Wednesdays are starting to roll around as fast as Mondays. I swear there is a conspiracy among the Time Lords. Where’s the Doctor when I need him? Yes, we all know that around here Hump Day means new words based on writing prompts. I sort of manage to connect the dots between the #1lineWed theme of **TO DO A_____(favor, 180, fill-in-the-blank…)** and the #ThursdayThreads prompt of: “That could be bad.” I’m still hanging out with the Hard Target team and some of these random scenes are starting to merge together, which is a good thing. I think y’all can figure this scene out.
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The team perched on a ridge overlooking the river valley. Lines of people struggled across the curving bridge spanning the river. Some rode on carts drawn by all sorts of draft animals, including humans, but most were on foot. The river churned below the bridge. Roaring was a good description, Duke decided, since he could hear the noisy water all the way up here. A few trucks chugged up alongside the pedestrians. The vehicles were filled with crates, many with children perched on them. At each end of the bridge, a group of uniformed men guarded the passage. In the far distance, a column of tanks snaked along the road. Their progress was slow. Apparently, they were in no hurry to rush into the slaughter that would happen should they catch the civilians out in the open.
“That could be bad,” Dalton said.
“What was your first clue, Sherlock?” Tank shot back without taking his eyes from the binoculars he held.
“Thoughts?” Duke asked.
“We can’t bring it down all at once,” Tank said. “We don’t have enough explosives.” He studied the bridge again, tilting his head first one way and then another as he looked at it from all angles. Then he smiled. “We blow the first far side span first. The tanks on the bridge are dead meat that way. No retreat.” His smile grew broader. “Then we take out the span on this side. The middle should stand, which will help with rebuilding when the times comes.”
“Can we let some of the tanks get on this side?” Dalton, shading his eyes, counted the rumbling into view but glanced over to check Duke’s reaction.
Duke furrowed his brow at the younger man. “Why?”
“If we can take out the crews, then the Ukrainians can use the tanks. If we can’t, then the more we take out on our terms, the less the Russians will have to work with.”
A wolfish grin tweaked the corners of Kin’s mouth. “We have grenades for the ones we don’t want to keep. The Ukrainians have had good luck taking out tanks. The rest of us are also capable of doing the same.
“Good point. Okay. Let’s get down there and have a conversation.” Duke, staying low, headed, down the mountainside.
They were met by a tall man with rugged features and shaggy hair. He focused his attention on Duke.
“You are the American.”
Duke offered his hand. “We’re here to help.”
“Good.” He gestured toward the civilians with a sweep of his arm. “As you can see, we need all the help we can get.”
“Especially with Russian tanks coming up your ass end.” Tank was nothing if not blunt.
“Yes.”
“What is it you want us to do?” Duke asked.
“To do a favor for me so I can get back to fighting, I want you to airlift all these people to safety.” The man let out of huff of air that spoke volumes. “Now, ask me what it is you can do?”
The smile on Duke’s face didn’t reach his eyes. “ That one’s easy. Blow up the bridge.”
The Ukranian comander’s grin stretched every muscle in his face. “You are a soldier after my own heart.”
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And there you have it. Kindred spirits. 😉 Writers, any snippets to share? Readers, fill in the blank on the prompt and let us know if you think doing it would be a bad thing. 😉
Ya know, considering the state of the world in 2022–and especially the last week or so, I figure this is a message we all need. No musing. No philosophizing. Just this:
Silver James 