A Cold War | Drabble
Daniel had chosen to work Christmas, again. He called his parents, and he could hear the disappointment down the other end. His sister was coming home, with her daughter and husband in hand, and all he had to offer was too much overtime, and a too small flat. His parents were proud, but he could tell they were worried. Every holiday was always the same. A promise to try to take time off work, and a phone call explaining why he couldn’t.
None of this had been any different this Christmas. The only real difference was what happened while on his shift.
Trafalgar Square was one of the most popular destinations in London, especially at Christmas time. The large tree in the center drew large crowds, and the police force was very much aware of this. Security was tighter, and the patrols around the Square increased dramatically. However, none of this was sufficient enough. Not even close. Not as Daniel heard the calls start to come in. The tree was up in flames. People were dying.
All units were sent out. No one could identify what had caused any of this. There were no signs of gunfire. Really, the only thing witnesses could say was that there was a glowing green skull in the sky. Skepticism was usually one of Daniel’s strong suits, but once he was close enough, and looked into the smoke ridden sky, he saw it. Above all of the damage, destruction, and chaos, was a foreboding sign that this wasn’t the first, nor last time something like this would happen.
He opened his door, and put one foot on the cool December sidewalk. The first thing he saw was a woman lying on the ground, a child’s teddy bear still in her grasps. No—this wasn’t something a few more patrols would have fixed. This was an attack. But from who? The Soviet’s? The Cold War was still going strong, and while the UK remained as far out of the fray as possible, they had an alliance with the United States. But it seemed too brutal for the Soviet’s, too obvious.
Daniel stood, his car door still open, and inhaled a lung full of smoke. This was war, he decided then, and he wasn’t so sure he wanted any part in it.
9 dead. 3 more wounded in the Hospital.