The Stitch in Time

Vietnam- 1966

Eriksson was not feeling too good.

Sgt. Meserve just had a bright idea to go and kidnap a civillian from the nearby village and dragged him and the 3 other grunts into it.

Well- at least he still had the defence of having followed orders if the Commanding Officer ever found out.

Meserve was not really worried about giving away their location as he talked while his boys quietly followed him down the trail in the long grass. If Meserve had bothered to look behind him while he spoke he would have noticed that the soldier at the very end of the line- or rather- the one that was at the end of the line behind him was no longer with them. His decapitated corpse has been quietly dragged into the bushes about 15 minutes earlier...


Meserve's rambling got interrupted when Eriksson suddenly screamed. He turned around ready to askwhat the fuck Eriksson's problem was when he saw the guy right behind him standing with his head missing, spouting blood into the air. The headless body stood there for a while with its 3 remaining companions staring in silent horror before it collapsed, making a large puddle of blood on the footpath.

"JEEZUS!" Meserve yelled and readied his gun as the head popped off the guy nearest to him.

Meserve frantically fired a spray of bullets into the thickets around him, causing Eriksson to drop to the ground to avoid getting hit. When the shots stopped he knew what he was going to see when he looked up...

Eriksson wasted no time ducking into the thicket the moment the shots had stopped. Whoever, or whatever was taking them out was doing so from a distance. His best chance was not getting seen...

Under a palm tree far away the Author thanked Kurenai for her help. Her skill with the blade wire was just awesome to see. The wire was silent, and in the night- also invisible. Eriksson will never know how- or why his comrades have died.

"You said these four soldiers deserved to die..." Kurenai said. "I have done what you have asked and my debt to you has been paid. Now please tell me why I had to kill them before you return me to my world."

The Author smiled. "You never owed me anything." he said. "Instead of just telling you- let me show you..."

A while later the Author and the Red Ninja was quietly peeking through a small hole in a thatch roof somewhere in the Village. Inside the house a beautiful young Vietnamese girl was laughing at the dinner table as her grandmother told her a story. Her mother and father were also in a good mood and enjoyed supper after a long day's work in the fields.

The Author motioned for Kurenai to leave with him.

"The four men that you have just killed were on their way to attack this family and kidnap that girl..." he said as they walked to a clearing where the village will be out of sight. "They were then going to rape the girl and she was then to die in the crossfire of a gunfight that takes place later.

"So- you know this story as well..." Kurenai quietly observed. "Well- thank you again for saving our world. If you ever need my help in fixing other stories, feel free to call on me."

"I shall be grateful to have your help." the Author replied as a portal of swirling darkness opened up out of thin air. Kurenai was able to see her village through the portal. Warily she looked at the Author...

"It is your way home." the Author confirmed, gesturing for her to step in...

Kurenai bowed respectfully and walked into the portal. The Author could see her waving back at him as the portal closed up.

Back in his room the Author deleted the title "Casualties of War" from the list on his phone. Next on the list was a wish that needed to be stopped from being made...