Page 126 of Darling Wildfire
The next few minutes were a wild blur of survival, training and instincts as we fought through the village. The four of us were a seamless machine, having now worked these missions with each other for over two years we could anticipate each other’s reactions.
It’s the only reason we made it nearly all the way to our DZ before a man rounded a corner so fast, he nearly took out North. Somehow, North’s reaction time was fast enough, and he dodged sideways at the last second. Sometimes I was convinced that man wasn’t human, and this was one of those moments because as he twisted, he came around and used his AR to shove his attacker against the wall. I didn’t have time to see more because I saw Nyx get flanked by two men and rushed to his side. He was grappling with one of them when we saw Red get dragged away.
“Go!” Nyx shouted at me. “I’ve got this! Go!”
I took off after Red. The pursuit seemed to surprise the man dragging her away because I was nearly on him before he noticed, the rain must have masked my footsteps. He shoved her away, sending her hard into the hood of a burned out car. It looked like everyone was nearly out of ammo because we both tossed our guns away and collided with fists.
I had the upper hand until the wet stones underneath me caused meto slip and a blow to my head sent me down hard. When the world stopped spinning, the man and Red were gone. I cursed and scrambled to my feet, looking around through the pounding rain, trying to determine which direction they’d gone. I found a .45 with a few bullets in the clip, chose a direction and jogged down the street.
I’d almost made it back to where we were ambushed when the buzzer sounded.
My knees weakened and I knew in my gut we’d lost. I leaned against the wall, wiping water from my face and trying to pull myself together as despair tore through me so intensely I lost my breath. I’d never gotten anxiety before, but it was the only way I could describe what I was feeling. My chest tightened and I couldn’t take a full breath as I rested my forehead against the wall and fought to compose myself.
I’d lost this one. I should have held on to Red.
“Did we win?” Kane’s voice, now a weak whisper, came over comms. I pushed away from the wall.
“No,” North said. “We’re coming for you, sit tight.”
“No,” Kane sighed. “This is it for me.”
“Fuck off,” Nyx snapped and relief surged through me hearing his voice. “They can patch you up—”
“I’m done, man,” Kane rasped.
I picked up my pace at the tone of his voice, heading back where we’d left him in the field.
“It’s been an honor, gentlemen,” Kane continued, his voice nearly unintelligible over the raging storm. “It’s a beautiful day to die, this storm—it reminds me of that poem. How’s it go?”
“Kane—hold on,” North demanded.
“Though wise men at their end know dark is right,” Kane quoted. “Because their words had forked no lightning—”
As though the world was listening, the sky erupted, lightning crackling across the sky. “—they do not go gentle into that good night.”
“Kane!” Preacher pleaded, the tone of his voice tearing through me.
“Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight,” Kane continued, ignoring us. “Blind eyes could blaze like meteors—Rage, rage against the dying of the light.”
There was a pause.
“Rage against the dying of the light…” he muttered. “Give ‘em hell for me.”
A gunshot cracked through our comms units.
I pulled up short, my chest constricting and I was surprised when I choked on tears suddenly mingling with the rain running down my face. I don’t knowhow long I stood there, listening to the silence in my ear. But it was North’s voice that got me moving again, this time back towards our DZ.
“Bless me now with your fierce tears, I pray.” His voice was rough. “Do not go gentle into that good night—” the emotion surged through his tone as he breathlessly finished, fierce and angry. “Rage, rage against the dying of the light.”
“Rest easy, brother,” Nyx said.
I don’t know how I made it back to the DZ.
My thoughts were dark, twisted and matched the storm raging around me.
Bless me now with your fierce tears…
Bits and pieces of the poem cut through my thoughts and I couldn’t stop the devastation that slid painfully through me like a blade piercing my heart. I stumbled across the line of the DZ where the others stood but I didn’t see them.
