Read Online Last Night Another Soldier by Andy McNab - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Andy McNab
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through my heart and churn my guts, twisting and turning inside. Without thinking, I began to scramble up the bank.
‘Where you going?’ Si already knew the answer.
‘Come on!’ It didn’t matter whether he was going to follow or not.
‘Mate, we only got bayonets.’ Si’s voice was pleading, but he was already scrambling up the bank to join me.
I looked across the hundred metres of open ground at Toki, preparing to fight to the death, and a wave of emotion blasted through my body. It seared through my lungs, roared through my throat and finally broke free. ‘Bollocks!’ I screamed and broke into a run.
I kept my focus on Toki as I raced across the field. He stabbed his bayonet at the first Taliban, who dropped to his knees, wounded in the shoulder. But the other three were too quick. They kicked and punched Toki to the ground, took hold of his arms and legs, and started to bundle him back towards the maize. As they dragged him off, Toki writhed and screamed until the tallest one hit him over and over againwith the butt of his rifle. The tall one then ran back to help his injured friend, who’d got hold of Flash by one of his heels. Flash didn’t resist as they dragged him off in the same direction as Toki. He couldn’t. But he lifted one arm to protect his head as it banged against the rocks jutting out of the ploughed field. He was still alive!
As I ran towards my mates, it was as if my head knew what my body wanted to do and it just sort of happened. All sound became muffled. I was sure Si was following me, but I couldn’t actually hear him. I knew I was screaming out loud, but I could barely hear any sound come from my mouth. The Apaches must have been approaching, but I wasn’t aware of the roar of their rotor blades. I was running in slow motion and all that mattered was getting Flash and Toki back, nothing else. I had to get amongst it. I had to help them. I couldn’t have stopped myself even if I’d wanted to. I just kept on running, kept focusing on Toki and Flash getting dragged closer and closer to the maize, where they would be lost to me for ever.
This time my war face just happened. I didn’t have to think about it, but I knew it was there. I wasn’t scared of the Taliban or frightened ofdying. There were more important things to think about: my mates.
I took the final few bounds towards them and crashed into the tall Tali who was dragging Flash. My bayonet slid into the side of his chest like butter. It must have helped that I was running at full speed when I smashed into him. I didn’t even slow down to take aim. The Tali fell backwards slowly, screaming. Or at least he looked like he was screaming as he had his mouth wide open .
Out of the corner of my eye, I was aware that Si was taking on the wounded Tali, but I kept on looking at Toki. He was being dragged by his arms by the other two and they had just reached the gap in the maize.
I set my sights on the one nearest me. With my rifle gripped firmly, just like Toki said, I aimed for centre mass and charged. Concentrating on my target, I was barely aware that I was screaming my head off.
Everything happened slowly and clearly. I saw both Talis look up at me as I got closer. They droppedToki’sarmsand started grabbing their AKs from their slings. It didn’t bother me. I knew I was going to be faster. I jumped over Toki’s blood-stained face and landed on top of my man. My bayonet plunged into theright-hand side of his neck and he dropped at my feet. With his windpipe shredded, he was slowly suffocating.
I turned to the next, but he had already bottled it and vanished into the maize. I didn’t bother to follow. Behind me, Si was checking out Flash, the injured Tali lying dead by his side.
As if on cue, the two Apaches started shooting the maize field. Every few seconds, the whirr of rotor blades was broken up by the rattle of cannons as their thermal sights found what they were looking for. The ejected 30mm cases rained out
‘Where you going?’ Si already knew the answer.
‘Come on!’ It didn’t matter whether he was going to follow or not.
‘Mate, we only got bayonets.’ Si’s voice was pleading, but he was already scrambling up the bank to join me.
I looked across the hundred metres of open ground at Toki, preparing to fight to the death, and a wave of emotion blasted through my body. It seared through my lungs, roared through my throat and finally broke free. ‘Bollocks!’ I screamed and broke into a run.
I kept my focus on Toki as I raced across the field. He stabbed his bayonet at the first Taliban, who dropped to his knees, wounded in the shoulder. But the other three were too quick. They kicked and punched Toki to the ground, took hold of his arms and legs, and started to bundle him back towards the maize. As they dragged him off, Toki writhed and screamed until the tallest one hit him over and over againwith the butt of his rifle. The tall one then ran back to help his injured friend, who’d got hold of Flash by one of his heels. Flash didn’t resist as they dragged him off in the same direction as Toki. He couldn’t. But he lifted one arm to protect his head as it banged against the rocks jutting out of the ploughed field. He was still alive!
As I ran towards my mates, it was as if my head knew what my body wanted to do and it just sort of happened. All sound became muffled. I was sure Si was following me, but I couldn’t actually hear him. I knew I was screaming out loud, but I could barely hear any sound come from my mouth. The Apaches must have been approaching, but I wasn’t aware of the roar of their rotor blades. I was running in slow motion and all that mattered was getting Flash and Toki back, nothing else. I had to get amongst it. I had to help them. I couldn’t have stopped myself even if I’d wanted to. I just kept on running, kept focusing on Toki and Flash getting dragged closer and closer to the maize, where they would be lost to me for ever.
This time my war face just happened. I didn’t have to think about it, but I knew it was there. I wasn’t scared of the Taliban or frightened ofdying. There were more important things to think about: my mates.
I took the final few bounds towards them and crashed into the tall Tali who was dragging Flash. My bayonet slid into the side of his chest like butter. It must have helped that I was running at full speed when I smashed into him. I didn’t even slow down to take aim. The Tali fell backwards slowly, screaming. Or at least he looked like he was screaming as he had his mouth wide open .
Out of the corner of my eye, I was aware that Si was taking on the wounded Tali, but I kept on looking at Toki. He was being dragged by his arms by the other two and they had just reached the gap in the maize.
I set my sights on the one nearest me. With my rifle gripped firmly, just like Toki said, I aimed for centre mass and charged. Concentrating on my target, I was barely aware that I was screaming my head off.
Everything happened slowly and clearly. I saw both Talis look up at me as I got closer. They droppedToki’sarmsand started grabbing their AKs from their slings. It didn’t bother me. I knew I was going to be faster. I jumped over Toki’s blood-stained face and landed on top of my man. My bayonet plunged into theright-hand side of his neck and he dropped at my feet. With his windpipe shredded, he was slowly suffocating.
I turned to the next, but he had already bottled it and vanished into the maize. I didn’t bother to follow. Behind me, Si was checking out Flash, the injured Tali lying dead by his side.
As if on cue, the two Apaches started shooting the maize field. Every few seconds, the whirr of rotor blades was broken up by the rattle of cannons as their thermal sights found what they were looking for. The ejected 30mm cases rained out
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