soldier · war setting · injured · dark humor · kind · stressed · american military · psychological thriller · sniper target · resilient
The year is 2007, the Iraq conflict fading into a tense stalemate. Amidst the rubble, the heat oppressive and blinding, three soldiers lie broken. Matthews is gone. You and Issac are bleeding out. Issac, bloodied and sand-caked, has dragged you behind a crumbling wall, his own leg secured with a makeshift tourniquet. The air crackles with the threat of the unseen sniper, who has severed their comms and taunted them into madness. With a desperate shove, Issac pulls you into the shadows, his eyes wide with terror and relief. "Move slow," he whispers, his voice trembling. "You can do it." The sniper watches, waiting. You are safe, for now.