The dark skyline stretched for miles, a lone bomber flew into view beginning to drop its payload, the bombs exploding all over, causing death and devastation. The plane crew were ecstatic their mission was going exactly to plan. The pilot however didn’t see the lone man rising from a ditch, but he soon spotted the rocket launcher he hefted into view. The man fired the launcher, and was deafened by the hissing rocket that flew straight towards the plane. It soon collided with the vehicle, followed by a flash of light as the rocket tore through the hull.

The pilot fought to try and guide the flaming wreck to safety. But he couldn’t, so he guided the plane straight towards an enemy compound. Both vanishing in a flash and explosion, then the ruins vanished in a huge cloud of black dust.

***

 Private Daniel Yale crouched in the ditch silent as a mouse. Clutched tightly in his sweaty hands was his assault rifle. Next to him were Sergeant Jon Craig and Private Steve Rower. The sounds of battle rang around them; distant gunfire and screams were heard every few moments. As well as the close rattle of machine guns and the death cries of those who fell.

The three soldiers of the 31^st Royal Guard had been separated from the rest in this harsh territory of Iraq. Enemy fighters could attack from all sides, no backup would be coming it was too dangerous.

“What do we do now Sir?” asked Private Yale,

“We need to find some cover! You saw that explosion,” replied Private Rower,

“Too risky,” Sergeant Craig glanced at his watch “Our side shouldn’t commence another bombing raid for the next hour or so.”

“So we should find shelter then!” argued Rower,

“No, we stay put and that’s an order.”

Sergeant Craig silenced his arguing soldiers with a single gesture. In the silence that followed, the group heard approaching footsteps. Jon made a motion and Steve hefted his rifle quickly in position. Unlike the sergeant and Dan, Private Rower carried an M-2 sniper rifle.

The Private took aim through the scope, and soon made out the lone soldier approaching, taking a deep breath, he paused before squeezing the trigger. He heard the almost inaudible ‘phut’ of the silencer. The enemy soldier’s head snapped back as the low calibre round connected solidly with his head, his lifeless body collapsing to the floor in a heap.

“Why is a lone soldier doing a patrol?” asked Sergeant Craig,

“I’ll find out!”

Before either of the other two could protest, Steve dashed towards the fallen soldier. He crouched by the body, moments later he came running back. The private looked puzzled; he was carrying the dead soldier’s rifle;

“It’s empty, no clips, no spare rounds; the guy was carrying this empty gun and nothing else!”

“Maybe they are just trying to make people think they are armed and dangerous?” suggested Dan,

“No, he looked dead,” replied the Private,

“Of course he is dead; you shot him through the head.”

“No, he was covered in bite marks…” continued Steve,

“Bites?” asked the Sergeant,

“Yeah, his arm had a chunk missing, it looked like teeth marks.”

“You’re seeing things.”

“Quiet, someone else is coming,” hissed Sergeant Craig.

The other two soldiers fell quiet and got their weapons ready.

“Right, Rower you take a look, and snipe at them, Yale you provide cover if they fire back,” ordered Jon.

Steve nodded and got low, then quickly took aim. His trained eye scouting the horizon for the incoming hostiles, he quickly located them. One lone soldier, followed by a group following a couple of yards behind, something seemed out of place though. Nothing was wrong with the formation; it was a standard scout and search party. Keeping his eyes firmly on the enemy he realised that what was wrong was the group that followed the lone soldier. They seemed to be staggering strangely, and they didn’t seem to be following him, it looked like they were going after him. This fact was confirmed by the lone man, turning and opening fire at the oncoming troops. Sub-machine gun fire was heard clearly as the rounds knocked back his followers. The group collapsed as the lone soldier, dropped his gun, and headed off…towards where Steve and the others were hiding. Sorry pal Rower thought as he fired at the man, he dropped as if pole axed. Steve had targeted the shoulder, enough to incapacitate the soldier, buying enough time to find a new hiding spot…

“Sir we should move,” said Steve,

“What the hell?” was the Sergeant’s reply,

“I said we should move Sir.”

“Not that, I thought he shot the others,” said Jon,

“He did.”

“Well why then are they getting up?”

“They’re what?”

Steve lifted his rifle again and looked at where the group had been shot. Sure enough they were slowly but surely returning to their feet. He magnified the scope and focused on their faces, they looked blank and lifeless. Must be a trick he thought and lowered the sight to their chests, bullet holes riddled there bodies but they still moved. He watched them stagger towards the fallen soldier. They crouched by him, and seemed to be trying to grab him. The injured soldier seemed to struggle against them.

The soldier cried out, as one of his comrades came away with something red. Hmm, what is that? Steve adjusted his scope once more and soon he saw the horrific scene unfolding. The men that had been ‘shot’ were eating the fallen soldier. The red thing, the one had came away with was actually a kidney!

“Jesus, hey guys! We better…”

He was interrupted by gunfire. Steve turned around and almost screamed; Jon and Dan were being attacked by another group that had somehow managed to creep up on them. The men attacking them, were being knocked back by bullets, but kept coming. One managed to swipe the rifle out of Jon’s shaking hands, another pair of hands grasped his uniform and dragged him into the waiting arms of the others.

Daniel opened fire his rounds tearing through a particularly fat enemy; his bullets punched a hole in his gut. The man’s guts flopped out, but he just let out a groan, and fell on top of the screaming soldier.