Josu's Dirk, Tortall - March
There were worse things than sleeping in a barn. The rain outside was one of those things. The mud from his arrival had been washed off days ago. Shortly before stumbling into the line of fire of Henry Tucker's bow and arrow (even here, it seemed, trespassers weren't always welcome), it had started to rain. Four days, an explanation of what he was doing on Henry's farm and an invitation to stay in the barn until the weather let up later, Kawalsky found himself peering out at the miserable weather. It reminded him of another time and another place.
***
East Germany, 1983
He hated Germany. East, West, it didn't matter. This was the third time he'd been here in as many years and not one of the missions had gone well. Last year, Operation East Fly under Michaels' command had been one of the most blown operations he'd had the displeasure of being involved in. He hadn't been the one shot that time. Michaels came body-to-bullet with a sniper and died before they had a chance to pull him to safety.
There was no Michaels to take the bullet this time. Kawalsky tried to tear and peel away the black, blood-soaked fatigue pants from the hole in his upper thigh, face contorting as he saw the hole. This wasn't the first time he'd been shot, but it was the first time he'd seen it up close.
Was he supposed to take the bullet out or leave it in there? He couldn't concentrate between the the sound of the heavy rain outside, the threat of being caught, the cold, the feeling of wanting to cut his own leg off to make it stop hurting and the smell of damp sheep.
Kawalsky looked up at the barn door, then back down at his leg. It wasn't going to fix itself. He stared at the wound for a long few moments and tried to focus. Breathe. Concentrate. Do it.
He grabbed the first aid kit from his pack.
***
The rain would let up eventually, Henry claimed. A day, a week, maybe the rest of the month. Charlie turned his head and eyed his bag. Waiting for the rain to pass and for Henry to give him a ride into Corus was the sensible thing to do, but it meant a lot of sitting and waiting.
He'd had enough of that. He grabbed his bag.
Henry gave him some food and directions, swearing that he impatient and foolish. Kawalsky didn't deny it.
"Two days' walk through Coas Wood," Henry informed him. "You'll reach a main road into Corus from there. There's always someone along there to give you a ride in if you don't drown first."
They said their goodbyes and, after Henry headed back into the house, Charlie pulled his raincoat out and put it on. Considering how heavily it was raining and how harsh the wind was across the open farmland, it would do little good, but a little was enough.
He headed through the mud towards the treeline.
***
East Germany, 1983
He hated Germany. East, West, it didn't matter. This was the third time he'd been here in as many years and not one of the missions had gone well. Last year, Operation East Fly under Michaels' command had been one of the most blown operations he'd had the displeasure of being involved in. He hadn't been the one shot that time. Michaels came body-to-bullet with a sniper and died before they had a chance to pull him to safety.
There was no Michaels to take the bullet this time. Kawalsky tried to tear and peel away the black, blood-soaked fatigue pants from the hole in his upper thigh, face contorting as he saw the hole. This wasn't the first time he'd been shot, but it was the first time he'd seen it up close.
Was he supposed to take the bullet out or leave it in there? He couldn't concentrate between the the sound of the heavy rain outside, the threat of being caught, the cold, the feeling of wanting to cut his own leg off to make it stop hurting and the smell of damp sheep.
Kawalsky looked up at the barn door, then back down at his leg. It wasn't going to fix itself. He stared at the wound for a long few moments and tried to focus. Breathe. Concentrate. Do it.
He grabbed the first aid kit from his pack.
***
The rain would let up eventually, Henry claimed. A day, a week, maybe the rest of the month. Charlie turned his head and eyed his bag. Waiting for the rain to pass and for Henry to give him a ride into Corus was the sensible thing to do, but it meant a lot of sitting and waiting.
He'd had enough of that. He grabbed his bag.
Henry gave him some food and directions, swearing that he impatient and foolish. Kawalsky didn't deny it.
"Two days' walk through Coas Wood," Henry informed him. "You'll reach a main road into Corus from there. There's always someone along there to give you a ride in if you don't drown first."
They said their goodbyes and, after Henry headed back into the house, Charlie pulled his raincoat out and put it on. Considering how heavily it was raining and how harsh the wind was across the open farmland, it would do little good, but a little was enough.
He headed through the mud towards the treeline.