Friday, 14 June 2013

250 Words: Episodes in the life of Edwinski (3) First kill

His first kill was the last to go so badly.  Nerves had got the better of Edwinski and nerves don't make for good shooting.  What should have been a clean kill was a bloody mess and Edwinski sat over the unfortunate, his blood-stained shirt sleeves rolled up; and shook uncontrollably, waiting for the target to bleed out.

The scientist tried to ask Edwinski to finish it.  Not that it would’ve done any good as neither could speak the other's language and the rookie had only been issued with two rounds, one of which had caused the scene, and he had clean forgotten the knives concealed on his lower leg and in his jacket pocket.  He could only sit in shock at the mistake made and wait to ensure his mission was ultimately fulfilled.  Edwinski had learned the hard way that practice can't always make perfect.  All the wolves killed in his youth, the perfect scores on the range and the full marks in role play meant nothing now.

Edwinski knew he would not make the same mistake twice (or once, officially, as he was already creating a cover story in the back of his head).  He wouldn’t risk himself like this again; in the approach to every kill from then on Edwinski carried the scene in his head as a reminder to steady his nerves. 


This shot to his ego had hit him hard, though, and Edwinski did not stop shaking until well after his quarry had ceased to be.

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