a turn of her head. He shrugged and began to go back to his workshop in the barn, giving me a wave which I returned after. After I looked to where Jill was, but she was gone back inside. So I went back to the young woman firing her weapon. And when I did, I saw her eyes on me. She still held on to her rifle, with only her face towards me. I felt awkward standing, having been watching without her knowing. Imagine being caught by a girl doing that? I could feel my cheeks going hot, and hoped to God that they didn't go red like tomatoes.
"Are you going to keep standing there like an idiot?" she asked. I felt stupid right away. "Or are you going to shoot some wood?" Her eye went back to her scope, and once more she left into her own quiet world. I still stood there, taken by surprise. I had expected an insult, but not the offer she gave after. I soon however got back to myself and decided to accept the offer, taking the rifle beside her position. It was the same as hers, but instead of olive green it was a solid black, and had a longer scope.
I began the preparation of the weapon by readying the bipod at the front, and flipped the safety off. After a few of seconds of checking the weapon, I pulled the bolt back. The rifle was ready to fire, and that's exactly what I prepared to do. I took a steady breath, and looked down the scope, then fired. The bullet hit inches away from the center, though not the worst I could have done. Using Wyatt's training, I lined up my shot, fired again...and hit just the the right of the center circle. I heard a satisfied humph from my right and found Lydia's face cracking open in an amused grin.
"I see what they mean now" she remarked. For the first time, she had commented on something I had done. And it was a positive comment. That made me feel better, but also a bit too enthusiastic. So when I fired another round, it went further away from the middle, and my high hopes had gone to a low level. Though that didn't change her thoughts on me. "Keep going. You just need to focus. Let nothing else distract you." She drew in a breath of air, looked down the scope, and nothing but the scope, then fired. It hit dead center, the bullet ricocheting off the ground and going back through to end up somewhere far behind us. There were no anguished cries of pain, so it must have gone past the house as well. Or it was just a lucky miss.
"You're a nice shot." I hesitated on what to say next, afraid she may not want to answer. "How did you get so good?" She shrugged, and pulled the bolt back and forth.
"Just am" was her answer before another shot rang through the air. I guessed there was nothing more to say, so stood from the rifle, putting it on it's side, then headed towards the house. Hopefully Wyatt was in a stable enough condition to talk, and hadn't nodded off. Though that wasn't what I had to worry about. What I did have to worry about was the person on guard.
Jill was always alert, and every time someone came near, she would shoo them away unless they had an exceptional excuse to enter. Having a chat wasn't under those conditions.
I entered the comfort of the home, and when I passed the lounge room, I felt the need to sit down. I went against it, however, for I had other activities in mind. None of them included sitting down, unless you count sitting on a bed while talking to a friend. Going up the stairs, the voices of both Jill and Wyatt could be heard. Wyatt being calm and reasoning, but Jill was the entire opposite. And the subject was obvious.
"You can't leave!"
"Let's just talk about this quietly-"
"No! Let them hear! Then they can help me keep you here!" I stopped just outside, and looked into the doorway from around, with only half my head showing. I could see Jill was about to blow her head off, so I knocked, earning their attention. That made her let off a bit of steam, but she was still red, and on the verge of going purple with rage. Her plump stature was hunched over Wyatt, her face sweating.
"Jason. Come in here, boy. We were just finishing up." He cast a glance over at the short woman just as she was about to protest, but instead left, sending a quick glare at the man in bed. He only smiled innocently back, then his jade green eyes moved on to me. "I've heard that you've made a great contribution to us. Good job" his commendation made me feel better, and gave me the necessary boost to make my morning good. But there was always something to make the day go bad.
"Yes, I have. But is it enough? I still don't feel entirely...well, welcome."
"Trust me, you are. You've helped us all...Mathias would be proud." I'm not sure what his aim was of mentioning his name, but if it was to put me down, then it worked. Because I believed the opposite. I was hardly rebel material, and almost got him killed on our first meeting.
"No, he wouldn't" I argued, putting Wyatt in a state of complete surprise. "First time I met him, I almost got him killed. I abandoned my family. I couldn't even be brave enough to shoot a weapon in order to save you from that patrol. All I'm good at doing is just sitting around like some dead weight!" Wyatt laid down, but his head was upright, his mouth agape. That was only for a moment, but the surprise still lingered amongst his features.
"That is not how we think of you. You are a one of us. If you want to do more, then we can help you with that, okay?" I was hesitant at first. But it wasn't long before I decided to answer.
"Fine...But I want your help. You're the one I trust out of everyone."
"Okay." Just like that, he agreed. And that was exactly what I expected. I could depend on him. But the true question was whether or not he could depend on me.
