Ashes to Burn (Work In Progress)

Ashes to Burn - Chapter Twenty-Five

***This story is intended for mature audiences, as it contains graphic violence, gore, coarse language and some sexual content. Viewer discretion is strongly advised. 

December 23nd, 2015

15:00 hours

IRANR Outpost Station #45, Russia

I woke up, drenched in sweat and breathing hard. I felt all around my body to make sure I was safe. I felt someone stir beside me. I looked over to see Mouse laying on her side, her back to me. Slowly, she rolled over and blinked open her eyes. She had a concerned look on her face as she touched my lips with her fingers.

“Did you have a bad dream?” She whispered. I nodded, thinking about Sarge again. Mouse pulled me into her arms and I cried into her shoulder. I pulled her close to me, intwining our bodies so we were one. 

“She’s gone…” I cried, breathing heavy. Mouse rubbed circles on my back as I trembled in her arms. I wanted Sarge back. I wanted this war to be over. 

No one gets what they want.

“They fucking… they… they hurt her so bad.” I stuttered into Mouse’s shoulder. Mouse nodded and gripped me tighter.

“I know, baby. I know. Those bastards killed her, they are the ones who are at fault here-”

“No they aren’t!” I snarled, cutting her off. I broke away from her grasp and got out of the bed. I reached for my jacket which was hanging still off the coat hangers. Mouse got up stiffly and put a hand on my ridged shoulder.

“What are you talking about?” She asked, bewildered. I spun around to glare at her, rage filling through my body.

“We did this to them! We are the ones at fault here, not them! We were the ones who insisted that we should invade the country, and they retaliated. They had every right, Sarah! They were being tortured and killed. Innocent children. We killed fucking children!” I screamed, waving my arms in frustration. I turned away from her as hot tears rolled down my face.

“We never would kill children…” Mouse whispered, her voice spitting with defensive anger. I looked dead straight into her eyes and stood her down.

“What makes you think we wouldn’t? What makes you think that some of the sick, perverted bastards on our fleet, wouldn’t? It happened, Mouse. We became the enemy. We did everything to them. We started this war.” I growled in a hushed whisper. Mouse swallowed hard, inching away from me slightly.

“What are you talking about?” She asked softly, backing up towards the bed. She took a seat on the rough, placing her delicate hands in her lap. I took a step towards her.

“When I was there, the prisoners - our men and women, told me the truth. Devin Bauer, that man who led the resistance before Andy took his place, he killed so many innocent people. He was savage and beastly. I don’t even know what he expected to gain after it. I don’t know what he wanted Mouse, but he was a traitor. He left our side and joined theirs. He killed so many of those children, just because they carried Nazi blood in them.” I said, taking a breath. Mouse’s jaw dropped and tears filled her eyes. I got down on my sore knees and held her hands, looking deep into her brown depths.

“I saw it happen. He controlled our own soldiers. He used this device and hooked it onto Nycki. She turned into a psychopath, Mouse. She killed that woman’s child right before our eyes. She was a puppet in Bauer’s show. She was a part of his sick plan. It wasn’t her fault, but she paid her price. She stayed behind and detonated the bomb. She destroyed the building, and everything in it.” I finished, hanging my head. I remembered the glassy expression on her face as we ran out of the room and left her alone.