The Game. Part 3.

They would be heading east to checkpoint delta.

The young officer a hundred yards ahead would lead them out.

At 5 am, soldier (B) would set off the tripwire. The phosphorus pellets would burn through his combat trousers. He wouldn’t be badly burnt, just enough to set him off. The time had come.

When the blast went off, soldier (A) would slowly draw the long snipers rifle back towards the enemy. It would be pointing at soldier (B) The final GAME would conclude, his destiny complete.

The inquiry, later faced with the simple facts, would paint the picture of soldier (B) panic-stricken, firing wildly in all directions.

Soldier (A) left with no choice but to kill him.

It could have been a lot worse.

3 am, the blast went off, screams.

The timing was wrong. He grabbed his rifle. Steady, he waited.

The young officer ran towards him, panic-stricken.

He smashed him to the ground, fanning the flames with his jacket.

The chopper was called in early, only slightly burnt. He was lucky.

They were happy for him.

All except soldier (A) Something was amiss. He just couldn’t put his finger on it.

Soldier (B) was now on the brink. It would be three days later before he went insane.

Soldier (A) was manning one of the ten towers surrounding the camp.

The radio crackled. Get out now, soldier (B) has gone nuts, he’s armed, he’s coming after you.

He waited. It was like the GAME was playing with him. The final test.

They would both have problems.

Soldier (A) his rifle fixed to fire outside the tower.

Soldier (B) had forty feet to climb up to the tower.

If he didn’t open the hatch, soldier (B) would know. Death would be instant.

It would be quick. The hatch door would open, he would drop straight into the climbing soldier (B).

Shots fired, many shots, silence.

The radio burst into life.

An incident has occurred in camp. It has been contained, out.

Soldier (B) seriously injured, hospitalized. Later on to be committed.

The tour ended.

They were back in familiar surrounding, drinking away when

Charlie developed pains in his side.

An hour later, he would be in a military hospital. Appendicitis.

He would visit two days later.

Guess who’s in the next room.

He was all ears.

That young officer. Bad infection in his leg, told him you would pop into cheer him up. His wife’s with him, she’s a looker.

He hid the guilt well.

Her name was Marie. He would drop her off, and return the next day. It was the least he could do.

She invited him in for coffee. Everyone else had returned to Blighty.

He stayed three days.

It was on the third night she spoke.

He was staring into the darkness, disturbed. The GAME always concluded.

At first, he thought she was talking in her sleep. Her voice was soft.

It’s an arrangement. Louder. Our marriage, it’s an arrangement.

I needed out. He needs a wife to rise through the ranks.

Was she feeling guilty? All marriages are like that. It’s how you progress that matters.

You don’t get it, he’s gay.

The sledgehammer hit home. Christ-Christ, it flashed back.

The officer, soldier (B)

He saw it now. Soldier (B) exposed. The officer disgraced.

He began to laugh.

She wasn’t sure why, but joined in any way. It had been a long time since she let laughter into her life.

It had been a long time since she felt like a woman. The chains were off.

Even soldier (A) noticed the change.

He was out of the Army when she phoned. Meeting up later at a swanky London hotel.

She was free.

He could see the change.

She spoke of the future. Would he like to be part of it.

He loved her. A month earlier, he would have gone to the ends of the earth for her.

She didn’t understand.

He would be gone for a time.

A new GAME had begun.

It would consume all of his time….