"Thank you." I paused for a small moment, looking at the window and seeing Lydia, still training.
"She can help, you know." I looked back at him with a quirked brow, pretending not to understand the meaning behind his words. But I knew all too well. He meant that black haired woman. And even though her training would make it exceptionally easier on me, I didn't want her help. All I wanted was Wyatt's, because I trusted him over anyone else there. But under the current circumstances, I would have to. In his condition, it would be impossible for him to teach me how to better my aim, or how to find the weak points on a foe, and other combat training. And Lydia had a reputation for being good at that stuff. "Lydia is well trained. She can help you. And from what I saw not too long ago, I think you would be fine with that." of us. If you want to do more, then we can help you with that, okay?" I was hesitant at first. But it wasn't long before I decided to answer.
"Fine" I answered, my arms crossed in front of my chest. I still didn't feel comfortable, despite us getting along. But when she hears of this, that may ruin our friendship. She may soon think of me as a pest.
"Don't worry. You'll be fine." I sat down, thinking otherwise. I'd hate to see her in teacher mode, scolding me constantly. She'd be worse than Jill, and that scared me. "So I take it that you never came here to talk about boring training. What did you really come for?" I thought about the question, and realized that I hadn't come up with a subject to speak about, and only just come to talk. "How about home. What was life like before?" Just thinking about it brought back the nightmares from before. The execution. My parents. The vision of a burning town.
"Just the usual life. A cramped up town, bread for most main courses, constant patrols after curfew, everyone surrounded by a stone wall...not the good life. But I'm sure you had the good life. Right?" I asked. His look told me otherwise when his smile went upside down.
"I'll tell you. But how about I do that over a game of chess? Fancy a challenge?" I nodded, and Wyatt called out for Jill. She arrived, and left just as quickly once he requested a chess board. She arrived soon after, and placed it on a tray she brought with her, moving the tray above Wyatt's legs. He lifted the sheets from his upper body, revealing a bandaged arm in a sling. "Here's how we'll do it. After each move, the one who makes the move asks a question. While the other one makes their move, they answer that question, then ask their own. Deal?" He held out his uninjured arm, and I shook his hand in agreement.
"Deal."
Wyatt was the first to make a move. He moved the pawn second from the left forward one space.
"What's your family like?" he asked. This question I could answer easy. But i wouldn't tell him about my real parents. I didn't know them for long, so I decided to talk about my second parents.
"My mother was kind and compassionate, and she helped whoever needed aid. She was also an excellent cook, and knew some stuff on medicine and other things a doctor would know. My father was a mechanic, and showed me a lot on cars and bikes. He was kind in his own way, and was known around town." I made my move by moving one of the middle pawns forward one space, and clasped my hands together in my lap before asking a question of my own. "Did you have family before you came here?"
"Yes. I have a wife and two kids." I was surprised to find that out from him, not knowing that he had kids of his own, though I faintly remember something related to it. "And a sister." I nodded, and waited patiently for him to make his move. This time it was the pawn at the other end of the board. His strategy confused me a bit. "So what did you do to pass time?"
"Play games."
"What kind?" I sent a quick frown at him. "Right. One question." I moved a pawn at the far right forward before answering his question. I had a strategy in mind already, though some of it was based on knowing your opponent.
"I also caused a bit of trouble with friends of mine. Graffiti, playing around military buildings, basically the stupid stuff rebellious kids do these days" I replied. He seemed satisfied with my answer and nodded.
"Must have been fun." I shrugged, and followed up with my second question.
"How did you come across Mathias?" I noticed him flinch at my question. He moved a third pawn, one towards the middle in front of the bishop on the left and then followed up with an answer.
"I found him wandering the wilderness alone, close to a resistance camp I was at. I was the first face he had seen for weeks. We became friends soon after." He sighed, then asked another question. "You have any relationships, if you know what I mean by that."
"Not for you to know." In truth, I had none. My life had been pretty alone, besides my few friends and my parents. I moved the first pawn one more space forward, and signaled for him to move, but not before asking my question. And the game continued from there.
Wyatt's POV
The game ended in quite the hilarious way. I had learnt some information about the boy, and these facts could prove useful to me someday. Though it went bad once the boy asked me to show him the wound. At first, he had been grossed out. Then Jill came in, and started going off at us. Then she chased the poor boy out. I had never seen him run so quick. For a split second, I wondered if he had run like that in the town? Most likely not. It must have been hard for him to leave everything he knew behind. But I swore on my life that we would help the town of Chester. Even if it cost me my own life.
