The Journey begins

The morning sun shines through the woodline, it's orange rays bringing light to the grim, rotting camp.

Grey limbs, swollen with decay, are scattered across the wet grass. Giving an eerie image of a demented Easter egg hunt.

Simon Dornel sits up, his left nub sticking out with his right leg bending towards it, as if trying to sit cross-legged with one leg.

He begins his mental checklist one last time before setting off, thinking of every scenario and a backup for each situation.

With a mountain lion prowling about, he'll need his weapon close to him and a way to roll a shooting position since standing and kneeling are out of the equation.

He can sling his to his weapon to his right hand side with a D-Ring clip , Simon found in the humvee, to attach his assault pack on the left hand side of his belt.

This way, he uses his nub left leg to kick his assault pack over to turn on his back, his right hand already on his weapon, ready to shoot.

This will open some wounds, not to mention, extremely painful without pain meds.

Simon will need to find a first aid kit to treat any open wounds, followed by some antibiotics to prevent any infection.

Studying the bandage around his left nub, he's not confident with the small growing tears appearing that this will not hold throughout the crawl.

Dirt can sneak in, causing deadly infection.

Simon will have to redress the bandage.

This thought causes his throat to tighten, comprehending he will soon stare where his leg used to be.

Another bad Idea, Simon corrects himself.

He doesn't know how to redress an amputated leg anyway.

Let's add a poncho or something waterproof to cover it up with some cable to tie it, he plans to himself.

One more trip to the Field Hospital will clear everything up on what he needs.

---

Limping to the Field Hospital with his crutches, Simon begins to notice a disturbing detail about the limbs strewn among the camp; they are all cut precisely measured at the shoulders for the arms and above the thigh for the legs.

Cut as close to the body as possible.

Were the soldiers alive when the limbs were cut off?

Simon pushes these dark thoughts aside.

He needs to focus on surviving with what limbs he has left.

Inside the Field Hospital, he begins his search for the following: first aid kit, antibiotics and something waterproof to cover his left nub.

Fortunately, the medical supplies he needed were found, new and undamaged by the chaos in the first box he opened.

This disturbs Simon even greater as another realization creeps into his mind.

All the med supplies, humvees even the weapons all around the camp were never looted.

If this was an attack, all the equipment at this camp would be priceless to anyone, Yet they just taken soldiers without their limbs.

A question slithers in Simons's mind.

Most disturbing of all, are these same soldiers still alive without their arms or legs

Simon shudders at this thought.

Then again, why was I left untouched?

Questions begin to form in his aching mind as if leading flies to rot.

These rapid questions are interrupted as Simon begins to feel a tickle on the back of his neck, forcing his ears to touch his shoulders, he slowly turns around, studying the empty tent entrance.

Simon holds his breath, focusing on listening to anything approaching the tent.

Nothing sounds suspicious, no crackle of leaves to signal heavy foot steps nor any fast sweeping sounds to signal a prowling  predator.

Nothing but the rustle of leaves caught in the morning wind.

The coast is clear

Why does Simon feel like something is watching him?

Authors note; there's more to add on this chapter, I just had to submit something

Stay tuned and thank you for reading.