Staying Alive

Kyle crouched quietly in the corner watching the huge beetle make its way across the kitchen floor. It moved as if controlled by a magnet beneath the surface, like those old table football games. The derelict building was bathed in moonlight. They'd be out looking for him; both sides. He hoped his own would reach him first. He kept still, listening for sounds; his mind flashed back to the crash. The horror of the missile hurtling towards him, weighing up the options, the snippet of the Clash song, radioing the control tower and hitting eject. What disturbed him most was the violence of the plane exploding into flames as the missile hit juxtaposed against the sereneness of his descent, swaying gently in the wind as the parachute lowered him gently to earth. He shook his head to clear his thoughts. The key to his survival was staying alert, staying awake, not worrying about the past but keeping his mind in the present.