THE SNIPER

Iván Guerrero
2n Batxillerat

- I’m a stone, I’m a stone, I’m a stone...

There’s just darkness and cold, a body lied on the wet ground, shrubbery over there, branches up there, the only sound was the rain hitting above a raincoat, and nothing more.

- I’m a stone, I’m a stone, I’m a stone...

A deep exhale took place, a hand began to move, caressing the cannon, to scope, to end with the bolt, grabbing it hardly, pulling it to finish with the sound of a click.

- I’m a stone, I’m a stone, I’m a stone...

Once the hand finished with the bolt, quietly moved to the grip, taking a cold full metal jacket bullet, and placing it in the bullet hole.

- I’m a stone, I’m a stone, I’m a stone...

Then, breathing out again, pushed the bolt to its previous place. Now he has the capacity to kill. It’s the time, everything or nothing, live or die.

A wave of ideas and memories came to his mind, thinking why he’s doing that, thinking who he is.

- It’s 0300z, time over...

At that time, he placed his hand on the trigger, feeling it, forming part of him, as another limb, a prolongation of his own body.

He kept in the position, looking through the sight, waiting for the appearance of his target, and praying to the amount of training hours for the success.

- Here it is...

A green camo car appeared, apparently with two occupants, the driver and the target, the last one recognized due to a red beret.

The heartbeats began to accelerate, filling the chest with pressure, but there’s no place for jitter.

The finger began to pull the trigger, softly, until a blast sounded all over the hill.

Finally, a radio transmission noise, followed by a simple instruction, pointed out the end of the mission.

- The enemy is down, back to base.

Another success, another accomplished mission, another day of life, but for the target, darkness there, and nothing more.