Chapter 38:

Chapter 38

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Arriving in an open region, the truck stops, unloads the soldiers and leaves. The place that Arthur and his group descended was spacious and could only see trees miles away where the forest began. They started walking on the spot to get to the trench camp, where the war would take place.

-Let's review the plan one more time. The enemy has places, where they take shelter and this one where we are going is one of those places. The command center divided the army and sent them into groups to each of these shelters. The plan is to put an end to the enemy at once and not prolong this war any longer. You better prepare for the worst, as this will not be an easy battle, but I'm sure if God is on our side we won't lose anyone tonight. (Thomas)

The soldiers were prepared, their eyes focused and serious showed that they would not back down even knowing that death awaited them.

-Very well, let's start walking. (Thomas)

In the command center where the generals were located, they continued to check on the status of their plan.

-I got a call, it looks like the last group finally arrived at the scene. (general 1)

-Great, things are proceeding without any problem so far. (general 2)

Entering the room in despair, a soldier arrives with the radio in his hands.

-Sir, I received news from James' squad, it seems they haven't found any enemies in the area. They searched the entire area and couldn't find anyone. (Soldier)

-This is weird. (general 3)

-What are we going to do about it? (general 4)

-Let's wait, until something else happens outside the standard we will continue with the plan. (general)

Arthur's group continues advancing until they finally reach the trench area. The first one they passed was quite narrow, they also noticed that it had a secret passage hidden by a wooden door. The others were already wider and had nothing different.

-When will we see them? (Miguel)

-They were supposed to be here. (Thomas)

-What are we going to do, turn the place over? (Miguel)

Thomas begins to think hard to give orders to his soldiers.

At the command center, they received one more news.

-Sir, we received calls from other groups citing the same happened. There are no enemies in sight. (Soldier)

-All groups said the same thing? (general 3)

-That's weird, where would they be then? (general 4)

-Actually, almost everyone said the same thing. Thomas's group has yet to respond. (Soldier)

The general who looked incessantly at the map of the region after hearing this seems to have understood what was going on.

-Send a truck to rescue this group immediately. (general 2)

-But sir... (soldier)

-IT'S AN ORDER!! (general)

-Yes sir! (Soldier)

The soldier runs out of the room to prepare the truck. All the other generals look towards the one who ordered them to prepare the rescue.

-They have already accepted their defeat, but they will not give up until they take as many enemies with them. These people are really demons. (general 2)

Back at the concentration camp, Thomas watched the forest far away from them. He stared at her without looking away until he noticed a glow coming from her.

-GET DOWN!!! (Thomas)

Everyone finds it strange at first, until they start being shot at. They run to the trenches and hide, leaving inside the forest a huge group of 200 enemies starts running towards the soldiers.

-SHOOT!! (Thomas)

The soldiers start firing incessantly at the enemies, but end up not taking down many of them as they quickly enter one of the trenches in front of them. At that moment a firefight began without pause, in which while one was reloading his weapon, the other fired and vice versa.

-What are you doing Arthur! (Miguel)

-I won't shoot them. (Arthur)

-He can only be kidding. Look! They took down three of us, are you really going to let them get away with it? (Miguel)

-I already said I won't shoot. (Arthur)

Thomas realizes that they were advancing little by little and orders his soldiers as they fired to retreat to the back trench. They obeyed the order, but during this exchange two ended up being shot and killed instantly.

-Damn, drug, drug, drug! (Miguel)

They reach the penultimate trench, there was nowhere else to retreat, they have had 15 casualties so far and only 8 soldiers are left.

-Arthur I'll tell you for the last time, if you don't get your fucking gun now... (Miguel)

-I already told you that I'm not going to kill anyone! (Arthur)

Thomas rages and grabs Arthur by the collar of his shirt.

-I've taken too much. You this good guy role! But what did it get you, huh? Two of his closest companions are buried right now because of this! How do you hope to save your friends if you don't want to kill anyone who seeks their death?! Huh?! Answer me Arthur, how do you hope to save your allies' lives if you're not going to shoot any enemies?! (Thomas)

Arthur in the middle of Thomas' curse notices something approaching far away on the horizon. Looking closer he sees that it was an army truck coming to his rescue.

-Look! (Arthur)

Thomas looks towards them as well as his allies, a little hope appears to them at the end of it all.

-Let's go to the last personal trench! (Thomas)

Running for their lives they cross towards the first trench they passed. However, Thomas, who ran after his teammates, ends up being shot in the leg. Upon realizing that his friend had fallen, Arthur does not think twice and goes back to his rescue.

-What is this idiot doing?! He will die like this! (Soldier)

Miguel looking at his mate gets a startled face to see him come back all the way and risk his life to try and save his friend.

-GIVE THEM COVER! (Miguel)

Placing his friend on his shoulders Arthur starts running as shots are fired in his back, by a very big miracle they pass very close to him, but none hit him. Under the protection of his companions he manages to reach the trench.

-You are crazy! You could have died. (Miguel)

-Then we don't need to worry, because I survived. (Arthur)

-How can you be so carefree? (Miguel)

Arthur rips Thomas' pants and sees that the bullet went through his leg, it was a very serious wound.

-Can you run yet? (Arthur)

-I don't think it's possible to go that fast to run. (Thomas)

-What will we do? If we run with him to the truck, we're sure to be killed. (soldier 1)

-You are an idiot? With this distance in open field to where the truck is, even in perfect conditions we would not be able to reach it. (soldier 2)

-What are we going to do then? (soldier 1)

-Let's use that. (Arthur)

Arthur points to the secret passage.

