The sun was just starting to warm the ground when I managed to crawl out of my makeshift bed. I sighed, the others from the Resistance would already be discussing today's plans and of course I was late. I couldn't stand these early mornings but they were necessary if we were to have enough food and ammunition to continue fighting. Once the UN forces started moving later in the day we would be completely focused on hit and run tactics. We were typically outnumbered 3 to 1 which left little time for resupplying. Folding up the blanket into my backpack I wondered how I had gotten myself into this mess.

It was never my intention to fully join the Resistance. Unlike the others, I had little reason to want to fight the UN forces. I wasn't one for war, just a small time bandit that was known for robbing people and letting them go. I was feared but respected for the fact that I took what I needed and never left my hostage for dead. Then I met Jon, one of the founders of the Resistance. The asshole caught me off guard returning to my camp and robbed me blind, but on looking for revenge we became the most unlikely of friends. We were a good team, both of devious minds we tended to get into a lot of trouble while still avoiding the gunfights the others craved. It wasn't long before he introduced me to the rest of the Resistance and I began running with them more and more.

Having friends on two sides of a war is like playing with fire though. Eventually you will get burned. I still remember the night Commander asked to speak to me. We met near a creek bed close to the UN camp, out of earshot of the rest of his unit. "Shadow, you can't keep sitting on the fence like this. At some point you are going to need to choose a side."

I glared at him with irritation, who was he to say who I could and couldn't be friends with. I had never betrayed the UN even while running with Resistance. "I don't have to choose sides Commander, I'm perfectly happy staying neutral on this war. I plan to stay neutral until someone pushes me to one side or the other."

He sighed hoping I would choose him and the UN over my friendship with Jon. "Then by my order from this day you are an official enemy of the UN. If you are seen you will be shot."

That was two months ago and every day since had been a battle. It was constant fighting with the UN alongside my Resistance brothers. The Resistance wasn't as merciful as I was. Every UN caught was executed without remorse and I was expected to do the same. There were several times where I had to walk away before Prophet delivered the final bullet. These were people I had considered friends once, people I still cared for. I had never wanted to be involved in this war yet here I was an enemy of the UN. Now I fought for my own safety.

I walked across the clearing where  Prophet, Kerayz, Luv, and Legion sat around a campfire talking in hushed voices. Kerayz looked up at my approach and sneered. "Why don't you get the fuck out of here Shadow? We don't need you telling UN any of our secrets." I stopped and stared at him in confusion. We had never seen eye to eye because of my old friendships but was he honestly accusing me of betraying the group? I backed away not wanting to argue and Prophet stood to follow me.

Once we were out of earshot I faced him. "What the hell was that about Prophet?"

He shrugged, "Kerayz says that you gave up one of the guys names to the UN that led to his execution last night."

"Is he out of his mind? You know he is only making this up because he thinks I'm weak for not wanting to kill every UN I see. He knows damn well that Hook was the one that gave Commander that information."

"Shadow, I know. It's just hard to trust that you won't give something up when you were friends with these guys. We are at war here and can't afford to let even one of them live. Yet anytime we manage to catch and execute one you disappear for hours."

"Don't worry about it Prophet, I'm leaving. I won't stay where my own teammates don't trust me." I grabbed my bag and walked out of camp. An enemy of the UN and now an outcast of the Resistance. Unsure where to go I headed west, away from this war driven land in hopes of a brighter future.