"What was that?" Mia inquires, puzzled. I look over at her.
"Just talking to myself." I reply simply, not wanting to explain any further.
"Mhmm," comes the response. I have already returned my attention to the task at hand, and don't notice. I rip open the top of the packet of water, causing some to spill onto the surrounding floor, soaking through the pine needles, leaves and soil. I pick up the packeted food and deliberately pour the water into it. Being careful not to spill any more water. After a few seconds steam begins to cloud up from within the packet. I pinch the two tops of the packet closed. I am pleasantly surprised to find that they stick together on their own. I leave it next to me and wait for it to finish. Mia clicks her tongue thoughtfully. I glance over at her.
"Pass me the gun that you got from the boy earlier." Mia says.
"I'm fairly certain it was the girl. And, why? It's my only firearm."
"I'll trade you," Mia replies, a devilish smile appears on her face as she pulls out a massive, carbon fibre, bolt-action sniper rifle. My eyes widen with excitement.
"Where did you get that?" I ask, my voice speeding up. I was like a toddler, wanting only one thing, and not going to stop until I get it. Mia places it on the floor and I reach out at it, but she smacks my hand aside.
"Nuh-uh! Not until you give me the pistol." I roll my eyes. I pull out the pistol and hand it to her. She accepts it and places it next to her. Motioning me to go ahead. I pick it up before she motions for me to do so. In that instant, I didn't know why I wanted it, just that I needed it. "I found it in this box, which I also found here already. I tried to use it, but only succeeded in almost shooting my foot off." I look at her quizzically. She motions at her shoe. There is a bullet path traced down the side of it, going so far as to graze her sock, exposing skin. I can't help but utter a short bark of laughter.
"How on earth-"
Mia interrupts me. "Don't ask. I don't want to talk about it." I just laugh more. Once I finish my short fit of giggles, I go back to studying the weapon. It was a sleek weapon, indeed made from carbon-fibre and stainless steel. It had a barrel length of about twenty-four inches, which made the total length of it to be roughly around forty inches. The scope had a zeroing range of up to seven-hundred metres and could cycle through the magnifications from 8x-16x. The firearm has a three round internal magazine that take .308 ammunition. Mia reveals a small pouch that contained fifteen rounds and placed it on the floor. The gun also had a bipod with adjustable height settings, a sling so you could carry it on your back. I pull back the bolt and leave it open, exposed to the world. I open the ammo pouch and take out three of the large rounds. I slid one into the top of the gun near the sight, where the opened bolt just revealed. I push the round down and it clicks into place. I do the same for the second and third rounds. I look around on the gun until I find the safety lock located just underneath the bolt and just above the trigger. I make sure it's on and I slide the bolt back into the gun. It's now loaded.
"How do you know how to use that thing?" Mia asks, with eyebrows raised. I shrug, with a devilish grin on my mouth. I look over at her. This could be a chance to "impress" her.
"I doubt I could do worse than you!" I accusingly exclaim as I raise the rifle to my shoulder, glancing through the glass scope. "Give me a target." I lower the rifle to the floor again, satisfied with the scope. Mia looks around, just as a bird flutters through the trees. It lands some half dozen metres away in a branch. Mia doesn't need to say anything else. I raise the rifle to my shoulder, and look through the complex, magnifying sight. I line up the crosshairs with the chest of the bird, and "click." I squeeze the trigger. Nothing happens. "Oh, right, safety is on." I exclaim, dully, as I figure out what went wrong. I line up again, squeezing the trigger, feeling it give-way beneath my finger.
YOU ARE READING
Subject #295
Science FictionAiden wakes up in an unfamiliar world - with no memory of his past - and is forced to fight others for survival, lest he be killed. He is under constant watch by a group of mysterious scientists, but whose motives are unknown. Aiden and the other 's...
