Thread: Line of Sight (Survivor00 & ohstefyelectric)

Senka had given no reply to those last uttered words, and she did not intend to. What did that girl know of war? Of killing? Of seeing people die? If you cared ?? if you felt, you would never survive. You would never be able to take the life of the one who was trying to kill you. The sniper rifle patted at her side as she walked, as faithful a companion as she had known, slipping through the narrow, dirty corridors. Rebels crouched near boarded-up windows, firing at any Estovian soldiers that came into their sights, empty brass shells clinking softly as they bounced off of the broken, dusty floor. Bojan sat beside his mother while she lay on a mattress made of crushed cardboard boxes. She was horribly thin, her body wracked by an illness that seemed to suck the meat off her bones. Bojan??s head was slumped down on his shoulders, and Senka thought for a moment that he might have been crying, but a snort and a murmur of some words showed that he had fallen asleep while watching over her. She looked at him for a few more moments, before turning and heading into another gutted classroom. Most of the large rooms ?? like the gymnasium and cafeteria ?? had caved in from the mortar shelling, so the kitchen had been moved to here. There wasn??t much as far as a kitchen went, with no gas or electricity to speak of, just two armed men standing guard over the meager stockpiles of food they had scavenged. They looked at her, reaching down and picking up a single can of beans and a scrap of bread ?? almost a day??s rations, more or less ?? and tossed it to her. She caught it with a nod, tucking it into her pocket. ??Thank you.? She murmured, feeling her empty stomach rumble just at the knowledge of food. Retreating from the room, she quickly found something remotely comfortable to sit herself upon, using an old can opener to punch a hole in the tin, scraping it around until she managed to open the can. Hunger dictated that she eat the entire can in one sitting, but she knew that it was the only meal she would likely be eating today, and thus, had to make it last. Using the circular piece of scrap she had carved from the can as a makeshift spoon, she scooped out a small mouthful of the mush and dumped it in her waiting mouth. It was cold against her tongue ?? the chilling air was starting to serve as refrigeration ?? how many were going to freeze to death in the winter? Certainly Bojan??s mother, if she lived past the end of the month? She swallowed the cool mush, and promptly ate another scoop. She took the piece of bread and tore a chunk out of it, chewing the stale bread thoroughly. Still, it was far better than no food again. Senka finished the bread and placed the top back on the can of beans, her stomach somewhat quieted for the moment. Climbing stiffly to her feet, she tucked the can back inside her pocket, saving it for later. She walked quietly, pausing once more by Bojan and his mother. Crouching down, she grabbed a ratty blanket from near the wall and draped it over his shoulders, giving him at least a little warmth. His eyes fluttered open, and his head raised just enough so that he could see her. His eyes were red from crying, and the little light that had remained there for as long as she had known him was gone. His eyes sank back down to the frail, still form of his mother, and she nodded in understanding, placing her hand on his shoulder. She hadn??t even noticed earlier? ??I am sorry, Bojan?at least you were there for her?? She sighed out, knowing that her words of comfort were not much. Senka gave her moment of respect, before straightening herself and walking to one of the men. She relayed the news and returned once more to that dusty classroom. Seeing Bojan in such a state tore at her more than she wanted to admit. She may have been hard on him, mean even at times?but he was there. There was a bond that formed between snipers, and his scraps of hope had helped her along as well. But now, that hope was gone from him, and she felt the loss as well. She was not looking where she was going and suddenly found herself nearly tripping over a desk that had not been there moments before. ??What the fuck?!? She snarled as she looked upon the chairs and desks having been dragged into an imitation of what had been there before the war. She looked over at the foreign girl, pinching tightly at the bridge of her nose in a desperate attempt to keep calm. She was close to snapping. Senka reached down and pulled the partially eaten can of beans from her pocket and slammed it down on one of the desks, stirring up a puff of dust. ??If I give you this , will you sit down?? She growled at her.