author's note: this scene is inspired by one in "Never play Cards with Strangers".
Deadline
He heard
The words
And bolted
From the kitchen to the barracks,
Down the ladder to the tunnel,
Up the ladder through the stump;
Hit the ground, his heart was pounding,
As he hurtled through the forest,
Almost heedless of the searchlights,
With a rapid, rhythmic thump.
~0~
The fate
Awaiting
Others,
If he failed to reach his target,
Was the stuff of darkest nightmares;
Two companions' lives at stake.
Life or death; each painful breath,
Each stride and stumble took him closer
To those heading into danger;
To the deadline he must make.
~0~
He cleared
The fear
And panic;
Stopped emotions interfering,
As he focused on his running,
And his chance to ease their plight.
Muscles burned with every turn;
He swerved and skidded through the woodland;
Letting nothing slow the progress
Of his swift, nocturnal flight.
~0~
Ahead,
A dreaded
Rumble,
As an engine coughed and spluttered
Into life; his friends preparing
For the convoy rendezvous.
Took the call and risked it all;
A final sprint to block their pathway,
Every nerve and joint protesting
At the strain he put them through.
~0~
A shout,
Though doubt
Persisted
That the foe could hear him yelling,
As the truck rolled on towards him,
Waved his hands; it slowed and stopped...
Huge relief beyond belief,
Familiar arms across his shoulders,
As he tried to calm his breathing,
And his heart rate slowly dropped.
~0~
Quite still
Until
He noticed
Anxious friends with urgent questions,
On his unexpected actions
And how plans became undone.
A weary smile; "Four minute mile".
He hoped to share the details later,
Once recovered from the most
Important race he'll ever run.
~0~