A Short Story by Margo

The Dangerous Mission

I couldn’t do it. Couldn’t possibly! My heart thumped furiously and my stomach churned as if it was being kneaded by a giant hand. Perspiration dripped off me in a waterfall, soaking the back of my t-shirt, and my vision swam in front of my eyes as I waited for the moment to strike.

The thick bush hid me well. A tiny stream trickled cautiously nearby, a pale silk ribbon weaving it’s way through the glossy dark rocks.The golden sunlight filtered through the pine trees, clearly outlining the slender needles of the branches, and casting an intricate, random pattern on the floor. But wait, this was no time for dozing off! The boss would taunt me ruthlessly if I failed in my bold and dangerous mission, and I wouldn’t get my reward. But Alex... She was my friend. This was different. Why me? We’d been friends for so long. I was tempted to go back, tell my boss I’d failed... No. My mind wandered to when she’d betrayed me a few times as a young child.I narrowed my eyes. This was my chance to take revenge. Suddenly, Alex appeared in the clearing directly in front of me, suspecting nothing. This was my chance, probably my only one. My emotions turned a triple flip somewhere deep inside me and I pulled the gun from my waist.

With shaking hands, I slotted the end of the gun through the gap in the bush, letting the cool leaves brush my fingertips. I aimed carefully at Alex’s heart. My breath tumbled in my throat and I closed my sweaty fingers over the trigger.

KA-BOOM!!!

An array of brightly coloured paint spurted from my pistol. “ Arggh! You got me!” Alex squealed, and, her face and t-shirt soaking with a rainbow of acrylic, chased me through the forest to my base. As I entered the safety of our team’s base, I heaved a sigh of relief, and, when I glanced anxiously at Alex and she grinned back at me, a weight lifted off my shoulders. We were still friends. I might actually come to like this game! Gun in my belt, I ran off into the sunlit trees for my next adventure.