The sounds of war are exploding all around me. Explosions of bombs, screams of mutilated or dying soldiers ring out like death sirens, the loud and constant click of the rapid fire NG-45 (Nail Gun v.45.0) I’m sitting behind a large stone barrier, keeping my head down to avoid having it impaled on the deadly nails flying through the air.

“This is ridiculous!” Shouts my wing-man crouching down next to me. He holds his gun over the barrier and blind-fires a few short bursts. Agonizing screams pierce the air, telling me my partner was somewhat successful.

“Hell Yeah!” He shouts. “Take that you bastards!” The muted thumps of nails embedding themselves in the barrier we crouch behind is the response he gets, the barrier won’t be able to hold out very long.

“We can’t take much more of this!!” I shout louder than necessary due to the ringing in my ears.

“Okay!” Shouts my partner. “We’ll move to the barrier over there!” He points to a barrier about three feet in front of us to the left. “One at a time so we make harder targets!” He yells in a hoarse voice.

“I’ll go first!” I yell in reply. I reload my magazine to its capacity and begin to mentally prepare myself. After a few seconds I’m set. “Ready!”

“GO GO GO!!!” He roars at me.

I crouch and and move as fast as I can, firing my gun in the general direction of my enemies, forcing them to take cover. I reach the barrier and slam my back hard against the cold stone, and glance at my partner. I motion for him to come across to me. “COME ON!” I’m practically screaming. He looks scared, hell, I don’t blame him. “Come on!’ I shout again. He takes a few deep breaths and then starts to move as fast as he can.

All of a sudden time slows down to a crawl and I can make out everything in perfect detail. The small grains in the concrete on the ground, the individual embers glowing brightly in the fires that surround us, the small droplets of sweat coming out of my wing-man’s pores. I can see the long deadly nails flying through the air, spinning slowly through the air, everything has slowed down.

Then I see the path of the nails. They’re headed straight for my partner! I start to scream desperately for him to get back but my words come out low, deep and lethargic. Then all hell breaks loose.