ONE FOR SORROW
Somewhere in Afghanistan – 7 June 2012
“Oh come on Toto, was that really necessary?”
“You’re out of position,” Toto growled.
“Doesn’t mean you get to dump a shit ton of sand down my back.”
Dorothy smirked as she watched the red dot drift its way across Sneezy’s sand-covered shoulder to stop over his heart.
Snow White’s crisp British accent cut across the chatter. “Better than a bullet up your arse for being out of position,”
“Followed by a size 13 boot for cluttering up the comms, Whiney,” Dorothy watched a second tracer hover over Sneezy’s left knee. Both snipers were in on the prank now and as amusing as it was, they really needed to be paying attention to the surrounding area. The mission had been easy so far, and that made Dorothy uneasy.
“It’s Sneezy, Dorothy. And what makes you think I’m out of position?”
“You’ve been demoted to Whiney for a very good reason and Toto just dumped a roof load of sand on you. The roof is clear over where you should be.’ Dorothy said. ‘Scarecrow, eyes off Whiney’s left knee and cover the rear door. Toto, cover the front.”
Whiney whipped his eyes down and flinched as the tracers slid off his body. Then flinched again as a new one came to rest on his crotch.
“Get. In. Position.” Dorothy said softly, trying to suppress a giggle as a muffled FUCK came across the comms and the Corporal shuffled back towards the door he was supposed to be guarding.
A soft snort had her scope tracking upwards, she grinned and gave a quick wiggle of fingers to the figure on the rooftop.
She held a hand up towards the window, 1 finger, then 4, then 3.
His hand, held by his thigh, answering, 1, 4, 3, 3
Love in a battlefield, relegated to finger wiggles in passing. Both smiled, knowing the other could see, knowing it would have to be enough until the mission was over.
Dorothy unconsciously ran her thumb over the glove on her left hand, feeling the thin band encircling her fourth finger as Toto hunkered down on the roof, training his weapon on the street below, a matching ring on his own left hand, hidden from sight, just as they were.
A thundering BOOM echoed through the silent streets below and the rooftop was suddenly engulfed in flames.
