“Apropos of nothing”, Quixotic, Predicament

3 things to inspire 1 story written in 20 minutes. #story320
words/phrase provided by @studiolovecraft

The sky is a rust red. The clouds, hovering between the blue of the ocean and the burn of the sun reflect a purplish hue.

And here I am on the beach, the last soldier. The last thing I remember is a deafening blast and flying through the air. Now this. Only the scene in front of me, dead bodies around and the sound of the waves lapping at the sand.

Wait, there is another sound, which my heart recognizes before my brain; it sinks into my stomach pushing up a reflux of recognition. That bile of the enemy language.

I hear voices making their harsh sounds like wooden sticks clacking.

I hear a gunshot.

Out of pure reaction I look toward the sound. Two soldiers, maybe 200-300 yards down the beach. I’m wearing the wrong uniform and in the wrong state: alive.

My heart now bounces all over the place as if attempting to escape the carnal prison it somehow knows is doomed.

I lay down, staring at the two men. My body plays a tug-o-war between my pumping adrenaline and panicked breath.

The enemies get closer, and as they do I notice they are pressing their muzzles into the temples of each body on the ground and squeezing a bullet into their heads. I know this because of the red spray that puffs into the air.

I look away, opposite the soldiers. What can I do? I see boots, a leg and an arm with something black on the forearm; a tattoo.

citoxiuQ

I don’t know the meaning.

citoxiuQ

Latching onto this mystery, my mind slows.

citoxiuQ

What does it mean? Who would tattoo that on such a visible place, to be seen by all, forever?

Or at least until now, though, as I lay between a bullet and the ocean, I suppose it’s bringing me meaning of some sort.

The ocean! Perhaps I can make a run and swim down the beach.

I leap up, jump over the arm, the boot and the leg. I feel a bite in the back of my knee, it twists me around.

I see the two soldiers aiming their rifles and I feel two more bites in my chest and my shoulder.

I stare in the sand and the last thing I think is what does citoxiuQ mean?

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