Dream
1161 Words
Chapter 2
Dream
The sound of bullets filled the 30th-floor room. Carlos and Martin were locked in a fierce hand-to-hand fight, leaving both of their faces bruised and swollen.
Juan struggled to fend off the barrage of bullets using a steel cabinet as a shield. Several of their comrades had already fallen, leaving only four soldiers, including Juan and Carlos.
Damian and Ferdinand were rescued in a short time. It was clear that the Mexican soldiers were outnumbered, and within half an hour, they were subdued.
"Just surrender!" Martin said after landing a heavy blow to Carlos's face.
"Surrender is not my name," Carlos replied, coughing. He was in pain but still stood up and fought.
Carlos had lost track of Juan amidst the chaos.
"Your friends are all dead, Carlos. Don't be foolish, just join us or—"
"Or I die? Just kill me if you want," Carlos stood up and wiped the blood from his face.
"Or your wife and daughter die," Martin sat on the floor, laughing, while Carlos remained silent for a moment.
As a special soldier, their identities and families were protected by the government. However, due to the raid on the drug cartel's lair, their enemies inevitably sought them out.
"Your daughter is still too young to be defiled, and your wife is still beautiful enough to be turned into a prostitute," Martin's words ignited Carlos's anger.
The blonde-haired soldier stood up, ran, and tackled Martin to the ground. The fight resumed, with neither side gaining the upper hand.
"Don't touch my family," Carlos warned after landing a blow to Martin's face.
Bang!
The sound of a gunshot echoed again. The blonde-haired man rolled as several bullets rained down on the door, as did Martin. The door was kicked open, and someone appeared, shouting Carlos's name. Juan had come to save his friend.
"I'm here." Carlos said slowly.
Juan didn't hear and continued searching the room. He had to get his friend out alive, even though it seemed impossible.
"Hey!" A man's voice rang out. Juan turned, and behind him, Martin stood with a gun pointed at him. Juan raised his hands.
"Okay, enough, this is just between the two of us." Carlos emerged from hiding.
"You don't dictate what I do." Martin pulled the trigger on his gun.
Carlos tried to stop him as quickly as he could. But it was too late; seconds later, a bullet pierced Juan's head. Carlos reflexively kicked Martin's stomach, sending him flying.
"Juan, no, wake up, look at me." Carlos held his friend's body. There were no signs of life in Juan. The man was dead, his head destroyed.
The sound of bombs echoed from the lower floors and spread to other levels. Martin, still conscious, ran to the top floor, where a helicopter awaited him. Now, Carlos was the only one left alive as his comrades had all perished. He remembered Juan's words about a black truck waiting for them.
Using the remaining rope around his waist, he tried to descend from the building that was about to collapse.
"Juan, I promise to avenge your death." Carlos said before jumping from the 24th floor.
As his body slid down, the sound of bombs continued until Carlos was thrown by the wind caused by the building's collapse. The blonde-haired man fell into a deep hole and was buried by the surrounding sand. Carlos lost consciousness.
***
"Search all the remnants of the collapsed building, make sure he's dead. That man has nine lives like a cat," Martin said on his phone. He had escaped with Ferdinand and Damian.
The three of them were in a luxurious beachfront house owned by Fernando Torres. The house was guarded by hundreds of armed men.
"Is he still alive?" Damian asked, his face red after inhaling synthetic drugs produced by his brother's factory.
"He should be dead. What kind of human could survive such a massive explosion?" Martin replied, puffing on a cigar.
"Fool! You shouldn't use it. Think, that stuff can damage your brain!" Suddenly, Ferdinand appeared and hit his brother's head.
They produced drugs in large quantities but were forbidden to use them due to their destructive effects.
"Just once in a while," Damian ignored the prohibition, as the sensation of using drugs made him feel like flying.
The sound of footsteps in expensive shoes echoed near the dining table. Martin and the two brothers stood up. Someone they had been waiting for had arrived from Spain on a private jet.
***
Maria caressed Carlos's shirtless body. The woman with jet-black hair smiled broadly. She teased her husband by pinching Carlos's sharp nose, making it difficult for him to breathe.
The soldier woke up, brushing Maria's hand away. The couple laughed and teased each other.
"Wake up, today is Ana's birthday. Don't forget you promised to take her to the beach," Maria said, pulling the blanket off Carlos's legs.
"Wait." Carlos stood up and grabbed his wife's hand.
Surviving the bomb explosion, it wasn't easy for Carlos to suppress his overwhelming longing for Maria. The man hugged his wife tightly, then light touches turned into caresses, followed by kisses that started slow and became intense, forgetting time.
Lost in their embrace for too long, they fell onto the bed, which became a silent witness to their love. Carlos, overwhelmed with passion, couldn't hold back anymore. Until the unlocked bedroom door opened. Ana appeared, interrupting their romance.
"Oops, I'm clumsy, sorry, I thought you had enough last night." Maria pushed Carlos away and quickly approached her daughter. The soldier could only sigh briefly.
Ana ran to her father and kissed Carlos's right cheek. The man hugged his daughter's small body in return.
"We'll get ready, don't forget your promise," Maria said before closing the door. Carlos just nodded, though he lay down again afterward.
"Now!" Maria's shout was heard, and Carlos immediately got up from his sleep and washed his face.
Before going to the beach, Carlos and Maria celebrated Ana's fourth birthday at home. A two-tiered birthday cake decorated with Princess Ana, Elsa, and Olaf figurines. Soda, chocolate, candles, and a birthday song were sung.
A picture of a family full of love. A perfect life desired by anyone, including Carlos, who often faced the crimes of drug cartels.
"Darling, how's the wound on your back? Does it still hurt?" Maria asked while pouring soda into Carlos's glass.
"Wound. What wound?" Carlos was confused.
"Oh my, you came home in a severe condition. Don't you remember?"
"No." The man shook his head.
"Mama, look." Ana pointed at the television.
A presenter delivered important news. A tall building was shown being bombed with a powerful explosion. Carlos's memory quickly flashed back, summarized in his mind. Then all the happiness before him faded like paper burned, and he woke up gasping for air, lying on a white bed.
"You're awake?" A strange woman's voice greeted Carlos. A voice he didn't recognize.
- Writer
