Get that Flag

A bullet whizzed over Leah’s head and struck the tree behind her. They found me. Oops. She dashed to the next tree and fired at a couple of enemy soldiers. Behind the tree Leah had just deserted, Jasmine crouched with a sniper rifle. “”Leah!” she whispered fiercely. “They hit Dominic. Margret got him back to base, but he’ll be out for a while.”

“If we aren’t careful, it’ll be over before he gets back.” Leah cocked her rifle and fired at a head poked around a bush. “Got him! Just his hand, but still.” The medic came over and wrapped up the injured limb.

While they were busy watching one side, trouble was brewing on the other. Two enemy soldiers charged the two other defenders. One began firing rapidly and barely missed Mason. “Jasmine!” he yelled. Startled, she swung around just in time to see him peg one. She shot at the other, but missed when he ducked.

Leah spotted the enemy flag left seemingly unguarded. Jumping up, she ran for it and actually touched the pole before a bullet struck her. They just got my hand. She set hand to it again, but she was shot in the back and fell.

“No, Leah!” shouted Dominic. Jasmine, about to cry out herself, was a little startled by his vehemence. She shook herself, however, and fended off the attackers. Mason and Alana came up.

“We need to get Leah back to our base,” said Alana.

“Can’t risk losing someone else,” Mason said.

“I’ll pick off a couple of them first. That should help.”

“Got it,” said Jasmine. “Besides, Dominic will be back in a minute.”

As she spoke, he joined them. “What happened to them?” pointing to the other side. Alana took one look and crouched behind a tree.
“They are reloading. We’re out of time!”

“Hold on, now,” Jasmine said. “Alana, you snipe at them, maybe from a tree or somewhere unexpected. Mason, you and I will pin them down. Dominic, get the flag.”

“What about Leah?” he asked. “They still have all of their troops.”

Jasmine looked over at the prison where a medic was tending to Leah. “If you see a good opening. But try to get the flag!”

All three nodded agreement and took up their positions. Margret, their medic, came closer so that she could assist the wounded more quickly.

“On three,” Jasmine whispered. “One, two -”

Yelling at the top of his lungs, one of the enemy charged their camp. Alana, halfway up a tree, fired and missed. The attack was completely unexpected. Mason ran after him. Just as the soldier reached the flag, Mason caught up and shot him point-blank.

“What was the point of that?” he demanded.

The soldier grinned. “There wasn’t one.”

“Whatever. Medic!”

Margret ran over. “He’s hurt. Could you take him to prison once he can walk?” She nodded and Mason turned his attention back to the front.

“Guys!” Leah shouted from across the battlefield. “That was just a distraction! Look out to the left!”

“Quiet!” growled her guard.

Alana, heeding the warning, spotted two of the enemy creeping in. She fired twice, taking careful aim. One was hit in the head. The other dodged.

“Jasmine! Mason!” Alana called out. Jasmine spun around and nearly shot the second, but missed. He grabbed the flag and ran back. Just before he crossed the line, Alana got his arm. He dropped the flag. Jasmine ran over and picked it up. “Dominic, go!” she hissed. He dashed from tree to tree while Mason laid down covering fire. As he reached for the flag, Jasmine and Mason yelled and charged. The defenders, not expecting this new onslaught, fired wildly. Dominic’s hand was wounded, so Jasmine seized the flag and raced off. He ran over to Leah, whose guard was chasing Mason and Jasmine, and freed her. They got back just in time to see Jasmine triumphantly lay the enemy flag before their own.
“Good game, guys!” called Sadie. She was panting hard.

“Good game!” Leah and Jasmine called back.

“I say we play with real guns next time,” said Drake. “That would add more spice than just using Nerf.”