Page 91 of Darling Wildfire
“Does it matter?”
Nyx tilted his head in agreement and brought his hand up to the bandage.
“That was the closest call I’ve ever had.”
“Did it change anything?” I asked. He looked more thoughtful than afraid as he grinned at me in the mirror and shook his head.
“I wondered…if I’m the Reaper, then who’s coming for me?”
“The devil himself probably,” I mused, returning the grin even though on the inside I wasn’t smiling. I hated how close I was getting to these men, including Preacher. It only made my obligation to them more profound. They were my responsibility, and I hated it. I hated it because when they died, I’d be alone again. Nyx may be the Reaper but the devil followed me everywhere I went, and it was only a matter of time until he claimed everyone around me.
One day, it would be each of them.
44
ATLAS
TWELVE MONTHS CAPTIVE
This game was a disaster.
“Atlas!” I turned at the sound of North barking my name. “Find that fucking sniper!”
We were currently pinned down behind a run down barn. The ground sloped away in front of us and ended in a rapidly moving river. The bank soon rose to steep cliffs and in the distance was a massive bridge where we could see the target’s cage sitting in the middle. We had to cross the open area and somehow make it over to the bridge without getting shot by the team across the river. There was little cover—only a few sparse trees and one low running stone wall I was very hesitant to trust with my life.
We’d already lost one of the new kids. I couldn’t even remember his name but we’d run into another team in the rundown country town behind us and they’d shot him point blank.
“Nyx, cover,” North ordered.
I pulled back and with Nyx following, went into the building next to the barn. It was a blown out ruin of a two story building but there were still stairs to the second floor and I ran up them, mindful of the gaps. I lay down in the debris from the blasted out wall and looked through the sights of my rifle. I scanned the far bank of the river. That side sloped gently like ours and was almost a mirror image with buildings high on the bank. The sniper pinning us was in one of them.
I heard the impact of bullets below me as we were hit again and I saw a flash of glass reflected in the sun.
Got ya.
Adjusting my sights, I zeroed in on him. He was hiding in a similar rundown building, but I was slightly above him giving me the advantage. I took a breath and on the exhale pulled the trigger.
I watched his body go slack through my sights.
“Clear,” I reported.
“Copy,” North said. “You and you—get to that next building, we’ll lay cover fire. Nyx wait here and watch Atlas’ back. Atlas make sure no one else decides to camp on us. Preacher with me.”
I heard North, Preacher and Nyx lay cover fire as the two new kids raced off to the next building, then covered North and Preacher as they ran to join them. I took out another soldier and scanned for more. I wished I had eyes on the bridge but my angle was wrong.
“No longer have eyes on the enemy. They’re moving towards the bridge.”
“Copy,” North said. “Atlas—you and Nyx see if you can find a hide with a view of the bridge.”
“Copy.”
I made my way back down to Nyx and together we rushed to where the others were situated behind a rock wall. This was the last building closest to the bridge. Nyx and I bypassed the team and headed up into a nearby building. It was a little farther away, but it had a better view of the bridge.
I settled on my stomach and looked through the sights towards the bridge.
“Target confirmed,” I said. “Middle of the bridge.”
Whoever got to the target would be exposed for an uncomfortable amount of time. The bridge was nearly a half mile long and the drop off the side was dizzying before it plunged into the rapids.