-Crawling? It's very slow, when we get there they'll be waiting for us. (soldier 1)

-It's our only option. (Arthur)

Even afraid, as the odds were low, the soldiers agreed to do it. Arthur guides Thomas to the passage and asks him to go first, followed by Miguel and so on. In the distance Arthur notices something felling the trees in the forest, it was a battle tank.

-You must be kidding. (soldier 2)

-If this gets close to the truck it will blow up our only chance of getting out alive. (soldier 1)

-What are you waiting for, hurry up or we'll be killed. (Arthur)

The soldiers enter too, only Arthur is left out of the passage.

-What are you waiting for? (soldier 2)

-Go ahead, I'll be right behind. (Arthur)

-Okay, don't take too long. (soldier 2)

After the soldier leaves, Arthur closes the wooden door. He draws his weapon and unlocks it. Looking to the horizon he saw the enemies advancing towards him, if they continued at that speed they would reach the truck and the escape would fail. Closing his eyes for a moment he starts thinking about his father.

Dad, do you remember, on my first day of school, when you told me not to care what I was told or not to care when I was teased? At the time I couldn't understand what you were saying to me, but today I understand those words. The demons in the adventure stories you read to me were not fictional... as they were inspired by human beings. People who kill without thinking twice, who enjoy seeing the pain of others and who laugh at the miserable situation that some find themselves. But I don't want to be a demon, I don't want to cause anyone pain, because what I want to be is a hero. That's why until the end of this war I won't kill a single human being. (Arthur)

Arthur takes careful aim with his gun and starts firing, his shots hitting the ground near the feet of his enemies, causing them to enter one of the trenches. On the other side, the last two soldiers reach the truck.

-Where's Arthur?! (Thomas)

-He said he was right behind us. (soldier 2)

In the distance, soldiers hear shots.

-It can't be... (Miguel)

Realizing what the boy was trying to do, Thomas closes his eyes so as not to get sentimental at such a time.

-Let's go. (Thomas)

-Which!? (Miguel)

-If we don't leave soon, the enemies will arrive here. (Thomas)

-And abandon Arthur?! He risked his life to save you back there! How can you turn your back on him at this moment when he needs you most! (Miguel)

-YOU THINK I DON'T KNOW!! (Thomas)

Miguel realizes that Thomas was suffering from this decision, from his eyes tears flowed.

-I WISH I COULD SEND EVERYONE DOWN THIS F*** AND SAVE HIM! BUT I CAN'T DO IT! Because worse than him dying, he would have died in vain. (Thomas)

Miguel feels Thomas' anguish and realizes that he wasn't doing something he wanted, but something Arthur wanted. The truck starts to depart and from a distance all the soldiers watch the last moments of their companion, even facing an army of more than a hundred soldiers he did not retreat. An enemy tries to get out of the trench to go towards Arthur and quickly realizing this Arthur shoots at the wall beside him, causing him to jump again desperately into the trench. Arthur was getting tired and his bullets were running out. The time had come, as he heard the noise of the tank rails approaching, he leans against the wall and closes his eyes. Imagining the image of his father he starts to cry.

Father... forgive me, but I won't be able to come back to see you. I just wanted to tell you how much I love you one more time before I leave. I wish I could have given you one more hug before saying goodbye. I would like you to listen once more to that heart beat before you say goodbye. (Arthur)

Placing his hand on his heart, Arthur begins to feel his heartbeat, it was racing. It beat frantically, because of the anxiety its owner was feeling. The tank finally gets close to Arthur's trench, making him realize that the time has come. Leaving the trench without any weapons, Arthur is facing his enemies just waiting for his time. The commander of enemy soldiers raises his hand signaling for his soldiers to wait for his orders. As a sign of respect for the man who had given his life for his companions, he leaves the battlefield with a few seconds of total silence.

Bundum.

Bundum.

Bundum.

Bundum.

Bundum.

-FIRE!! (enemy)

In the distance, the allies could see the huge explosion caused by the tank's shot. There was no way Arthur could have survived, his companions began to cry. The image of Arthur facing an entire army of enemies just to save them would be forever etched in their minds.

In a completely dark place, where you couldn't see anything, you can hear a sound coming through the darkness.

Bundum.

Bundum.

Bundum.

Bundum.

The sound was constant, until suddenly it changes speed as if something had happened.

Bundum, Bundum, Bundum, Bundum, Bundum, Bundum, Bundum, Bundum..., Bundum, Bundum, Bundum, Bundum, Bundum..., Bundum, Bundum..., Bundum, Bundum..., Bundum..., Bundum..., Bundum..., Bundum..., Bum... dum..., Bum...

TRIMMMMMMMMMM!! (phone sound)

Waking up from the phone, Logan puts his hand on his head as if he's come out of a bad dream. He had not understood what it was that he had dreamed of.

TRIMMMMMMMMM!!

He gets up from the couch and goes to the phone on his shelf.

-Hello? (Logan)

Your expression upon listening to the person behind the line changes completely, your eyes go blank and your mind seems to have been turned off for a moment. Letting the phone slip through his hands he dropped it, shaken by what he heard he could barely stand. He didn't believe what he was hearing, that could only be a lie, realizing that he was without support, he puts one of his hands on the piece of furniture and falls slowly. Not a single tear came out of her eyes, for they were filled with despair and fear.

-Hello?... Hello?... Sir... (phone)