Scarlet June

Chapter One - Scavages

The little knife slipped. June watched the blade dig into the dead man's throat and slide across.

There was a new coat of red that swam on both sides of the neck. June held onto her mask.

"Now, you do it." Jennifer said, handing over the knife.

What," June collected the knife. "Oh right."

"Just show me you can do it." Jennifer instructed.

June rested the knife on the man's skin. She pressed against it and brought the knife to the other side.

Another cut.

"Well done. Now when the boss sees you, don't hesitate next time. This guy was an enemy. Anyway he was dead before we got here."

"How do you know?"

"Look over there, near the burning rubble."

June followed Jennifer's extended finger. Her eyes took time to adjust to the bright ambers seeping through the smoke. There was a gold locket.

"Bet it's his family or something. Most of these soldiers would risk their lives over those things. Worth a year's rations them. He wouldn't have abandoned it, so I reckon it was an airstrike."

"The one from the red stripes?"

"Yeah. The dead man's allies. All of this... It's called collateral damage but don't ask me how to spell it."

June frowned as she stood. She stared at the opened locket.

"Lemme guess, a wife and... three kids?"

"No." June said. Jennifer crept beside her.

"Don't start crying, kay?"

"It's got your name." June showed Jennifer the embroidered  words on the lid.

"What?" Jennifer pulled the locket and June's hand close to her face. "Hah. Jennifer Smith? There's loads of them around. Nothing special." Jennifer walked further into the territory. "Probably his wife."

"Don't you wanna keep it?"

"Nah. It's yours."

June stared at the locket. On closer inspection she found the photo. It was tucked under a plain piece of cardboard. It was Jennifer with her mother and sister. On the back the mother had addressed the photo to her dearest brother.

As June jogged on to catch up with her sister, she muttered "Sorry Uncle Robert."