Recap: In the last installment, Quim and the rest of the squad were taken to a small makeshift camp some survivors of the first assault made. Soon they discovered what the group needed help with. A woman called Bitsy had injured her leg while they escaped a Trisken war band and the damage had turned gangrenous, when Doc Freeman attempted to amputate it and save her life she grabbed Grunner's pistol and fired it at the people trying to help her.
Her eyes were glossed over; blind with rage. The idea of them amputating her leg was enough for her to swipe Grunner's pistol and fire. Quim's ears were still ringing from the shot and he could almost make out the echo bouncing off the distant walls of the tunnel.
"Hold on now, you're sick. This is your fever taking over, you need to put the gun down and let the Doc do his work." Quim told the woman, but, there was no point. There was no reasoning with her. She just shook her head. With a strained smile and she continued to point the gun at them. Her hands were shaking from the excitement. Her adrenaline must be flying. But, the rush won't last forever. He thought to himself.
"I can give you medication." Doc Freeman said. "I don't want anyone to touch it. It's fine!" Grunner shook his head and continued to approach. He seemed unphased by the previous shot that was fired in his direction. "I know it's scary. I understand that, I also understand that we need to get out of here, Bitsy. The only reason we're still here is because of you." "Me?" She asked. Her face had almost completely changed. She wasn't the shot-firing maniac she had been just a second ago. Some small shadow of her former self must have slipped through, identifiable from the change in Grunner's posture. No longer was he stiff-backed and stoic. Now, he was leaning towards her, with a lovesick facial expression, which almost removed the striking and gaunt features he previously held.
"Let us help you." Doc Freeman told Bitsy. "If I were in your position I would feel the same way. I think I would be able to make the right decision though. Your team needs to leave this tunnel, or you will all suffer." He continued. She shook her head and looked down at her leg. "Be honest with me. What are my odds of survival?" Bitsy asked.
Doc Freeman turned to Quim, as if unsure of whether or not he should truly be honest with the woman. "Go on Doc, be honest with her. I wouldn't want to be bullshitted if I were her." He said in a deflated tone. The statement was true, Quim thought to himself. He always hated dishonesty, especially in serious matters.
"The chances of survival, if left untreated is a pretty solid zero. That's being honest. We just don't have the means to help you down here." She nodded as Doc Freeman finished and her eyes filled with tears, Bitsy seemed to be trying to hold them back. It didn't stop her cheeks from getting wet.
"But, if I amputate your leg and treat the open wound, your chances are about 50/50. However, it's hard to judge the situation when dealing with uncertain circumstances. Honesty isn't always easy when we don't really know." Bitsy nodded slowly, wiping away her tears with her free hand. Then she looked at the pistol in her other hand. "Let the doctor help you Bitsy," Grunner told her, she then lifted her eyes to him and the tears started once more, this time though, they were heavier. Quim noticed the look of terror in her eyes and the shake of her hand had also gotten worse.
"No. Let me help you." She said. "I love you Grunner. I've always loved you. I want you and the others to get out of here." Before she finished her sentence Grunner's back straightened up. He had no chance to respond as Bitsy raised the gun to her temple and pulled the trigger. Her final thought covered the wall behind her and she slumped forward. Quim couldn't help but notice how calm her expression had gone as she took her final action.
Grunner screamed at the top of his lungs and ran over to her body. The Doc looked at Quim and he shrugged, as he had nothing to say and no other action to take. Nothing could fix what happened, or make Grunner feel better. So Quim and Doc Freeman walked away, leaving the squad leader to mourn the loss of his love, in peace.
As Quim made it to the center of the camp, many of the survivors stared at him. Some of his own squad walked to him and Doc Freeman. "What happened around there Dert bird?" Triple asked with a distant look on his face. Luckily he had enough respect to whisper.
"An injured soldier ended her own life, in order to let this group of survivors leave these tunnels. The leader of this lot is back their mourning at the moment, but, I think he'll be okay in a few minutes. Then we can figure out our next move." Quim said quietly, to which Triple nodded slowly while he spoke. Then they all patiently waited, using this as an opportunity to mourn silently, the loss of a stranger.
Another shot went off and echoed through the tunnel network as the first one did. As the noise was heard each person who waited jumped, including Quim. The sudden shock of the gunshot so close by was enough to make anyone jump. Quim took a few steps back to peek around the corner. Only to find Grunner slumped over too. He was hunched down, with his head resting in Bitsy's lap. It was beautiful, in a sick sort of way.
Turning back to the squad and what remained of the survivors he shook his head slowly and lifted his hands to each of them, who could only stare at him in response to what just transpired. "Who's next in command?" He asked each of the survivors who just looked at each other, no one stood forward. Then the soldier who had found them first started to loudly complain as he pushed past Triple, Bird, and The Raws who were standing in the center of the camp.
"If nobody else wants to take charge of the situation, I guess I will." Quim nodded at him as he stood to attention. "What's your name?" "Anadi Branede." He stood straight, with his head held high. Seeming a hell of a lot more professional than he previously had been. "Well, it's Captain Branede now." Anadi nodded as Quim said that and he looked in the direction of the two recent corpses. "I don't think that's a good thing, based on the amount of luck the rest of our leaders have had. But, I'll do my best." Anadi couldn't help but smirk.
"We helped you Anadi. As best we could. Now you need to help us, I want to get out of these tunnels so we can carry out our mission and get off this rock." Anadi nodded. "Okay, we can help you and your squad. We've mapped out this maze since we've been here. Not far from here there is an access hatch that leads up to some abandoned warehouse. I personally went snooping around it, but, didn't find anything of use." Quim looked around at the others. "You heard him, that's our route. You can lead the way, Anadi. Everyone, look alive, we're getting the hell out of these tunnels." Quim told the rest of his squad, who each turned and moved out of the camp.
Anadi then looked around at his squad, before he moved. His eyes darted between them and Quim. "Everyone, look alive. Let's get out of here. As well." He said, trying to mimic Quim. But, Anadi didn't quite have the same bravado.
Slowly everyone was up and tearing down their camp, taking anything of use. The question on everyone's mind was. "What do we do with the bodies?" As one of the survivors put it. Quim could only look at Anadi. "That's your call. I leave you to do what you must and say goodbye." He walked passed a bewildered Anadi and his small group of gaunt soldiers.
In the end, they opted to burn the bodies, it seemed like the best option for them. They were each stacked together, Quim and the others kept to themselves, not wanting to interrupt the ramshackle funeral. He knew if it was one of his squad mates, he would rather the strangers kept away. Instead of showering them with fake tears and useless apologies. Soon the pyre was done and the rest of the group followed Anadi back out through the camp and into the main walkway. Then he started to make his way up the long tunnel, followed by everyone else. Quim was happy to follow the man he once thought to be crazy.
I'd follow anyone, anywhere, if it meant we'd get out of this stinking tunnel.