The Watch – Part 123:

Amy and I went to the left. Tom and Alex went off to the right. The enemy team did much the same as they did last round: They split up into four different directions, making it harder for us to catch them all at once. Amy and I hurried to the very edge of the map before taking cover behind a tree stump.

‘Now that we are here,’ I said, slightly out of breath, ‘we should split up and go our separate ways. Hopefully they wouldn’t be expecting that.’

Amy peered over the top to check if the area was clear.

‘Are you sure you’re going to be alright on your own?’ she asked.

‘There’s only one way to find out,’ I said truthfully, as I really didn’t have a clue myself.

Peering over the top one more time, she said, ‘meet you wherever, whenever, then.’

‘Indeed we will,’ I said, stealing a glance over the top myself. Amy was gone.

I didn’t wait until I knew she was safe. I was technically on a time limit. I sprinted in the opposite direction, making sure that I stayed as close to the edge as possible, stopping behind a tree.

There, in front of me, an enemy sat. He’s acting as if he had spotted someone: Crouched down, raising his gun up and looking down the sight, intent on firing at someone. From this distance I couldn’t see who he could, but he didn’t know I was here and that’s the best opportunity I’ve gotten all day.

I took it. The paintball missed by miles. He noticed it land somewhere beside him and turned around to see where it had come from. I wasn’t quick enough – he saw me before I could duck behind the tree. Whoever he was pursuing before, he decided to abandon that plan and go after me instead. I ran for it. He fired a few paintballs in my direction, luckily none of them hit. I dived behind an overturned car and readied myself to return fire. Propping my gun up in my arms, I pulled the trigger. Many paintballs flew past him. He was standing in the middle of nowhere. The closest spot to cover was back where he came from, but I determined not to let him get there. He returned fire to try and stop me, but I remained rigid, taking a big risk. Then, by some miracle, a paintball hit his mask. Yellow paint splattered all over his visor impairing his vision. He was down and out.

I sat down behind the car and tried to catch my breath. My heart was beating faster than ever. I genuinely believed that I was going to get hit then. When I had calmed down a bit, I readied myself to move out.

Gunshots echoed through the trees to my right followed by an incredible, booming sound. What the heck was that? I looked around and saw someone running towards me. They were sprinting through the trees straight at me. I readied to retaliate, but I soon discovered that it was Tom?

‘GET DOWN,’ he yelled. I didn’t wait to be told twice. I ducked behind the tree stump. Tom leaped over the top and settled down beside me.

‘What are you doing here?’ I asked Tom, ‘I thought you would be at the other end of the map.’

‘I was,’ Tom said through gasps of air. ‘Our plan was working, but then things took a turn for the worse very quickly.

‘What happened?’

‘They’ve got a sniper.

‘A sniper?’

‘He’s sitting on the second floor of the hut on that side of the map,’ he said, pointing to where Amy had run off too early. ‘I managed to get one person on the ground,’ he had to pause to regain any lost oxygen, ‘but we couldn’t get close enough to take out the sniper. In the end, we had no choice but split. The last thing that happened before I came here was the sniper taking a shot at Alex. I have no idea if she’s down or not.’

‘They must have upgraded their weaponry from before,’ I said.

‘You think’ Tom said, pointing out how obvious my statement was. ‘Unfortunately for us, he’s in the perfect position to take out any one of us at any time. He has an unobstructed view, save from a couple of trees here and there, but not enough to hide behind and make a move because the moment we step out, we’re done for,’ he explained.

‘Amy’s over there somewhere,’ I said.

‘Well, let’s hope she’s somewhere safe. That sniper is not taking prisoners.’

‘So we’re stuck here until he runs out of ammo, which I’m guessing won’t be for a very long time because he won’t fire until he gets a good eye on us.’

‘Looks that way,’ Tom agreed.

‘Well, I’m not just going to sit here and wait,’ I said, ‘I’m going out there. I’m not leaving Amy on her own over there.’

‘If you go out there, you will be shot.’ More gunshots echoed around the trees. I couldn’t see who was firing at whom.

‘Are you coming with me or not?’ I asked. ‘I doubt I would be able to advance by myself.

‘And you reckon we will be able to do it together,’ he stated sceptically.

‘At least there will be two of us instead of just me. What’s the worst that can happen?’

‘Are you seriously asking that?’ Tom said wide-eyed.

‘OK, that can happen, but at least it’ll be something to talk about later.’

‘I guess it would be a good story to spread about and emphasise with each retelling,’ he said thoughtfully.

‘And how many times,’ I said, knowing that this would be the kick he needs, ‘have you told me to get out more. Now that I’m out, you’re not coming with me…’

‘Now that’s dirty,’ he said, smiling. I knew that I had won him over. ‘But I can’t argue with that. OK, let’s do this.’

‘I’ll let you do the honours this time,’ I said.

‘On three.’ We both readied ourselves for the run of our lives. ‘THREE.’

TO BE CONTINUED…

Thanks for reading

Antony Hudson

(TonyHadNouns)