Rip's Adventure 3

Time drags on ever so slowly.  Days turn to nights and nights turn to days.  The only difference is the  light and darkness.  No one sleeps and everyone is half awake.  How long have they been here?  They don't know and every body is depressed.  The sense of foreboding is strong and palpable.  There are other people around but close connections like brother and brother and husband and wife are impossible. 
     Rip, Tom and Orson hang out, but the depression hovering overhead takes the joy out of their friendship.  They talk of many things, however Cpl. Shirah, this hellhole, and the establishment  dominate the conversation.  Who are the beings that have brought them here and what do they want?  The generals have never been seen but the soldiers know they exist.  Why don't the show themselves? 
     "Tom, when we are in battle, do you fire your weapon?" asked Rip.
     "You know, now that I think about it, I don't have one." he replied.
     "Me either." chimed in Orson " don't think I have seen the other side fire either."
    "That's strange, who is killing us?"  asked Tom.
    "Instead of fighting, next time let's find out." said Rip.
     They did not have long to wait.  Waves of the enemy soldiers poured over the earthworks.  The sound of their screaming was to loud to concentrate.  Even after fighting them for so long, the noise was unbearable.  Trying to stay alive and follow the path of the lasers was a lot for the trio to do.  The blasts of light came so fast it was hard to trace the origin.  They did notice one strange event.  There was a small group of the opposing force that were not fighting, but just looking around.  Just as Tom, Rip and Orson were doing, so were they.  Then something truly disturbing.  Only a few had weapons but they were not using them.  One of these was Cpl. Shirah.  The laser blasts were getting farther and farther apart and the retreat order was given.  Someone of the other side must have realized what was going on and gave the retreat signal.
     This war was tiresome and everyone just  relaxed where they were.  As soon as they could recover some energy, they would head back to their spot.  Now though they just lay down on the ground and breathed a sigh of relief that they had not perished.
     "Did you see what I saw?"  asked Rip?"
     Tom and Orson nodded in agreement. Knowing what they saw, gave them hope that they could come up with a plan.  Whatever it turned out to be, they knew it had to involve the group on the other side.  But how?
     "I think that we need to sneak over there at night."  said Tom the braver of the three.
     "That's to dangerous." said Rip, the more cautious of them.
     "Maybe so,"said Orson "but we don't have a choice.  First we have to identify who they are."
    "How?" asked Rip.
     "I am thinking."
     They were interrupted by the sounds of the Tennessee Waltz wafting over the dark landscape.  That made everyone forget what they were doing.  Like a Pavlov dog, they all had a glow on their faces.  It was going to a wild time in the camp tonight.  Every so often, the establishment would bring in females to keep them company.  Rip used to think that it was to keep everyone happy, but now he was not so sure.  It was if the establishment knew what they were discussing, and it could be even more sinister than that.  Either way he was glad for the diversion. 
     Being so long without companionship makes even the most homely, attractive.  Such was the thought of the woman who was paired up with Rip.  After the ravishing was finished, Rip tried to talk to the woman.  "What is your name?" he asked.  She just looked at him and smiled.
     "Why don't you answer?"  She just rolled her eyes and opened her mouth, but nothing came out.  She motioned again, this time on her knees on the soft dry dirt.  Rip joined her and she began to write in the smooth soil.  "Are you trying to write?" Rip stupidly asked.  She smiled again and wrote some more.  He could not make out what she was writing, but he was so excited he squealed like a hog.
     "What are you up to Rip?" asked Cpl. Shirah, coming up from behind the two.
    "Just having some fun, Cpl., just having some fun."  Before the Cpl. got there, Rip shuffled his feet to erase the writings.  He could hardly contain his excitement and blamed it on the wild sex.  Cpl. Shirah looked at him with disgust and moved on.  When he was out of earshot, Rip tried to get her to write again.