Wind in the Hands

  Chapter 46. A Single-Shot Fire

  The Soldier regretted that he did not take the automatic rifle off the desert warriors, but it was not difficult to find a gun in the City, especially in the times like these.

  “Close the doors and the windows,” he told to the hostess. “I’ll go outside for a while.”

  “Do you want to leave us?” her eyes filled with tears.

  “I’ll be back, I promise, and the Stranger will be back soon too.”

  Young men were darting about like vultures, but they didn’t try to touch him, probably they were looking for some easier prey. He saw men in the military uniform, came to them, named himself, and showed the dog tag built into the boot.

  “Brothers, what’s going on?”

  “We don’t know,” the patroller answered. “The City went crazy. We don’t interfere. We are watching.”

  “Why don’t they bring troops into?”

  “I don’t know. They say there is a dangerous virus in the City, but nobody knows exactly what it is.”

  “Who has given the order to close the City? Security service?”

  “No idea. But it was definitely not the security service. The cordon is made by border troops and police.”

  “I see,” the Soldier drawled. “We’re in deep shit, men, so many idiots are here! The gun is a necessity.”

  “We got a spare automatic rifle and a couple of magazines. Stay with us, it’s safer.”

  “Thanks, guys, thanks a lot, but I should go.”

  The Soldier didn’t expect that getting a gun would be so easy. Glad, he hurried home and from afar he saw the crowd gathering near the house.

  With no hesitations, he switched the gun to his favorite mode: a single-shot fire.

  “Get out of here! I’ll fire for effect!” the Soldier shouted and flicked the switch loudly.

  A young man pointed a gun at him but he didn’t manage to aim. The rifle banged. The weapon may not be fixed, that’s why the Soldier aimed to the body but not to the head. The bullet hit the boy’s belly, passed clear and nicked somebody else. The young man dropped the gun, sat slowly with his hands pressed to the bleeding wound. He moaned with pain and fear and whispered, “Help, help.”

  “Go!” the Soldier shouted once again. “Now!” and he gave another shoot, this time in the air.

  The crowd dispersed quickly, having left the bleeding man on the ground. The Soldier took his gun, pulled out the charger, racked the slide, the bullet didn’t came out.

  “Idiot!” he whiffed.

  He entered to the entrance hall, went upstairs quickly and knocked on the door.

  “It’s me, don’t be afraid!”

  The hostess opened without even looking at him. The Soldier entered, saw that everyone was safe and sound, and calmed down.

  “How’s our patient?”

  “He has not recovered consciousness, it looks like catalepsy,” the Medium answered.

  “Looks like what?”

  “He’s asleep. In a deep sleep. Was it you shooting?”

  It seemed that Medium was able to cope with fears and emotions or she pulled together as if there were no vengeful crowd outside. She took care of the Seer and even found time to calm The Bird who didn’t understand what was going on and that scared her even more.

  “Yes. I put one down. I would kill a dozen of beasts and covered the street with blood, the rest of jackals would not dare to come close to your house, but the Stranger will not like it. Where is he? It’s dangerous outside,” the Soldier growled. He saw the Bird’s eyes and realized that he said too much. “Calm down, girl. You know the Stranger. Everything’s going to be all right.”