Mark Rainbolt

Jungle Tiger Mark Rainbolt

"A Sniper?s Story

A sniper using the jungle to conceal his intentions becomes the hunter that can strike at his calling with swift and deadly force.

BACK COVER
As the morning sun rises high in the sky, the heavy dew begins to burn off, creating a layer of fog in the jungle. The humidity is at its maximum, and the sweat starts to run down my forehead, trickling over my eye and then to my nose before dripping off. I lay motionless, watching for any movement. I listen carefully, separating the noises of the jungle from any unnatural movements. I hold my breath and listen, then breathe again softly.

A group of macaque monkeys noisily climb the trees and begin to greedily eat some fruit. The jungle residents are getting down to what might be called their morning routine. I take a drink from my canteen and hear a snapping sound from my right quarter. I strain to see through the vines and spot someone moving in my direction. Several soldiers come into sight; this looks like a Viet Cong (VC) recon patrol. I make sure my cover is good and move my rifle into position. Looking through the scope, I watch the first figure come into sharp focus. I remove the safety and take a calming breath. The lead soldier hesitates and whispers something to the man behind him, who signals the others to stop. They have heard the monkeys rummaging about, and after a long pause, the lead soldier seems satisfied and continues to move forward. Like the jungle tiger, I will wait for the prey to come to me and then swiftly strike with a deadly force!


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