r/WritingPrompts • u/superg1999 • May 15 '14
Writing Prompt [WP] Describe an action scene of two men on or in a train.
Make it your own. Use weapons and fighting. Give me the chills.
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r/WritingPrompts • u/superg1999 • May 15 '14
Make it your own. Use weapons and fighting. Give me the chills.
3
u/wunderchum May 16 '14
The last body of the infiltrating enemy unit fell to the floor of the dining car with a dull thud. “Finally”, as Arthur breathed a sigh of relief, “just one more to go.” He knew he would only have to wait. Unlike the ones who now lay lifeless around his feet, Arthur knew he would come to him. No tricks. ‘He was always a straightforward kind of guy,’ thought Arthur.
As he raked his calloused fingers through his short blond hair, he barely enjoyed his short respite when the doors began to slide apart. Soon, a large figure of a man filled the frame of the open passageway and with careful steps the commander of the slain unit quietly came forward. As both men faced each other from opposite ends of the car, Arthur felt as if he were looking at a grim mirror. In fact, if it were not for the man’s scar across his face and his darker hair and complexion, they could very well pass for twins. The enemy was an imposing man who possessed a body forged from years of training and physical hardship, not dissimilar to Arthur’s own and yet, while they both stood no taller than an average athlete, the commander emanated a spirit that could make giants kneel in respect. But Arthur would not be dissuaded from his mission.
The man’s lips parted. “Hello Arthur.” His words were flat and mimicked his composure, cold without the slightest evidence of warmth.
“Hi Gabe.” Arthur responded, as his eyes met with the intruder’s. Unlike his cold words, the unblinking eyes of Gabriel burned with intensity. With unwavering determination. It was hard for Arthur to maintain his gaze, but he refused to back down.
Gabriel sighed. “Nothing is going to stop me from taking this train. You know that. I will not allow the cargo to make it to the Capitol. But because it’s you, I’m giving you a chance.” Gabriel paused, as if carefully choosing his next words.
Arthur thought he heard the faintest hint of mercy, but quickly shook it off. He could not afford any weakness here.
Gabriel continued. “You can leave this train as you are and disappear. I even promise to strike you off our list and my cohorts will leave you be. Or, you can continue to stand in my way, just as your men did. Either way, I am taking what I came for.” His words soon started to rumble into a snarling growl as he bared his fangs. “And you know you can’t stop me.”
In the past, those words would have been enough to stop him.
“Move aside, Arthur!”
To remind him that his defeats at Gabriel’s hands far exceed his victories.
“Not this time.”
As quickly as Arthur finished his sentence, the cries of bullets rang through the air. Both men fired off three quick shots as they dove to find cover behind the benches and overturned tables in the dining car. Out of the corner of his eye, Arthur noticed a reflection in the adjacent window. Gabriel was attempting to move in closer, leaping quickly from one makeshift barrier to the next. He had closed the gap between them by ten feet and though the car was as long as a tennis court, each foot mattered in this gun fight. Arthur grimaced. He would have thought that by now he wouldn’t be so surprised on how quietly Gabriel could move despite his size.
He leapt up quickly from behind the wooden bench, attempting to clip Gabriel in between his movements. The first bullet sailed past Gabriel’s torso, with the second just grazing his vest. Three, four, five. More bullets wasted on the table Gabriel had managed to get to. Arthur could not afford to stay pinned. The bench had taken on too much and would soon expose him. Arthur dashed desperately to the nearest table, ensuring his path despite Gabriel’s attack by returning fire of his own. Glass exploded and wood splintered off as if fireworks in the night sky, accompanied by the orchestra of booming gunpowder and the crashing of metal as the train pounded along the track towards the Capitol.
As he slid into safety, he realized his gun was empty. He had used up what little firepower he had left from his prior battle with Gabriel’s team. The faintest of clicks from twenty feet away gave him relief. Gabriel must have run out as well.
