A world split

Chapter 2

    I had been walking for an hour before I saw a man walking with a backpack and an M-4 in his hand. I dropped into the brush and didn't move. I trained my iron sights on his head and as I was about to pull the trigger I saw that his backpack was a baby. I lowered my gun and watched him walk for a little longer. There was a noise behind me which I moved my head to see. There was nothing so I looked back where the man was and my foot slipped out from under me. I fell into the brush and made a massive sound. The man whipped around and trained his gun on me. I threw my hands in the air.
    “Don’t shoot! Don’t shoot!”
    “What are you doing here?!?”
    “I got lost. I mean you no harm.”
    He discharged a bullet from his gun but missed me. I flinched back and he began walking away.
    “Were you trying to shoot me?”
    “If I were you’d be dead.”
    I stood up and grabbed my gun. For a second I contemplated shooting him. My sights lined up with his head and my finger moved to the trigger.    The baby started crying and I saw the man stop and hold the baby. The way he held the baby was as if that baby was the only thing he had left in this world. The look of care and love on his face also reflected slight pain and sorrow. I put the strap on my shoulder and let the gun hang. The man pulled a bottle of white liquid from his pack. It was most likely formula because he fed it to the baby. I began approaching the man.
    "Don't come any closer or I will shoot you." He raised his gun but didnt take his eyes of the baby he was feeding.
    "Is that your baby?" I asked.
    "Go away." His finger moved to the trigger on the gun.
    "No. I want to help you." Why? Why was I saying this. Hes a man. I should be killing him.
    "You heard me the first time. Go away or I will shoot you."
    "Come on. Just let me tag along and help you."
    "No."
    "Why?"
    His eyes moved from the baby this time.
    "Why?" The word was laced with poison. "Maybe because you're a woman. I dont know though. Could be because I want to alone but it's probably because your kind and my kind aren't meant to mingle. Now kindly fuck off." He put the bottle and the baby on his back, stood up, and continued walking.
    I followed him. We walked for about three steps before he turned to me. His laser beam eyes looked into mine and I could tell he had been through a lot very recently.
    "If you're going to follow me. And if you really want to help," he took his back pack off his shoulder and pushed it into me, "carry this."
    "Fine. Yes, I will carry this." A tone of excitement entered my voice.
    "Shut up, now. I dont want to listen to you speak."
    "Bu--"
    "Ah. Hush." he interupted.
    I closed my mouth and added his bag to my back next to mine. We walked until sundown going seemingly nowhere and as soon as we could no longer see, the man stopped. He set the baby down and started making a fire. I set down the bags and started setting up my tent.
    "While you're at it set mine up too." He said grabbing his bag and pulling food out of it.
    I didnt respond and did what he told me. When I finished he handed me a can of beans, a slice of bread, and a cup of water.
    "Thank you." I said.
    "I have to keep you alive if you're gonna continue to carry my bag." His voice was gruff and deep and mean but had an undertone of care and love.
    "Uh-huh. Why are you out here with a baby?"
    "None of your business. Eat and then go to bed."
    "What rank are you?"
    "Seargent Major. For you it would be Master Cheif."
    "You could have said E-9"
    "Are you done with your food?"
    "No."
    "Hurry the hell up. Finish."
    I ate my food really quick and when I looked back up he was coddling the baby and asleep. I didnt bother him and just put out the fire and went to my tent.