CXC English 2017 Past Paper - Short Story

Piercing through the sky flew the 'Raven' over the bereft, arid landscape. I, George Castle, spear-
headed a CIA covert operation dubbed 'Cerberus'. Its main goal: to apprehend, interrogate and
eliminate high profile individuals in Somalia. "We'll take it here boys," I commanded the pilots,
under the deafening downdraft of the helicopter. As the beastly craft landed, a sense of sorrow
permeated the atmosphere. "This was the place they bombed a while back, right Boss?" muttered
Jon, a fellow Navy SEAL who accompanied me on this journey. "You don't say!" I exclaimed in
a sarcastic undertone as I kicked over a cinder block which crumbled under my weight, "The
place looks like a Goddamn hell hole, utterly forsaken."

Somaliland the called it, the former capital, brought to nothing but dust and blood by battling
warlords and toxic corruption. "I'm definitely glad I brought your sorry soul," I muttered to Jon,
"They can't kill you if you are already dead inside." Jon was a man of action and quite frankly
the only person I would trust my life with. One thousand combat hours, one hundred covert
operations, a little ostentatious at best. Sadly, he beared the scars to tell the tale. A scar criss-
crossing his jaw, as a result of a spent mortar shell and few bullet holes were enough to prove
his worth.

All joking aside, we were on a mission, to track down Bin Saleem, a tyrant who called the
shots, ruling Somaliland with an iron fist. As we trekked through the rubble and trudged through
what seemed to be human faeces, the stench of which clung to my nostrils and constricted my
lungs, preventing even the thought of breathing, I saw a child, about 7, sat atop a worn tire
holding a new born. "Keep an eye out Jon," I said cautiously, "I've seen this before." Jon took
guard and I proceeded. Inching closer and closed, he pointed at me and shouted, "The white man
is here! He can save us!"."What happened kid?" I questioned, "Who did this?"."Saleem," he
muttered, "He did this, he took Mom and he also did this…." He raised up his shirt, and there,
strapped to his chest was about a pound of C-4.

"Jon!" I shouted, trying to get his attention, "It's a trap!". "What in tarnation are ye talkin'
bout!" he shouted as he slowly turned around and realized it was no laughing matter. But
remember, he was a man of action. He tackled the boy to the ground and threw the baby off to
me. Then, Boom! That sound reverberated throughout my body. "Jon!" I exclaimed, to no
response. I ran up to him and turned him over, to my surprise, he was alive! His dense, armor
plated vest absorbed the impact, as for the boy the only thing left was his remnants. "Do it for the
kid Boss, get Saleem," he gasped, "I'll take five."

I sprinted for the only place I could think of, a complex down the street, such an
inconspicuous place for a "mastermind" like him to hide. Dusk began to fall, as I entered the
complex which happened to be unguarded. I guess body guards have to take breaks too. I spotted
him through a glass pane and that was my chance. I rammed my body through the glass, like
back in the old football days." Long time no see!" I exclaimed, "I have a surprise for you!". He
was in a trance like state, his eyes glazed over, I seemed to spoil his afternoon plans. "So you set
us up!" I yelled, "An innocent child died because of you!". "What!" he shouted in a confused
tone, "The bomb was not meant to go off, I was just trying to scare you off!". "Well guess what,
all I see is body parts out there!" I screeched, "I am so sick, I don't even feel like killing you!" I
then unloaded my Magnum, kicked it over to him and feverishly threw him a 9mm."Two
choices, you stick that gun down your throat and pull the trigger, or you live knowing what you
have done." I calmly walked off with my so called "gunslinger's gait" off into the night which
had fallen like an iron blanket over Somaliland. Then, bang! The sound of that gun resonated
throughout the night and the flash threw dots of light pervading throughout the complex. I called
the Medevac and just uttered, "Mission complete."