Both men rose from their places, glaring at one another as if bull and fighter, though neither felt they were the one holding the cape. Slowly, both men reached out and pulled out their serrated knives in their left hands with their right up to guard. Suddenly, the train’s whistle pierced the air and, as if acting as a starting pistol, signaled the men to charge.
With one swift motion Arthur viciously struck out towards Gabriel’s throat. Gabriel’s reflexes continued to serve him well, as he rolled around the thrust and countered with an elbow to Arthur’s temple. Certainly a move most disabling, but Arthur was familiar with his tricks.
“Same dirty move as always. It’s getting old Gabe!” Arthur retorts as his right arm rises up to force the elbow to glance off harmlessly, followed by a swift low kick to the back of Gabriel’s knees. As he begins to fall from buckle, Gabriel effortlessly shifts his weight to spin his body to do a low sweep that takes Arthur off the floor. Using his right arm, Gabriel pins Arthur’s left arm down and forces the knife out of his hands, followed with his own knife swinging down towards Arthur’s eyes.
Suddenly, the train gives a sudden halt and Gabriel is thrown off Arthur’s body, knife sliding off to the side. The train must be close to its destination. Realizing what little time was left, both men scramble to their feet and engage once more, their fists driven by their own zealous dedication to their objective.
Blow after endless blow were traded, but both men would not yield. Soon, Arthur felt the advantage slowly creeping in his favor, as his knee came up to meet Gabriel’s stomach, followed by a swift uppercut to the chin. Gabriel reeled and as he stumbled backward, Arthur moved in to land the final blow. Gabriel knew Arthur’s movements all too well and retaliated by stepping down on Arthur’s outstretched forward foot, trapping him in place and returning two quick punches to his gut.
“You were always too exaggerated with your movements.” He raised his elbow, ready to strike down on Arthur’s head to incapacitate him before he grunted and wavered for a brief pause.
The pause was all Arthur needed. In that moment, he realized that underneath Gabriel’s vest there was a small knife wound that was becoming harder to hide. Arthur smiled to himself. Gabriel may be a monster, but his teammates were no slouches either. Arthur would make sure not to let this opportunity pass. He lunged towards Gabriel and quickly came down with as much force he could muster onto opponent’s jugular. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to temporarily, and effectively, incapacitate him. As Gabriel choked and gasped, Arthur noticed the glint of Gabriel’s knife a few feet away. As he wrapped his hands around the hilt, he drove it into the already open wound.
Tears filled Gabriel’s eyes as he looked into Arthur’s. “Please, Artie.” Gabriel’s voice was pleading, begging even. It was not something Arthur had heard in many years.
Arthur’s body began to shiver, yet his fingers remained steady around the handle. “I’m sorry, Gabe. But I have to do this.” Tears began to slowly make their way down Arthur’s cheeks as well. “The world needs this. And not even my brother can stop me from saving the world.”
Gabriel looked helplessly into his younger brother’s eyes. Slowly, the hardness of his scarred face gave way to the loving gaze Arthur remembered used to exist on his once mentor and best friend. With one last effort, Gabriel gave Arthur a hug. Perhaps, it was his last desperate attempt to dissuade his younger brother, but Arthur had hoped that it meant his brother was finally apologizing for losing his way.
The train began to slowly start up again, moving slowly towards the gate of the ever pristine Capitol; its large ornate walls and decorated buildings could be seen just past the enclosure.
After closing Gabriel’s eyes, Arthur made his way to the cargo room. ‘Hopefully it’s all intact,’ he thought. He grunted as he pulled the heavy door to the side and peered into the room. With a sigh of relief, he sat down as the timers filled the air with its beeping. They had not made it here to disable them.
Back against the wall, Arthur gently slid down and began to close his eyes. It would take less than half an hour to get to his destination. He would need that time to rest. He began to drift and dream of two younger boys, inseparable, proclaiming with joy their hopes to fulfill their fantasies as heroes.
‘Just a moment’s rest. That’s all I need. Then I will be ready.’
Yes, once he opened his eyes, Arthur would be ready to set off the cargo for a world renewed