The One That Vanished

"Cough... Cough... Cough..." In the midst of the tumbling smoke, Jodel slowly picked himself up. Chippings were still falling from above him. Only less than half remained of the once tall and erect building. Fortunately, the collapsed beam formed a narrow shelter with the wall structure and he luckily survived.

"Is anyone alive?" he shouted with difficulty, but the surging dust very quickly filled his mouth.

The likelihood that his team mates had heard him was slim.

Jodel could only squeeze himself through the crack between the beam and stones and clamber upwards, heading to where there was light.

Under the dim light, he saw that there were several broken wooden chips lodged in his arms and thighs. The blood that seeped out dyed his army uniform crimson. The Delaying Agent had done its job once again; if it had not blocked out the pain, he didn't know how long he would have taken to recover from his fall.