(no subject)
Silvia fluttered her eyes open. She slowly pulled herself to her knees. She immediately began checking herself for any injuries. Besides some small cuts she appeared to be okay. The world around her seemed to be moving in slow motion. She saw people running all over the place. Soldiers were trying to put out other soldiers who were on fire. People lay rolling on the ground moaning for help. She felt the burning heat from the flames of the metal heap that had moments ago been a helicopter.
Silvia began to crawl on her hands and knees towards where Pepa had last been standing.
“Pepa!’’ she screamed. She got no answer.
She got to her feet and began to run. That’s when she saw her. Pepa lay in a crumpled heap on her side. Silvia slid to her knees next to her wife and swatted out the small flame that danced on Pepa’s sleeve. She gently rolled her onto back.
Silvia grasped Pepa’s cheeks in her hands.
“Pepa wake up damn it!”
She immediately shifted in to doctor mode and tried to assess Pep’a injuries. She did not appear to have any wounds, but the small trickle of blood from Pepa’s nose and ears could be the sign of serious trauma to her brain. Blast injuries like this were common in explosions, but tricky to treat medically.
Silvia pulled a 4x4 gauze out of her trauma kit and placed it firmly on the gash that marred her wife’s forehead.
“Not now Pepa. I’ve just found you again.” She thought in her head.
Gunfire began to sound again around the area.
“Pepa come on. Please!” Silvia yelled.
Pepa’s eyes began to flutter. She coughed and winced. Pepa exhaled loudly and opened her eyes fully trying to focus them. She hurt everywhere.
She finally got her eyes to function properly and settled her eyes on the face in front of her. Silvia.
“Oh my God I’m dead.” Pepa said painfully. Pepa was confused. For being dead she was in significant pain. Something wasn’t right.
Silvia smiled broadly and began to cry. She helped Silvia to a sitting position.
“You’re not dead. And neither am I.” Silvia said proudly.
Pepa smiled. Pepa reached a hand out to Silvia. She touched her face. It was warm. She then placed that hand over Silvia’s heart that was beating strong and fast.
“I watched you die…” Pepa said but all the questions and confusion didn’t matter. Her Peliroja was here, alive.
Silvia helped Pepa to her feet.
“Come on let’s get out of here.” Silvia said.
“Wait.” Pepa said sternly as she hobbled forward. “We have to find Javier.”
She spotted him where she had left him. As best as she could manage she grasped the shoulder harness of his vest and began dragging him to the tree line.
Silvia rushed to her side to help her.
“He can’t feel his legs.” Pepa yelled over the noise.
Siliva pressed her lips together. Dragging him like this if he did have a spine injury would surely paralyze him, but it might save his life.
Once the reached the tree line they tucked into a ditch covered by a large fallen log. Pepa fell to the ground and yanked off her helmet in frustration. She grasped her knee with both hands and gritted her teeth in pain.
Silvia slid next to her. “Are you alright?”
Pepa had sweat across her brow. “I’m wonderful.” She said with a smile. She grabbed Silvia by the shoulders and took her lips in hers. The kiss conveyed so much. Love, desperation and thanks.
They pulled each other closer and broke their kiss reluctantly. They pressed their foreheads together. Pepa spoke.
“I don’t care how or why. I don’t know what or who I owe, but I’m never letting you go.”
Tears rolled down both of their faces as they embraced again.
A snap of a twig separated them quickly. Pepa grabbed her rifle and began to scan the wood line. She spoke softly into her mic. “Thuder Six Thuder Six.” Nothing but static.
Pepa repeated. Again no answer. Pepa tried to stand, but the combination of dizziness and pain from her knee caused her to fall.
She smiled at Silvia. “I’m a mess.”
“Let me help your friend first then I’ll fix you. Don’t worry.” Said Silvia with a smile as she began to tend to Javier.
“You already have Peliroja.” Said Pepa as she struggled to get up again. This time she managed to get onto her stomach outside of the ditch to provide security.
Finally Pepa began to see other soldiers and operatives falling back into the woods. The plan had been if the first wave did not succeed to fall back into the forest drawing the enemy in as the massive second wave flanked them from the left and main roads.
A female dressed in camouflage jumped into their makeshift fighting hole.
“Is everyone here okay?” she said in a British accent.
“No, they have some injuries.” Said Silvia in her boss voice. She began rattling off medical jargon to the young blonde. Both began to tend to Javier again.
Pepa began to feel the ache of the night upon her. She looked off to the east and saw the beginnings of dawn dancing through the trees.
She looked at her beautiful wife and was amazed at the smallest of things. The dark streak of dirt on the side of her neck. The singed leg of her pants. The way the first rays of sunlight caught the red of her hair. As if she knew Pepa’s inner most thoughts she turned and smiled at her, offering her a wink.
The young soldier grabbed her radio and listened to the message.
She spoke, “Ladies, your chariot awaits about seventy five yards back. Think you can make it?”
Pepa questioned, “What about Javier?”
“I’ll take care of him, no worries love.” She said with a toothy grin.
The girl was right. All of her worries had been lifted away.
Silvia helped Pepa out of the hole and wrapped her arm around her waist, allowing the taller Pepa to use her as a crutch.
Together they began the slow agonizing walk.
Pepa looked down at her. Silvia looked up and met her eyes.
“I love you.” They said in unison. Both laughed at eachother.
“How?” Pepa said plainly.
“I told you Pepa. I wouldn’t let someone with your aim slip away.”
Pepa smiled.