"Finding the Way" (Out of the Dark, 1972)
Aug. 8th, 2008 02:28 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
riptide_asylumTitle: Finding the Way
Rating/Category: R (for war references)
Summary: Vietnam. After an ambush, can Ryder get himself and Allen safely back to camp?
Finding the Way
"Which way now?" Allen shivered, looking at me, and I bit my own fear back. He was green - it was up to me to get us back safe. We'd nearly made it - I figured we were only around 100 yards from camp. Thing was, out here, wrapped in jungle night, a hundred yards could be how close you were to hell. The look in his eyes said Allen was catching on to that fast, too.
It had been pretty intense there for a while. Eight of your buddies die beside you, you know you're in it up to your neck. Allen hadn't cracked and he'd stuck with me, more than I'd expected from a kid as green as him. He was trying, I'd give him that.
"Camp's due north." I kept my voice low. Never knew what might be close by, and you'd better assume anything that heard you would kill you. "But we head north-west around 160 yards. Then due east, and we should spot the sentries. We make it that far, we'll be safe."
Allen shivered and fumbled with his compass. I bit my lip. He was straight out of some fancy college, but he hadn't learned anything of any use, far as I could tell. "Come on, man," I whispered. "Got it?"
He nodded, eyes wide and scared, and I put my hand on his arm. "Keep hold of me, okay? I'll lead. We've gotta be quiet." Allen nodded again, and I set off through the dark, feeling his fear in the clutch he had on my elbow.
We made it the first one-sixty, and I risked a flash of torchlight on my compass to check our bearing. Nothing exploded but I started to hurry, anyhow, and when I spotted the burned clearing with our sentry post I damn near choked up.
"We made it, man." Panting, I let the reality of it wash over me as we were ushered to the CO. Allen still had his death grip on my arm and I rested my hand on his. "We're okay now."
Allen nodded again, those blue eyes still big, bright and scared. "I thought we were going to die," he whispered. If I was being honest, so had I.
This whole thing was fucked but here we were; death in the air we breathed, riding our shoulders. I'd seen guys out here screaming, hysterical, paralyzed with fear from thinking too much about that. My way was to give the Reaper the finger and dare him to do his worst, so I grinned at Allen with bravado I didn't feel. "Stick with me, buddy, and you'll be okay. It's Ryder's Law. People get out of the way of crazies."
He grinned a little and although he didn't let go of me, his hand relaxed on my arm. "Thanks, pal," he muttered. "Real glad I stuck with you today."
"So am I, man. It was good to know you had my back."
"You can count on that, Ryder."
Rating/Category: R (for war references)
Summary: Vietnam. After an ambush, can Ryder get himself and Allen safely back to camp?
Finding the Way
"Which way now?" Allen shivered, looking at me, and I bit my own fear back. He was green - it was up to me to get us back safe. We'd nearly made it - I figured we were only around 100 yards from camp. Thing was, out here, wrapped in jungle night, a hundred yards could be how close you were to hell. The look in his eyes said Allen was catching on to that fast, too.
It had been pretty intense there for a while. Eight of your buddies die beside you, you know you're in it up to your neck. Allen hadn't cracked and he'd stuck with me, more than I'd expected from a kid as green as him. He was trying, I'd give him that.
"Camp's due north." I kept my voice low. Never knew what might be close by, and you'd better assume anything that heard you would kill you. "But we head north-west around 160 yards. Then due east, and we should spot the sentries. We make it that far, we'll be safe."
Allen shivered and fumbled with his compass. I bit my lip. He was straight out of some fancy college, but he hadn't learned anything of any use, far as I could tell. "Come on, man," I whispered. "Got it?"
He nodded, eyes wide and scared, and I put my hand on his arm. "Keep hold of me, okay? I'll lead. We've gotta be quiet." Allen nodded again, and I set off through the dark, feeling his fear in the clutch he had on my elbow.
We made it the first one-sixty, and I risked a flash of torchlight on my compass to check our bearing. Nothing exploded but I started to hurry, anyhow, and when I spotted the burned clearing with our sentry post I damn near choked up.
"We made it, man." Panting, I let the reality of it wash over me as we were ushered to the CO. Allen still had his death grip on my arm and I rested my hand on his. "We're okay now."
Allen nodded again, those blue eyes still big, bright and scared. "I thought we were going to die," he whispered. If I was being honest, so had I.
This whole thing was fucked but here we were; death in the air we breathed, riding our shoulders. I'd seen guys out here screaming, hysterical, paralyzed with fear from thinking too much about that. My way was to give the Reaper the finger and dare him to do his worst, so I grinned at Allen with bravado I didn't feel. "Stick with me, buddy, and you'll be okay. It's Ryder's Law. People get out of the way of crazies."
He grinned a little and although he didn't let go of me, his hand relaxed on my arm. "Thanks, pal," he muttered. "Real glad I stuck with you today."
"So am I, man. It was good to know you had my back."
"You can count on that, Ryder."
no subject
Date: 2009-12-15 01:24 am (UTC)*hugs*, Tinx