Base Commander

“Rogue come in. This is base commander. Over.” Silence spilled over the radio waves. “He must have run into trouble. One thing for sure, he didn’t die of a disease unless that disease came by flying lead.” The base commander bit his lip as he cupped his hands into circles and surveyed the clearing. “Billy, you are our last chance. You have to find out what happened to Rogue. He was to take out the enemy hideout and report back. Without that hideout being destroyed, we will not survive. Think you can handle it?”

“Sure. What do you want me to do?”

“You have to infiltrate the hideout. Rogue must be captured, dying, or worse -- dead. Sneak around this path.” Base commander drew in the dirt. “We are here. Go around this way and I’ll cover you with as much firepower as we have. I’m giving you the big gun. Good luck, Billy.”

“Aye, Aye, commander.” Billy saluted and emerged into the clearing, cautiously watching the other front. On the base commander’s signal, Billy took off across the clearing, headed straight for the enemy’s hideout. Projectiles started exploding around Billy but he weaved and dodged nimbly avoiding their dire consequences.

The base commander opened fire with everything he had. A skilled shot took out the enemy’s main defender. Then Billy lobbed his grenade into the midst of the hideout. Mission successful.

Suddenly, a flash of lightning and crash of thunder echoed through the air. The wind began to blow harder.

“Come on kids. Time to come in. A storm is coming,” Billy’s mom shouted from their back door.

They threw down their plastic guns and water balloons and headed home. After a long day of hand to hand combat, the brothers looked forward to some chow.


299 Words
Flash Story Contest -- Words contained thunder, plastic, disease