An Old Friend

An Old Friend Required - Writer's Cramp 3/1/2012

General Michael Reed watched his opposite approach him from afar. The park was frosted over as was the usual in the southern part of Canberra. Michael was here today in order to find an old friend and pull him out of retirement. That friend was here now, right on time. Nine am in the morning on the dot.

Michael sighted a small park bench and walked over to it. His friend mirrored his movements. They sat down and stared at the frozen lake for a minute. Neither spoke until a flock of geese flew overhead in their “V” formal honking loudly. Michael smiled as his eyes rested upon his friends. In the years since they had seen each other both men had wrinkled skin, the days of their youth were long gone.
“Good to see you Dan”, said Michael.

“Too bad I can’t say the same to your ugly face”, said Dan smiling. “What are you here for anyway? The U.S doesn’t just send one of their top Generals to come and have a tea party with an old broken down geezer like me”.

“I’m behind the frontlines now Dan. I’m not a fighter anymore, I’m a thinker. They need you”.

“What even at this old age? I can hardly lift a rifle anymore”.

“I’ve got something to tell you though. We’ve found something. Do you remember the Banda Sea? And the maelstrom?”

“I’m not likely to forget that in a hurry”, replied Dan. “Is this the bit you tell me where you went for all those hours leaving me stranded on that god forsaken island?”

Michael flashed back to that moment. He was twenty five years old, fresh faced and well on the road to becoming a Captain. They were far to the east of Jakarta in the middle of nowhere. The Banda Sea was churning beneath their boat spinning it in all sorts of directions. Michael looked to his right and saw Pvt. Dan Cheswick, a fearful young boy of only eighteen just out of basic training. Michael vowed to himself to keep the boy safe.

Nobody but the Major knew where they were and what they were doing in the middle of the stormy night. Michael checked his rifle again to make sure it was in working order. He grinned at Dan and told him to relax. This just made Dan grip his weapon tighter. They disembarked soon after, a wild rabble of fifty men all without a purpose.

The Major took charge. He ordered the men into pairs and Dan immediately partnered with Michael as did another pair. They moved out in formation as ordered into the island’s small forest covering each other watching for any activity. The forest was silent, nothing but the four of them moved. They kept moving in, and no further communication was received.

Suddenly without warning a large structure emerged out of the forest. It wasn’t human, that was for sure. Michael looked around searching for anything else that was out of the ordinary. “Private Cheswick!” he said gruffly.

“Sir!” said Dan.

“Stay here, we are going in”, said Michael pointing his rifle at what appeared to be a door. “Keep your com channel open and try and feed us in to anything that is going on. Keep your eyes open!”.

“Sir, yes sir!” replied Dan snapping to a sharp salute.

Michael and his two other squad mates pried open a panel on the structure which was in fact a door covered in moss. It was completely dark inside, the light from outside quickly fading away. Michael and his men switched on their flashlights and ventured inside running the artificial light over every surface. Moss covered the first room, however the second room was covered in red patches.

“Blood”? whispered the Corporal.

Michael shook his head not knowing what it was. He continued straight on. Shortly after they came to a room with light beaming down from the sky. In the middle on a stand carved in runes was something that looked like a large blue egg. Bigger than an ostrich’s. Engraved into the egg were spaces for three hands. Michael nodded and at the same time he and his men placed one hand each on the egg.

It began to pulse red and yellow, which Michael didn’t like. He ordered everyone out the way they had came. A screaming erupted from the egg, it was hatching. Turning around Michael saw an enormous silver / red blur scoop the egg up and sprint off into the darkness again. He looked at his hand. It was now pricked in several places and covered in his blood.

Moving back to the present, Michael turned to look Dan straight in the eyes. “Yes Dan, this is to do with the island. None of us that left you there can comply with the system. You’re the last one. We are going to turn you into a super solider. I’m taking you back to Langley”.