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It was bad enough when me and the squad had to dodge bullets in this weather. Now I have to suffer through it alone. I don’t know how I escaped the enemy, guess I’m faster when I’m retreating. It’s so fucking cold. If I knew the way, I would go back to the battlefield. Better to get shot or taken as a prisoner than spend another second on this god forsaken mountain.
“So fucking cold. So fucking cold.” I sing to myself. I only stop when I slip and fall on my face. Not the first time that has happened today. Easily the worst time though, since my glasses fall off in the process. Fuck. I’m blind without my glasses. I feel around me in the snow. Nothing. I crawl around on all fours until a cracking sound comes from under my knee. Fuck my life.
At least now the bear attack will be a surprise.
I sit in the snow. For a few minutes, I don’t think. When I realise death is gonna take its sweet time. I start considering my options.
I can sit here and wait to die of hypothermia or I can wander off without being able to see. I get up. Falling to my death sounds like it would be quicker than hypothermia and I’ve always had a sense of adventure. That’s what got me into this mess in the first place.
The glasses didn’t help much anyway, given the heavy snowfall that was clouding my vision before. I take tiny steps and stretch my arms out in front of me.
I wonder how long it will take for me to freeze to death out here. Probably not that long. But is seems like I’ve been out here for hours already.
I’m pulled out of my thoughts by shouts in a language I recognise but don’t understand. Then there are gunshots. I guess they’re not taking prisoners today. I run about six paces before I’m hit. It’s in my right leg. Not enough to kill me yet. Come on people, I’m already half dead and blind. Can’t you get on with it already? I stumble and fall, on account of the bullet wound.
It takes me an embarrassing amount of time to wonder why I haven’t hit the ground yet. In my defence, I’ve had a very long day. Maybe they shot me in the head and this is what death is. Why does my leg still hurt so much? That’s hardly fair. Haven’t I suffered enough?
I can’t hear the shouts anymore. I can’t hear much of anything. I think I may have stopped falling. I don’t have that pulling feeling you get in your stomach anymore. But I definitely haven’t hit the ground yet.
I open my eyes. I hadn’t even realised I’d closed them. Before, everything I could see was white and grey. Now all I see is a bright electric blue. It’s a pretty colour.
I feel the ground beneath me. I landed so softly that for a second I thought I was imagining it. I shouted out in surprise and felt around for confirmation. It wasn’t like the ground from before, very smooth and no snow at all, but it was definitely there.
I sat up and turned my attention to my injured leg. Fuck that’s a lot of red. Out of the corner of my eye, I see movement. I put my hands up.
“I surrender” I say, first in my language, then in there’s. Whoever it is grabs my leg. A medic? An very charitable one at that. Guess I hit the jackpot.
“Humans and their barbaric weapons” the person mutters under their breath.
“Huh? You speak my language?” I ask. I think I was slipping out of consciousness at this point.
The next thing I know I’m waking up in a strange structure made out of ice. My bloodied uniform is gone and I’m bundled in the softest furs imaginable. I look around and see no one is here. No need to investigate further. I should go back to sleep, I deserve a rest. It’s so warm and snugly here. If this is heaven, I give my full approval.
Suddenly, I realise something very strange. I can see. I reach up and feel my face. No glasses. As expected. So this is heaven then. Good to know.
Someone walks through the opening in the structure. They are… really something. They don’t look like any person I’ve ever seen before. They are like eight feet tall and have these huge fucking ears. It’s insane. They smile at me.
I stutter something out in the enemy tongue, hoping to communicate my gratitude.
“It’s alright, I speak most every language. Please use whichever you’re most comfortable with” They say and I oblige.
“Is this a prison?”
“Does it look like a prison?”
“No, and it doesn’t really fit the stories I’ve heard of your people”
“My people? I’m not with that human army. I doubt you’ve heard anything about my people” They chuckle. I don’t see what’s so funny.
“Who are you then?”
“I’m an ice elf. I saw you fall through the barrier when I was out gathering food. Do you like bear meat?”
“I wouldn’t know” So if this person isn’t a soldier, does that mean I’m safe? Where the hell am I anyway?
“What do you mean barrier? And what happened to my eyes? And wasn’t I shot earlier?”
“We ice elves erected a barrier to keep you humans out. We learned long ago that it’s best to keep our distance from such violent creatures. I used my powers to heal your wounds and remove the impurities which were causing your poor vision.”
“We’re violent? Didn’t you just get back from killing a bear?” The elf looks horrified.
“I didn’t kill it. I asked it if I could use some of it’s flesh, we came to an agreement, I healed it’s wounds and provided it with pain relief. Typical of a human, always jumping to the most violent option”
“Gross” I say. Somehow the image of a bear “giving” the elf its flesh is much more disturbing than if they had just killed it.
“If you’re not hungry then that’s fine, I just thought it might make you feel better” I am hungry, so I take the meat. We talk for hours about his world and my world and how his world is so superior to my own. It’s a little annoying and that’s coming from me. I never thought I’ve find myself defending that shit hole.