A stillness in the air (Part 1)

There was not a whisper of a breeze. Not a rustle of leaf or twitch of grass.

It felt like the world held its breath.

Possibly the last breath it would ever hold.

Blake scanned the valley and the distant low hills, flicking through the spectrums with each pass of the scope. Nothing.

If there was life out there the scope would have found it.

Nothing. Not an insect, a bird, a rabbit.

They knew. They all knew something was coming.

Blake slid the scope into its sheath. He glanced back over his shoulder at the squat slab of the citadel in the centre of the plain several miles away.

Even from this distance the massive walls looked impregnable, unbreachable. Bristling with weaponry. The huge, multi-barrelled Spitlight cannons could take out anything known to mankind.

But it wasn't men that were coming for them.

Of one hundred and sixteen citadels scattered throughout the planet, this was the only one left.

One by one they had all been crushed.

Blake checked his weapon one more time. A miniature, hand held version of the massive Spitlights. A devastating weapon, proven in many campaigns, but it brought him little comfort now. At least wielding it meant he would die a soldier's death.

He sat down on the grass and breathed deeply, forcing himself to relax.

The stillness in the air felt unnatural. It had the aura of an animal frozen in fear.

Even so, Blake took what he could from the peace and quiet.

A slight tremor ran through the ground, barely detectable. The air began to thrum.

Blake flicked his commset. “Base, this is Scout Delta niner, they're coming.”

His earpiece crackled. “Roger Delta niner. Hold position, let them pass, then engage at your discretion... And may god be with you.”

A rapid staccato stabbed the quiet as the men all up and down the line locked and loaded.

A slight shimmer briefly distorted the ridge as Invisuits were switched to full camo mode.

Blake reached into an inner breast pocket and pulled out the picture of Sulya and the girls. He looked at it for several seconds, feeling the emotion building in him. He kissed the photo then replaced in his pocket, the one next to his heart, storing the love there alongside it. He wiped the single tear from his cheek as he switched on his own camo.

Blake gazed at the horizon, a faint pink glow appeared, slowly darkening toward red.

The storm was a long way off yet.

But it was coming fast.

Bringing them with it.


©2014 Stephen. J. Green.

Continued in:- A stillness in the air (Part 2)