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For the Secret Santa Writing Challenge I received the topic "How would Marcus Fenix spend Christmas Day?" This is a short story from the point of view of Marcus Fenix from the Gears of War series. The text in speech marks are from characters other than Marcus.
“Marcus get up! They’re attacking!”
Goddamn. Of all days for them to fight us, it had to be Christmas. I don’t care if they are mindless, alien b******s; you’d think that they would at least take this day off from fighting.
Well I guess I better go suit up and get the details on the mission.
“They’re dropping bombs near the Thrashball Arena.”
“Thrashball Arena?”
“The Coletrain likes the sound of that! Let’s get down there now!”
“Come on guys. Can’t we take this day off? It is Christmas after all.”
I hate to say this, but I actually agree with Baird; the last thing I want to do on Christmas is fight the Locust, but we really don’t have a choice.
Delta Squad move out!
“There they are!”
“Attack!”
“They're retreating into the stadium. Follow them Delta!”
Why are they so determined to get us into the stadium? It must be a trap we’re falling right into. We can’t just let them run freely though — we have to stop them here.
“Come on Delta. Hurry up into the stadium!”
“We're almost there. Hurry!”
As we ran through the tunnel and onto the pitch I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.
“What the f*** are they doing?”
“I think they want to play a game.”
Am I high right now, or is this actually happening? The Locust soldiers were all gathered up in a group in the middle of the pitch while one of them was holding the Thrashball in the air. They are actually offering to play a game of Thrashball with us, the enemy that they have been fighting for months.
“F*** Yeah!”
“Let’s do this, bring it on!”
“Cole you can’t be serious. These things have destroyed our homes and our families and you want to be civil with them?”
“Marcus, tell him!”
*silence*
“Marcus!”
What the f*** is going on? Can they really be doing this? Do they really want to play with us?
Part of me wants to blow these alien b******s to kingdom come right here but another part of me is actually considering this. It is Christmas, and I really don’t feel like fighting the bugs.
I think Cole is right; maybe we should do this. This is our only chance to make peace with the bugs.
“Awwww s*** it’s on!”
Delta gear up and get ready!
These b******s think they can beat us at our own game! We’ll show ‘em!
"Yeah! WHOO! Bring it on, sucka! This my kinda s***!"
Delta Squad played the Locust throughout the whole of Christmas and after that day they continued to fight as if nothing had happened. They will always remember, however, that one day when they had a truce with their enemies.