From Marley, with Love.

Chapter 56: Disgust

Rosanna still felt the prickling sensation of Zeke's beard on her mouth, chin, and cheeks. She had wiped, gargled, and washed her mouth out multiple times when she had gotten into her tent. But the feeling of his soft lips would not leave her mouth, nor the heat of his thighs and hips against hers. She had been avoiding him effectively all day, running errands far away from the central camp and making sure the warrior candidates were occupied with either a chore or a lesson. At midday in the heat of the day, a new supply chain arrived via airdrop and most of the soldiers were incapable to get the new supply out and sorted. Rosanna having worked in environments with high temperatures didn't hesitate to unload the supply, since it contained medicine that had to be kept cool.

"Come on, Colt. Just... fifteen more boxes." She encouraged the boy as she checked the boxes off of the list. The young boy held two large boxes squished against his sides while Rosanna hoisted one basket onto her hip and one box onto her shoulder.

"How are you so chipper in this heat?!" Colt Groaned, feeling sweat drip down his collar. "I am used to it... and it never bothered me," Rosanna said coolly, pushing open the tent to the hospital and dumping the box in the corner with the other boxes. Nurses rushed around trying to get all the medicine and instruments in their respective places.

Colt followed her example and turned back to Rosanna, panting and wiping his forehead.

"You need a break, I think..." Rosanna said, dashing off and returning with a canteen filled with water. Colt took it greedily and wolfed the water down.

"You can finish it," Rosanna said as she hopped off to the supply drop to get more boxes. She and another soldier lugged a heavy chest to the ammunition tent, probably filled with ammo and some new guns. Colt sat in the shade with a damp cloth on his forehead. Rosanna went over to check on him and patted his back to reassure him. The boy felt better and stood up to help Rosanna with the last 3 boxes. Rosanna left the lightest box to him; she took the two heavier ones. As she was turning to walk back to the hospital, she spotted something from her peripheral vision... a man standing on the tall hill to the north? She turned fully, scanning the hill. She did not see anything. She huffed and walked off, making sure Colt was doing okay. She froze when she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up... she looked around frantically. Colt stopped and looked at her. Rosanna's perception became hypervigilant, she could see everything. Colt, the soldier shaving in the mirror next to the hospital. She could even perceive the change of wind, wind? There hadn't been wind all day? She jumped and gasped when that same gust of wind flew by her ear. The bullet that had zipped past her air hit the mirror of the shaving soldier, fragmenting his reflection.

"What?" Colt mumbled.

"Get down Colt!" Rosanna yelled, dropping the boxes and pushing the boy down, and shoving him behind a large chest.

"There are snipers on the hill!" Rosanna yelled, alerting soldiers that burst out of their tents. Fully gunned and armored. Reiner ran out of the tent, looking at the hill before running from the camp and biting his hand. Rosanna watched as the lightning strike blinded the snipers and the bullets went astray, hitting two soldiers.

"Bauer! Get out of here!" a familiar voice barked. Zeke burst out of his tent, chasing Reiner who was making his way up the hill. Rosanna pushed Colt along as the two of them run away from the camp. Colt had broken from the shock and pointed out a ditch. The two ran into the ditch, sitting at the ready to attack. Rosanna had grasped her automatic handgun; Colt still had a rifle on him. The two heard explosions in the distance, followed by heavy mechanic sounds. "Troops from Slava," Rosanna whispered. Colt frowned, "Here? Already?" he asked, sounding puzzled.

"Of course, these guys sure as hell know we are here to take over. And they are not going to allow that." She sighed. She froze again when she heard the same mechanical sounds coming from the west, from the forest.