Sixteenth Friday Flash: Desolation

*Hi all. Still laptopless, but will hopefully get a chance to read through some of your #fridayflashes this week. This story is a follow up to my 12th Friday Flash: Endless War.


Rations were low, but still Amy was reluctant to leave the barracks. It had been a week since her comrades had all been killed. She was possibly the last person alive in the area, possibly the planet. She checked her kitty power suit's battery level. It was on full. And the supplies kit she had packed a couple of days before was still all ready. She sighed. There was nothing left for it. She had to venture outside again.

At least it was spring outside. She could walk with her visor up and her air vents open. Not feeling like controlling the suit manually she placed the suit on auto. It trudged on steadily toward her destination: a research station in the mountains that may or may not be destroyed. Worst case scenario she could top up her supplies. That's if there were any.

Town after demolished town went by. There was no sign of survivors. Most taken out with germ warfare. Amy tried not to think about all the suffering. Tried not to feel guilty for being immune to the germs, but it was to no avail. The first night she cried herself to sleep. Something she hadn't done since she had been drafted. It felt good to let it all out.

By the third day none of the horrible sites bothered her. She had been in the war. She had seen worse. It must have been the week of sleeping and not doing much at all. It had softened her up. With new found determination she hurried her pace.

The day came. It was just after seven am. The air was a bit chilly, but smelt fresh and clean for a change. Massive steel doors loomed up in front of her. She banged on them with her armoured fist. The sound seemed to echo deep into the mountain.

No answer.

More banging.

Amy's hopes were disappearing. She took a few places back and got her energy weapon ready to fire. Just as she was about to pull the trigger and blast a hole, the door opened and a head popped out.

“No wait!” shouted the newcomer.

“Friend or foe?

The man walked out. He seemed to be genetically modified like Amy, but unlike her mix with cat genes he seemed to be mixed with a bird of some kind. His nose was long and his eyes bulbous. He put his hands up to show he had no weapons. “Foe, but I was a medic in the war. And I managed to hide in here when things got nasty. I'm harmless I swear.”

“Are you on your own?” asked Amy, her weapon still raised.

There was some hesitation and his eyes shifted a little side to side. He was lying, Amy knew it. She heard some rustling behind her. She dropped and turned to the source of the noise. It was another person. She was holding a gun. Amy blasted away. The would be ambusher dead within an instant.

She heard laughing behind her. “Almost had you there, but no worries, I didn’t like her anyway. And by the look of you, you will be more trouble than it’s worth so I will blast you and take your fancy suit. Always wanted one…”

Before Amy could react the bird man’s head was blown clean off. Amy turned away from the gruesome sight. Standing before her was a man that looked very familiar.

Amy got up. “Sergeant Whiskers?” She thought they were all dead.

The man smiled. “The one and the same.”

“But you’re different?”

“That’s because I’m the original, the template so to speak.”

Amy could see it now. He was like her Sergeant Whiskers but older. “Wow!”

“Yup, the rumours aren’t true. I’m alive and well.” His armoured suit was battered but very well maintained. “Ready to join my squad and help me finish off the stragglers?”

Amy thought about the alternatives. “Yes, sir!”






.