Join the new world

At fourteen Conner was not old enough to join the army but that hadn’t stopped him fighting when the enemy had come. His parents had were butchered under the Brazilian war machine and Conner taken to the bush to take up camp with the resistance fighters known as North Star and they had given him the weapons to take his revenge, the nameless woman vouched for him under the objections of her companions.
Her dark brown eyes had looked into his and seen into his soul. “Let him fight”
Her sergeant, the man called AB had shaken his head, “He’s only a boy...”
The woman stepped back her eyes never leaving Conner, “His childhood has been taken from him. He has nothing left. Let him fight, He will not let us down”
With that she had turned and walked away leaving Conner looking up to the towering figure of AB, “She makes no sense to me...never fall in love kid...” he mutters motioning over to the captured weapons truck, “Report in soldier.”
Conner had tried to salute...
Now, less than 24 hours later he was running through the bush, almost dragging the old nun and orphans behind him. His company, butchered during the rescue and Conner was now alone leading the helpless, determined to get them to safety and ignore the pain.
“Stop, down” he says ducking into a thicket and dragging them with him. They remain silent as the Brazilian patrol pass. “Come” he says leading them deeper into the wilderness. Occasionally checking back to make sure Suzie and the other children remained holding hands in the chain. The pain in his stomach flairs up again and he focuses off the wound.
At the billabong Conner moves off to sit alone his eyes on Nun and orphans as they cupped water to their mouths with their hands. Suzie finally approaches, at thirteen, she is the eldest of the children her face streaked with dirt and dried tears. Sitting beside him, she says nothing for a moment, her eyes on the younger children under the watchful gaze of Sister Kelly.
“Thank you...” Suzie says finally turning to him. He nods uncomfortable in the presence of girls. “I am sorry your friends died...”
“They were my mates” he replies repeating the phrase O’Conner had said during the fire fight about brothers in arms.
“Where are you taking us?”
Conner motions to the east, “To sanctuary, from there you will be taken to the New South Wales stronghold.”
She looks at him strangely, “You look pale...” she says concern growing when he wavers slightly. Then she spots the blood pooling around him. “You’ve are hurt...”
He places his fingers on her mouth, “Its only a scratch.” He looks over to the group who have formed up along the bank of the billabong, “Time to go.”


Trekking through the bush Conner is unsure when the clouds began to obscure his vision, or when the limping began. But he will not stop, he will not rest. In the distance, the baying of dogs reaches his ears and he can sense the nerves amongst the survivors.
“We need to hurry young soldier.” Sister Kelly says and he nods as his feet suddenly give way and he falls. It is then she notices the blood soaking his lower half, “Dear child....” she says lifting his shirt and seeing the bullet wound. Feeling his back there is no exit wound... “Foolish boy what have you done...” she chills looking to the children and then back to Conner who clenches his eyes to the pain and forces himself to sit.
“We’ve got to get to the ridge.” He says motioning through the trees. “We’ll be safe there. She is there.”
“No son you need to rest.” Sister Kelly replies, “Suzie, water.”
Darkness....time passes....children whisper....
Dogs bark, guttural voices, dialects unknown.
A girl screams, children wail.....
Conners eyes refuse to open, his body refuses to respond.
“Suzie no!!!”
Something tugs at his side, his gun is drawn, a single shot fires and dead weight slumps across his body and Sister Kelly screams.

AB leads the blind run through the trees towards the gunfire, his men fanning out as they hit the trail hard unleashing hell upon the Brazilian Patrol. Dogs are shot dead, blood and sinew explodes over uniforms and in the carnage the North Star slaughters the enemy until....
Silence as the last Brazilian holds the nun as a human shield, his revolver inches from her temple. Whimpering children are heard and AB uses hand gestures to have his men spread out. “Let her go” He demands stepping onto the path and spying the children huddled in undergrowth along the trail.
The Brazilian grunts a reply that is cut short by a single shot that echoes through the trees. The high calibre rifle removes the Brazilians head and sprays the nun with blood. Unseen in the distance, Jade reloads.
“You ok” AB says motioning for his men to stay on guard as he approaches the shocked Nun.
She nods as she kneels beside two bodies, a girl slumped over.... oh no....


Larni looks around the camp, she had not expected this... upwards of thirty soldiers had arrived over the past few days and amongst them almost two hundred civilians. They looked at her with reverence, like seeing an angel and for her part Larni had tried to play her roll. But she wasn’t an angel, she wasn’t anything.
They needed a leader not a little girl playing games of vengeance...
Moving through the camp she watches as a small force arrives to be issued with weapons and other civilians lined up to join the fight. The organisational skills are all AB and Jades work. The tactics and the strategies of gorilla warfare likewise were not hers.
She was the figurehead, but they were the soldiers. One day they would figure out that they didn’t need her and would leave... Her eyes go to the path where a group are approaching and she spots the lead figure of AB, she would know him anyway. In his arms he is carrying someone.... Larni’s heart sinks.

She kneels beside the soldier boy gently stroking his brow. His pained and shallow breathing bring tears to her eyes. AB leans over her shoulder and places his hand on the boys shoulder, “You did good kid” he says and the boys eyes open looking from AB to Larni. He smiles at her, through the pain, and tries to speak but his voice is no more than a whisper. She leans closer as he speaks again, gently she caresses his cheek,
“I am Larni and you are my bravest soldier.” She replies knowing he was dying, they did not have the equipment to help, nor the drugs to give him peace. She looks over to AB as tears begin down her cheek, “Leave us” she says her voice weak. Nodding AB steps out of the room.
Lifting her soldier boy into her arms she embraces him. She gently kisses his cheek as she slowly draws her blade, keeping it low and out of sight, “You are a hero.” She says holding his head to her chest as she draws her blade across his inner thigh and severs the main artery.
She holds him in her arms weeping softly as his breathing slows and finally stops. She looks up to see AB standing in the doorway. The soldier takes a breath, “We will build him a funeral pyre. The gods will know this soldier is on his way.”