Chapter 5…

I made my way to the marketplace again, my senses running high, trying to keep my cool, when I could be engaged at anytime. Rainbow Dashes mane one and a while brushed up against the back of my neck, tickling me over and over again. To be quite honest, it was kind of annoying, but hey, what can I do, right?

I reached the marketplaces entrance, nobody was in front of me or down the road into the market stalls, or around my area of operation. Just two buildings on either side of me. I was about to walk out into the open, when something told me, that wasn’t a good idea. So, remembering back to my training, little there was, I jogged over to the wall of the building on my left, and knelt down next to it, but still faced front, so I didn’t crush dashy on the wall. I moved forward a few inches, until my head was parallel with the wall. Tilting it slightly to the left, I moved forward, just enough to let my right eye poke out from the wall.

Looking about, I really didn’t see much. my face mask and my special operations helmet made my vision very limited, but, I needed protection. Along with my vest, and patrol belt, no other form of protection was on me at the time, knee pads and gloves didn’t count.

I felt down my leg for my gun, grabbing it and ducking my head around to the corner to safety once again, I began to look it over.

(FOR READERS SAKE)

Name: GSR

*CLICK ME FOR IMAGE*

Origin: United States

Weapon type: Semi-automatic

Manufacturer: SIG Sauer

Weight: 39.2 oz (1.11 Kg) empty

Length: 8.65 in.(220mm)

Barrel length: 5 in.(127mm)

Width: 1.4 in.(35.6mm)

Height: 5.5 in.(140mm)

Cartridge: .45 ACP

Barrels: 4.49 in. (114 mm)

Action: Single-action

Feed system: 8-round single stack magazine

It felt snug in my hand, almost as if it was made, just for me. Luck grab I guess, thanks Snake. Holding it up, I pulled back the silver slide of the handgun and checked the barrel for a round, luckily there was already one in there, so I let it fly back with a satisfying clicking sound.

“ I don’t want to play god, it is inhumane, it is not my place, but for all those who stand in my way, I will protect myself even if I have to fill his shoes.”

I whispered to myself was I lowered the weapon, and flicked off the safety as I got up off my knees and walked slowly forward, aiming the firearm, in anyway possible. I turned left as I kept the firearm facing outward to my right, keeping an eye on the market. My heart raced, the gun slowly became heavier as my emotions began to grow on me, again.

Tightening my grip on the gun, I kept looking back and forth between in front of me, and next to, trying to keep everything under my vision.

I made it halfway down the marketplace, as I soon found myself letting my guard down, when the sound engines filled the air around me.

My heart rate dropped right then and there as in front of me was a road. To my left, until now, was a constant train of buildings, that defined where the market was, and wasn’t. This road, stopped the buildings, and cut right through the marketplace. I thought about running down that road to avoid the engine of, whatever was coming my way, until saw the approaching shadow coming up the street, towards me.

I panicked, everything seemed to blur, I quickly looked around for shelter, until I had to result to my old tactics, hiding inside a building. The machine grew closer, I turned to my left and spotted a door, a old wooden one. Without thinking, I ran over to it, kicked it in with the flat of my foot, and ran inside, the coolness of the room, making it slightly comfortable to be in.              

I looked around for cover inside. A saw a flipped over table, with a few rounds in it place here and there. Seeing no other option. I ran behind it, and ducked for cover, while making sure dashies mane was behind meat all costs. I took off the bag and set it down, I turned it towards me as the little head of the pegasus popped out of it with puppy dog eyes beaming straight at me. I turned over and looked over the table, just as four tires sped past it.

“Jesus Christ it’s a Stryker….” I said under my breath as the dust entered the doorway blocking the view outside. Turning back to the bag, Dashy looked at me with her head slightly tilted, and one ear risen at attention. I lifted my free hand up  from the gun and placed a finger on my lips, signaling the universal sign of, “SHHH.”

She nodded and both ears went down, as her face shifted for questioning, to anger and alertness. I had never seen her like this before, It was sort of cute, but, she was showing anger, something she shouldn’t have to show, right now at least. It just wasn’t right.

Turning back around, I looked over the table. Shadows had begun to make there way over to the door, two of them.

