SWNOVELS Chapter 31: Predator vs Prey
Guns held tightly and eyes peered ahead, Lucce’s men marched forward with one goal, to take out the monster that is Ceaser. Each man there had grievances with Ceaser, some had lost family others friends and some everything. It was high time they put an end to his evil.
The forest was quiet only the sound of their boots and clothes rubbing against each other could be heard. The moon offered little light since most of it was being blocked by the closely packed tree leaves.
“Do you think he’ll be there?” asked Blessed
“Ceaser is not the type to flee just be prepared for anything” replied Lucce
The man in the back caught something with the side of his right eye.
“Stop!!” he yelled and everyone turned to look at him
“What is it?” asked Lucce
“Something isn’t right here” he said waving his gun from one side to the other
The men corked their guns and started looking around back to back. Out of nowhere without warning a stake appeared from the darkness aiming for the man who had stopped them. Blessed jumped and pushed him out of the way causing it to miss and shatter against a tree.
The men let out fire in the direction it came.
“No behind you, that was a decoy!” called out Lucce as he fired in the opposite direction
As the bullets lit up the place he could see a massive figure appear and disappear behind the trees.
Ceaser, how did he…..shit he realized their informant had not returned
“Maintain formation back to back men….any opening will get us slaughtered” ordered Blessed
The men huddled up together back to back. There was silence once again, there was a shuffling and they aimed in that direction only to realize thats not where he was. Another stake swooshed in this time it landed. Splattering the brain matter of one of the men everywhere, it caused chaos as the men began to see their formation as useless.
“He’s fucken nocturnal” commented Lucce
“Men run to open land on my mark!” yelled Blessed
“No no wai” Lucce tried to stop him but it was too late
Blessed tossed three smoke grenades that burst out into thick clouds that were spreading fast.
“Run!!” he yelled
The men turned and began to run.
Oh no, never turn your back to an enemy Lucce contemplated but it was too late he had to work with whats available
He turned and began to sprint too. Memories of the night he lost a friend began coming back. This was exactly how their numbers dwindled. They were taken out one by one from their blind spot the back.
I can’t let history repeat itself
As the men ran, Ceaser’s footsteps could be heard not far behind them.
“Go left I go right” he instructed
He threw a stun grenade that lit up the area for a moment and when it dimmed the two had broken up. The soldiers kept running, it was only half a kilometer to reach the plains so they were pushing hard.
Ceaser sped up, running in a zig zag motion to avoid being an easy target. The men could hear him get closer and a crippling fear would grip them.
Now running parallel to Ceaser, Lucce and Blessed were in place so that they flank him. It was time to make their move. They both held their grenades prepared to attack. As they removed their pins, Ceaser went between two trees and vanished. Panic struck
Shit where did he go blessed’s eyes widened as he looked around
A loud cry followed by utter silence came from ahead of them. The sound of gunsfire filled the air, the men ahead were fighting for their lives.
How ? Lucce felt a chill go down his spine
They sped up but by the time they arrived there was utter silence all the guns had gone quiet. They flashed their torches and for an instant their lungs locked.
“No” uttered Lucce mouth agape
He reached for his belt and took out a walkie talkie.
“Hello Lucce” Sanchez’s voice came through
“He got us” he said and hung up
Guilt struck Blessed as he saw the mess around them. Lucce noticed and immediately reassured him.
“I would have done the same” he said
Something shuffled from behind them but they did not allow themselves to flinch. They knew something like this might happen and the reason their friends were dead was because of acting out of fear.
Each of them had their hand on on the rings to grenades incase things went south. A large figure descended from above them, they ducked to the side it and landed right where they were. Before they could refocus he was already onto them. Lucce received a powerful blow that send him flying at the same time removing the pin on the grenade. As soon as he hit the ground he threw it back at Ceaser.
“Duck!!!!!”
Blessed retreated and jumped further from Ceaser. Instead of dodging Ceaser blocked not sure what was throw, it exploded tearing his hand, so bad it exposed his bone.
“Aaarrrggggg” he roared in pain
Seeing the opportunity Blessed threw two grenades in different directions. Ceaser ducked to his left and came in contact with the stun grenade which immediately blinded him.
As he held his eyes from anguish he felt bullets tear into his flesh. He forcefully opened his eyes and fled from the spot.
“Run!” Lucce yelled
They both took off in the opposite direction from that Ceaser fled in. Taking quick glances back they continued on the run that the other men could not complete. Before they went far they could hear his foot steps coming for them. They’d take quick glances using torches but couldn’t spot him.
“Shit!, he won’t go down easily” commented Blessed
“Get your grenade ready!” instructed Lucce
Blessed put his finger on his grenade pin and kept running. Ceaser had to die one way or the other even if it meant sacrificing one’s self. This was what all the men who had come agreed upon. They knew some victories came at a great cost.