In the doorway, I spotted another face. Someone who shouldn't be walking. Milo limped in, his grey tabby cat trailing behind him. Under one arm he held a book, so I suspected he planned to stay for a while. He wore his leather jacket with a grey sweatshirt and dark grey jeans and black boots. Jill would undoubtedly not approve, and send him right back.
"What are you doing? You shouldn't be up right now." I attempted to stand to help balance him, but was halted by a sudden jolt of pain up my wounded arm. His pace slowed as he came to sit down on the chair at the bedside, with hands clasped and his elbows resting against his knees.
"You should be resting, yet you played game. We are both in wrong." I found myself stunned by the truth, only managing a smirk. How could he had known? Had the buy told him? Or perhaps Jill? I guessed the latter improbable, but then so was the former, because Jason had run in the opposite direction from Milo's room, so he couldn't have seen him on the way.
"How'd you know?" I questioned curiously. There must have been some way, besides him being just outside the doorway. Or Jill would have noticed.
"That woman can be loud sometimes. Hard not to hear her" he added. I nodded in agreement. My ears were still sore from her overly loud voice. The noise she made was absolutely unnecessary. "How is arm? Good?" I looked over my arm, and shrugged my shoulders. I winced as the movement caused some pain. Though he didn't seem to notice. "Who won?"
"Neither of us. Jill came in before we had the chance to finish. But by how it was going, I would have." He had that smug all-knowing look, and I knew that he had expected that. "So what are you doing here? Come to chat, or is something else on your mind?" He leaned back, allowing his cat to jump into his lap. I reached my hand out and scratched him behind the ear. Mikhail always liked that. The cat purred as he rubbed his head against my open hand. The smooth grey fur ran through the gaps between my fingers, tickling the palm of my hand. The sensation made a smile. But when I looked up, I was met with a serious stare.
"I came to speak of next plan." Of course that's why he came in. I rolled my eyes and moved my hand to my head and scratched at my hair.
"I got nothing. We've scouted the surrounding area. No KPA patrols since we left. What else could we do?" Neither of us had an answer. I knew when he made no effort to reply, and we both sat in silence, as if we were cold statues. Only the cat moved, it's tail slowly moving above it while it stared at me with curious eyes. He was a curious animal. I pet him again, but almost jumped when it's head lifted up with lightning speed as there was a sudden knock at the door. Jill looked flushed and she went straight to the map on the desk on the other side of my bed.
"I've got news" she stated without turning her head, her fingers running along the large sheet of paper. "Command called in, and they're delivering a drop...but there's also some bad news" she added with a frustrated tone. I had one guess what it was. "The drop is at the old camp we just left." And I was right. The only was to get to it was obvious. We had to send someone. I voiced my opinion in before anyone else.
"Send Jason." At first they were stunned, then they both sighed. I guess they didn't understand how much I believed in the boy. "Please. He shouldn't run into any danger. Send someone else with him if you must." They were both hesitant. Milo rubbed his chin, thinking about it.
"It is a small package..."
"They can take the bike" Milo put in. She eyed us both, then rolled her eyes.
"Fine" Jill finally answered, disheartened slightly. "But I will be choosing who goes." She hurried off, and Milo could only give an amused huff before she was gone.
"You are sure about boy?" he asked questionably. I turned my eyes to him and nodded. I was more sure than I'd ever been. The kid was rebel material. And every single addition to our group made us stronger. I didn't think on the fact that we had lost one, because I did not want to think I was replacing Mathias. I would never replace a friend. "Why choose him?"
"He reminds me of myself. Don't you remember what I told you of myself in my younger days? I was rebellious, yet well-mannered. I was social, yet shy at times. I was alone, and lived with people who were not family." And just like me, Jason was the same. Except I still had family. He may never see his again.
"You are too kind" the Russian said with a smirk. I shrugged with a smile. He was right. My kindness was a strength, but also a weakness. As soon as I set eyes on that boy, I knew he would be useful. And even if he wasn't, I still would have taken him in with open arms.
"Not sure if you mean that in a good way or a bad way." Milo waved a hand dismissively and sat back and began reading to himself, and his cat leaped to the bed and lay at my feet, drifting into a sleep. His fur warmed my feet, and soon I started to feel sleepy. I dreamed a memory of a few years ago. When my sister came to Denver for me.
Finally. That took a while to complete. And yes, that was a reference to Demo's story 'Homefront: Liberation'. Also, another vote that can change the story.
Who will go with Jason? It can be anyone but Wyatt and Milo (because they are injured). Leave your answer in a review or a PM. See you all in the next chapter(possibly a week), and hope to hear from you readers soon.
