Sometimes I think it would be better to try our luck and get to the airport. Pedro complained as he was watching the toxic fumes rise towards the dark sky.
Jenny sighed: sometimes Pedros defeatism exasperated her beyond the limit.
He went on lowering his gaze Better than staying here waiting for certain death from this unhealthy air.
Jenny sighed again but said nothing. She knew that Pedro was basically right, but she was not ready to accept it yet and, above all, she did not want the mans plaintive nature to infect the rest of her men Get back Corporal! she ordered in her authoritative voice, whispering threateningly Keep such opinions to yourself, the last thing I want is to have discouraged soldiers at my commands, got it?
Pedro straightened his back At your command Captain. He answered in a martial voice even though his gaze was clearly saying You know Im right.
Jenny let him be Ready for the patrol! She ordered and the twenty soldiers under her command got up, took their machine guns, grenade launchers, and flamethrowers and followed her. They were trusted men and women of whom she was proud they would follow her anywhere and had distinguished themselves on the field several times fighting with courage and a pinch of recklessness against any threat the insects had thrown against the city, in particular when they had led the counterattack on the front line of the attack as the ticks, exploiting a forgotten ledge, were about to climb over the third ditch.
The patrol that is the scouting along the second protective ditch began and ended as most current patrols: quietly. And the quieter the patrols, the more nervous Jenny became.
Pedro, who knew her best, placed a hand on her shoulder Our shift is over now, come on, lets have a drink, it will do you good, it will help you relax.
She looked at the burning ditch one last time and then nodded, following him Someday this will all end, wont it? she whispered to him.
He nodded with a melancholy smile Yes, as it started it will end, yes, it will end.
After the usual couple of rounds of beer, they collected their stuff and headed towards the barracks nothing more than a large pavilion crammed with bunk beds with five beds on top of each other, but they were calling it home at the moment.
On the way, Pedro was still laughing at the bad joke that Jenny had played on the young bartender Jack who, having a terrible crush on her, accepted everything, blatant as few have ever been in the history of humanity, when she stopped abruptly.
Pedro turned again laughing Whats up? Feeling guilty? It would be high time! he said, laughing even louder.
She got to him with two quick strides plugging his mouth Shut up! Listen!
Pedro immediately fell silent and tilted his head to one side trying to listen, then shrugged.
Dont you hear a alarm sirens began to scream strange hum?
Pedro instinctively took his flamethrower up, looking around in alarm Whats going on?
Jenny pulled out her Captain binoculars pointing it towards the hum that she had heard.
Pedro pointed a finger in the same direction That cloud seems to move against the wind.
Jenny silently waited for the binoculars to focus and identify what was coming towards them and then turned pale Grasshoppers! She whispered, petrified Grasshoppers! She repeated and, putting her hands in her hair, she shouted Grasshoppers swarm! All sheltered! Run to the shelters, quickly!