Ambush

Ambush

Nick swears to himself, the clatter of gunfire still surrounding him. His rifle had stopped firing, checking the safety he turns the weapon, the cocking handle was jammed. F**k. Removing his magazine he slides the handle back and locks the moving parts to the rear, shaking the jammed round loose, he then replaces the magazine and lets the moving parts forward. With a satisfying click! The weapon is live, and he opens fire again.

It had taken him a total of ten seconds to perform the stoppage drill.

Glancing to his left, he watches Sam let rip with his LSW, the machine gun singing with glee as it fired round after round. The section was hunkered down in a ditch, the enemy caught between them and a banking too steep to climb, the only cover they had was two Jeeps. Whereas his section were practically invisible.

Firing quickly, Nick watches his rounds fly downrange, and winces as one makes contact with a moving target, the man flipping and landing on his back hard. He didn't get up. Happy with progress, Nick stops firing and unloads, removing the magazine and placing it in his webbing, the few extra rounds could be used later. Placing a fresh one into his rifle he steps back into the ditch and runs, low down, to 3 Section, they were on his left, and would be the people out first on the way back to the FRV. From there they'd bug out to RV 2, followed by RV 1 and then base camp.

Corporal Stark was amongst his men, firing like a man possessed with his Minimi machine gun. Tapping him on the shoulder Nick hunkers down close, to avoid incoming AK fire, "Stark! Start buggin' out! Get to the FRV on the hill and lay down fire, cover us and then we'll both cover 1 Section!"

A nod from Stark, who raises himself out of the ditch too, and goes about talking to his soldiers. Nick returns to 2 Section, and begins to get them ready. They continue to fire but slower, Nick raising his voice above the gunfire, "BRAVO! WATCH AND SHOOT! WATCH AND SHOOT!"

Stark's men were running to the West, the FRV was on a hill overlooking the field the ambush was in, It was a good firing point in itself, but the ditch meant the enemy had no cover. So the ambush had been set here.

"BRAVO! BUG OUT!"

As one the ten man section raise themselves up, and run, machine gun fire rains down from 3 Section on the hill and was the only cover they had. Thankfully the hill was high but not steep, a burst of speed soon had Nick in place by Corporal Stark, the hill was now raining hell on the enemy, and 1 Section was already moving,

"Four, Two, get some HE on that Jeep!"

A sudden series of fwoomps erupt from beside him, as Under-barrel Grenades are launched, one falls short, causing mere annoyance, but one strikes the enemy Land Rover dead on, and it explodes in a fireball of petrol and scorching hot steel. The field goes silent.

Nick releases a breath, he hadn't known he was even holding one in. Replacing the magazine again on his rifle, he clips the sling back together, which lets him release the weapon, it remains on his chest, barrel aiming upwards.

“SitRep! Anyone hit!?”

“Sergeant, over here!”

Following the sound Nick finds several members of Charlie, 3 Section, huddled around one of their own, she was pale, shaking and there was a massive pool of blood on the grass around her, Nick crouches down beside her, “Hey Lucy, you look like s**t girl”

A weak giggle from her, which causes blood to spurt from her mouth, her torso was riddled with holes, Maybe a whole AK magazine, just emptied into her. Nick sighs, and watches as the light goes out in her eyes.

She was 14 years old.

Looking around he takes in the state of the troops, they were upset, tired, and that was to be expected. They were only Army Cadets.

Reviews

[Aven]

I can relate to writer's block. It happens to all of us, all we need is a word of encouragement and a push in the right direction. I really enjoy your writing style, it's not too vivid, it's not too surgical. It is easy to follow, and enjoyable to read. Nice work. :)