“Oh no… no no no no no… this isn't happening…” I said as I slumped behind the table again with my eyes closed in disbelief. I opened them to find my filly giving me the same symbol I gave her. I smiled a bit and patted her on the head. Until it gave me an idea. Turning back around, I lifted my pistol up and placed my pointing finger on the trigger guard. I quickly looked over the table, just to get a sense of the things in front of me, and sure enough, two PMC soldiers wandered into the building. I darted back down and nodded as I looked for something to throw. luckily I found something, A empty mag for a assault rifle of a AK model. AK-102, I think. Anyway, I grabbed it with my left hand and looked over the table one again. The two soldiers were looking in different directions, the perfect chance. I cocked my arm, and tossed the mag outside the house, but made it hit the door, making a knocking sound as it passed. The two guards gasped, as something I had never seen before appeared above there helmets. Strange red exclamation points, strange, never seen them before, until now. But anyway, the guards turned around towards the door,

“What was the noise?” The one on the left said. The other looked at him and said,

“Not sure, you should check it out.” The other nodded and while he said,

“Roger that.” And walked outside.

“Now for you.” I mumbled. Ducking behind cover again, and quickly looked around for something else to aid me in my escape, but nothing turned up. So I did then next best thing. I look my gun in hand, and tapped it two times on the wooden table, just loud enough for it be heard.

And it worked, for I head,

“Huh? Who’s there? Identify yourself.” Of course I said nothing. His response was obvious, he started walking over to the table. I smiled as I waited for the time to strike. He came close, I saw his helmet peek over the top over the table before I jumped up, reached out, grabbed his assault vest, hoist him over the table, and pin him on the ground. HIs face was covered by a sky mask, but his eyes said it all, fear, fear and bewilderment. His helmet had a pair of goggles on it, but nothing more. I wasn’t going to kill him, not in front of Dash. So I did the next best thing.

I choked him out, placing both my hands on his neck, I forced him onto the ground. His voice barely made any words as they were all muffled behind my hands. His teeth gritted hard and strong, the skin around his eyes grew red and his pupil became bloodshot. HIs body convulsed as I forced harder and harder. Closing my eyes I pushed more. Soon he began to stop struggling. I opened my eyes to see him staring back at me. His eyelids slowly closed.

And just as he stopped moving, a single tear left his right eye. Then it was gone, all signs of life, no signs of any living being in him at all. I took my hands off of him, and just stared. I watched has the tear made it’s way down the side of his head, his emotions, his life, his being, slowly dripped down the side of his head, and onto the ground.

And soon, I began to tear up myself.

‘Is this what taking a life felt like,’ I thought.

“I’m sorry, I’m so so sorry.” I said softly. I began to shake. The realization finally kicked in as I looked over at the doorway again. The soldier I tricked earlier, wasn’t there anymore. Looking back around to my friend, my heart sunk into my body.

Her face, her face said it all. Fear, sadness, distrust. She looked like she saw her family get shot, she looked scared for the first time…

It was all my fault…

“Dash,” Saying her name made her pupils shrink and she ducked inside the bag. “Dash please, I’m not going to hurt you, that is the last thing on my mind, please don’t fear me.” I said with open hands. Her eyes looked over at the body next to me, then came back. I looked to, then started to talk.

“This man, he was going to hurt you, he was going to hurt me, he’s a bad man, If I didn’t stop him, bad things could have happened to you.” I said turn back around to the slightly less scarred filly. “So please, Dashy, I’m not going to hurt you, please, I… I love you too much. Her head came out of the bag a little more has her pupils resumed their normal size, but her ears stayed low and her lids kept slanting.

I had scared her, not physically, but, mentally. Now most people would expect this for a war zone. But she wasn’t from the warzone. She doesn’t belong here. She needs to leave, unharmed.

And I failed.

But not to the point of no return. Now she has a taste of the battlefield itself. And now she knows the enemy, it’s only a matter of time before instinct kicks in.

The next few hours were a bit of a blur.          

I had re acquired dash, and some how some way, made it past the 12 or so guards that patrolled the streets of the market. Lucky making it out, partially un harmed.And so, finding my way back to the street, a few blocks, away from the market. I continued on foot, towards the fountain that snake told me to find.

And just like clockwork on the battlefield, the daily firefight started right behind as, and I took shelter once more.

But, we were safe, and happy, sort of...