Swallowing hard as he shivered in the corner of the cell, he felt gentle hands press against his shoulders, then move across his chest, knowing the Thai youth was pushing next to his nude frame for warmth, his hands grasping the smaller ones forcing into his for comfort, the two males becoming entwined as a head lowered softly onto the side of his. He shook slightly, the hands grasping him tighter in reassurance, a soft kiss to his neck and then a sigh, the teenager behind him pushing closer, Tony briefly sighing as he felt the warmth of another body, the emotional comfort soothing him.
Next to them, the French teenager and his girlfriend smiled tearfully, both staring into each other’s eyes as they lay facing each other, the male nodding towards Tony, ‘He has his comfort and we have ours…we cannot judge now, we are all as one.’
The Nakdong River, South Korea
Gusung Shin pulled the bolt back on his rifle, the metal cracking in response as he inspected the breach of the weapon, the South Korean sat on logs with several other volunteers under the edge of the trees, the men now wearing a full camouflaged tunics and trousers, the swirling and dappled pattern in dark and light green, black and grey spots complimenting the design.
The rain was now pelting down, bouncing off the tarmac before them and splattering onto their shoulders from the drenched foliage overhead. Lines of cars edged forward on the motorway north, the heavy drops pounding on metal roofs and bonnets as the group stared out nervously, many with simple camouflaged army caps, only a couple of the eighteen men with camouflaged helmets.
Gunfire erupted from the south, a couple of the men shuffling in rising fear as they realised just how long it had been since their military service, one considering that he had held a clarinet longer than an actual rifle. Muffled explosions pulsed across the river, the Korean marines now fighting in the forest opposite, desperate to prevent the advancing Morgons from reaching the vehicle packed road, the only main local escape route north now tantalisingly close to the vicious invaders. Both sets of combatants now realising that if the bridge fell, further vicious slaughter would ensue on the south side.
Further rifle cracks, distant screams as people clambered out of their vehicles to run, the grinding of metal as others drove forward, their cars pushing other deserted vehicles to one side. The few coordinating drenched police officers turned to run as explosive flashes swept through the trees, screams of pain echoing through the pelting rain as several wounded marines struggled from the undergrowth.
Gunfire erupted once more, the South Korean marines in the woods surging forward and grappling hand to hand with powerful Morgon armoured troopers, the desperate Koreans attacking three to one to gain a combat advantage. Tae Kwan-Do kicks and punches rained down on some of the isolated enemy soldiers, pistols and short punch knives thrust into gaps in the armour as shrieks of hatred rang out, the gunshots and spurting blood ending several lives of the more ambitious and overconfident alien invaders.
The remaining soldiers concentrated fire on the Morgons advancing between the trees, most realising that they would soon be overwhelmed, but relishing the immediate local tactical advantage. Many gritted their teeth as they heard the crashing of branches and trunks further up the slope as more armoured soldiers were frantically ordered forward and emerged onto the hilltop, red gleaming eyes scanning the thick trees and undergrowth as shrieks filled the forest.
The officer emerged from the trees on the north side of the river, indicating to the seated volunteer soldiers, Gusung Shin rising and stiffening to attention with the others, their rifles rising across their shoulders. The artillery pieces rumbled further along the river, mortars firing from verges further up the clogged roadway as the whirring of helicopter blades swept over them, Gusung glancing to the right to see Chinook transporters lowering above the carriage way through the falling rain, troops jumping from the lowering rear doors as he glimpsed further parachutes in the rain filled sky, droning Hercules transport aircraft banking away high in the clouded sky.
The captain glanced round, wiping rainwater from his face and gritting his teeth, further marines running from the north and trees as he shouted in exasperation, ‘The enemy are breaking through in strength to the south…Busan may have fallen. We will hold the bridge and allow as many to escape as possible…advance to the middle and provide covering fire…Now!’
Gusung dropped to one knee on the left brow of the bridge, his uniform and face drenched in rain as he raised his rifle, the newly arrived Korean marines and special forces running past and towards the southern end of the long river crossing, his eyes straining in the downpour as two army vehicles crackled and burned on the other side of the carriageway.
Water dripped from his cap rim as he stared in horror at the southern side, flashes through the upper trees as a ferocious firefight continued amongst the trees, wounded and bloodied soldiers limping between the stationary cars and vans, several being helped by terrified civilians. Shocked children were being dragged by their parents, some half carried as the screaming and shrill weeping reached his ears, his hands tightening against the assault rifle nervously.
Denotations erupted through the trees on the hill opposite, plumes of fire and smoke rising upwards as he gasped in rising fear, several vehicles burning fiercely on the south bank and lower parts of the bridge, his head shaking as he glimpsed struggling burning figures and others twisting frantically and falling seemingly covered in a green
