The Chamber: A MM Romance Thriller by J.T. Dark

Author:J.T. Dark [Dark, J.T.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-08-07T04:00:00+00:00

TWELVE

HELL

Kenneth’s heart hammered in his chest as the blaring siren sounded in his ears. He blinked and looked around, his surroundings morphing into a scene he hoped he’d never see again.

The dust-choked air stung his eyes, and the acrid scent of burning rubber and gunpowder filled his nostrils. Gunfire echoed through the once bustling streets of an Iraqi city, now reduced to rubble.

“Kenneth!” Jeremiah’s urgent voice called out from behind him.

“Jeremiah?” Kenneth choked out. He suddenly realized that he wasn’t alone. This wasn’t just a nightmare or a cruel trick of his mind—it was a simulation designed to plunge him back into the darkest moments of his past.

“Get down!” Jeremiah shouted, grabbing Kenneth by the arm and pulling him behind a crumbling wall. The two men slid into the shadows, their backs pressed against the cool concrete.

Kenneth’s eyes, wide open, darted from the ruined buildings to the bodies on the ground before returning to Jeremiah’s gaze.

“Jeremiah, how—?” Kenneth’s voice wavered, unspoken questions filling the space between them. “You’re not a soldier.”

Jeremiah stared at Kenneth as the bullets whizzed overhead. A shared understanding passed between them—neither knew why they were there, but they were in it together. That was better than either facing the terror solo.

Jeremiah’s hand rested on Kenneth’s shoulder, offering both comfort and grounding. “Stay focused,” he whispered.

Kenneth fought with his rattled mind—memories of ambushes and lost comrades threatened to drown him. Each crack of gunfire sent shivers down his spine, his muscles tensing with every echo of a detonating IED.

“Take a deep breath, Kenneth,” Jeremiah urged. “We’re going to get through this. We can’t go back. We can only go forward.”

Kenneth struggled to pull his gaze away from Jeremiah’s bloodshot eyes. He valiantly attempted to swallow the lump in his throat, but it seemed lodged there like a stubborn stone.

He drew in a shaky breath and nodded, agreeing to Jeremiah’s request to move forward. The rifle’s weight in his hands was both familiar and terrifying—a reminder of the bloodshed he had both caused and witnessed.

“Watch my back,” Kenneth grunted, lifting his weapon as Jeremiah did the same. They emerged from their hiding place, side by side, their footfalls muffled by the thick layer of dust that coated the ground.

“I’ve got you,” Jeremiah replied, his voice steady.

The pungent stink of burning flesh filled Kenneth’s nostrils as they pressed forward, the weight of his rifle growing heavier with each step. Jeremiah’s presence at his side was both a comfort and a curse, stirring up memories Kenneth longed to forget. He’d lost more than one comrade in war-torn Iraqi cities.

Their boots crunched over the debris-strewn streets while distant cries of pain and anguish pierced the persistent smoky fog.

“Stay sharp,” Kenneth warned, his voice low and taut. “We’re not out of danger yet.”

“Understood,” replied Jeremiah, his fingers tightening on his weapon. “But remember, this—it’s just a simulation. It’s not—real.”

A burst of gunfire erupted nearby. It made Kenneth flinch involuntarily. Half of his mind screamed that it was all real—the fear, the agony, the blood—but the other half clung desperately to the notion that it was all some warped illusion.

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