XCOM: Legends

Ghost

AN: My submission to the XCOM Amino writing challenge

It's been five years since the fall of XCOM. I'm tired of seeing friends die. I'm tired of running. I'm tired in living in 'his' shadow. The fact of the matter which Bradford fails to understand is that the Commander is gone. I need to rest. Got to keep moving or else they will get me like they did the others.

I climb through the massive hole in the side of a long abandoned house. The burn from weapons fire, the remains of both human and alien alike across the hard wood floor. These are the scars we left behind. A reminder of our failure. Of my failure. I rest my head on what was left of a bed now covered in mould and dirt from years of neglect. Whenever I close my eyes, I can still see their faces. My squad.

Benny was the first to die. He stayed behind to finish the job. It's my fault he's dead. I wasn't strong enough. I wasn't 'him'. I wanted to go back for his body but 'he' wouldn't allow it.

Then there were the Carter twins, Bret and Carla. Bret was being controlled by one of those things. He unloaded an entire clip into his sister before pulling the trigger on himself. I could hear him scream her name to the heaven, see the tears in his eyes.

Finally there was Alice. To die once was enough, but to be brought back again? I remember that day all too clearly. Her shambling body and missing limbs from when that creature attacked out of nowhere. The smell of fresh blood and her painful moans. In my ear I could here 'him' yelling to take the shot. I was completely frozen as she continued to stumble closer and closer. The glimmer of a ring around her finger was the last thing I saw before her body was sent backwards and the barrels of my shotgun were smoking.

I cursed at the Bradford, Vahlen, Shen, anyone who dared to cross my path heard my voice. 'He' stood over me. In 'his' shadow as always. There were so many thing I wanted to say to him. So many things I could of done. If I knew that was the last time we spoke, I would of said something differently to what I did that day. Something I now regret.

My slumber disturbed by a spotlight and shouting. The invaders, still searching for the last of our forces. The last hope for humanity's future. Bradford's last words before I departed replay in my mind.

Strike from the shadows.

I load a few shells into my shotgun and sprint downstairs. The lights on the end of their guns shine through the windows. I ready myself behind the corner. Heavy feet enter and the distinct, foul smell of those brutes enter my nostrils. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. I see their faces once again. I turn the corner and fire, point blank and penetrating the think armour. Their friends look at me in shock as the shells hit the ground. I am XCOM. I am a Ghost.