"Staff Sergeant the following approach looks clear. We should reach the end of the forest, and then the settlement by the end of the day, over?"
"Copy, the rear-guard is secure. How's Captain Thompson's status with the princess, over."
"She's secure. We're waiting till the next phase line to check in, but I'm sure he won't mind some light talk…Just don't get Randall jealous, over."
"Fuck you, out."
Thanks to the clouds deciding to shed rain all over the frontier, the sky held the constant downpour that had lasted for over two hours. The only break from the downcast weather was the second day of their journey. The air was humid, but thankfully the heat from the sun attempting to break through the clouds was mitigated by the tall trees that populated the forest.
Several raindrops fell from the dark grey heavens and splattered upon the greenery and rain-filled soil. Droplets of water fell onto his clothes, and the sleeping young man awoke the feeling of the water seeping through the multi-colored combat shirt he had equipped.
Shaking his head three times, and letting his sense adjust to the semi-familiar environment, the man looked around. To his right, the drag marks left by the carts and carriages only stretched so far before it blended in the water-covered ground, yet those marks were remade by the four other carriages that raced over the growing puddles to not get stuck in the mud.
Shifting under the lingering wetness that had dampened his shoulder, he looked around the carriage he sat it. Green and Sergeant Malkovich sat across him Marco and Eugene sitting next to him, sleeping. He felt as though he was being judged by this new world.
Did it make sense? No. Such a line of thought was nonsensical, and could only lead to hurtful thoughts, let alone actions.
Flexing the muscles in his hands, his eyes remained just ahead towards the empty seat that only held the bags of the men inside the covered carriage. The cold wind battered against his body carrying rain droplets across his face and body. One could say it cleansed him, yet her felt dirtied.
"You think we'll ever get out of here in one piece?"
"Huh?"
In the fall breeze, his loose dark-brown hair shuffled as his multi-colored pants, shirt, and khaki boots dragged against the wooden frame. His vision slowly focused from the brown-green forest that sat outside, and now he found himself looking at PFC Green.
Calming his breath, he blinked several times as he returned his attention to the boy that had spoken. Though his mind was still elsewhere, he surveyed his surroundings and soon found himself staring at Green. The twenty-year-old let out a short, curt cough as he fiddled with his gloved hands. His brown eyes and jet-black hair were hidden behind his currently equipped helmet, and his AVS-30 NVG goggles that were currently turned off.
"You okay, Randall?" Malkovich's deep, sweet voice spoke to the sergeant catching him off guard.
"No-I—uh! Yes! I'm fine! Did you say something?" Becoming flustered as he recovered from a sudden fit of coughing, the man composed himself as he begrudgingly accepted a canteen of water provided by Green.
"Yeah, but-" Green cut himself off as he was given back the canteen of water he had given, "It's nothing important…"
Shaking his head excessively, Randall kept himself steadied against the tarp behind him as he recovered from his sudden coughing fit. For some unknown reason, even in this moment of rest, he felt haggard and fatigued.
"Mike?"
"I'm okay! I'm okay! Just the wrong tube." Randall said frantically gaining two unsure looks from Green and Malkovich.
"Okay?" Malkovich said, "Just don't die on us."
As the rain began to lightly let up, and forming from a thunderstorm to a light shower, the wind began to die down, and the voices of the forest rang out as rays of sunlight broke through the darkened clouds. Just as the forest came back to life, a calm silence broke out between the three men that were awake within the carriage. Fixing himself, Mike glanced at the FDE watch that adorned his left wrist.
Every tick was a second that passed. He was enthralled by the simple mechanic, almost loosing himself as a sharp noise came from the head of the convoy.
"Ambush! Contact front!"