[ WP ] Two veterans meet . They fought on different sides .

The Soldier sat across from the Mouse. His hands were unbound, but it didn ’ t matter. He was a dead man. 
 
 “ How does it feel? ” asked the Mouse. “ How does it feel to be the last of your kind? ” 
 
 The Soldier ’ s mirthless laugh echoed in the dreary chamber. Through the glass window, he could see the leaves of a maple against the night sky. A light rain was falling. 
 
 “ For what it ’ s worth, ” said the Mouse, “ I ’ m sorry. ” 
 
 The Soldier spat at the Mouse ’ s feet. 
 
 “ It didn ’ t have to be this way, ” said the Mouse. “ If only we could have made peace! But you humans refused to listen. You wouldn ’ t give us our rights as sentient beings, every bit as intelligent as you. ” The Mouse moved closer to the large man and washed his whiskers, his small paws cleaning away the day ’ s dirt. The Soldier tensed, his eyes fixed on the small needle strapped to the Mouse ’ s back. The small flecks of fecal matter that stained the creature ’ s weapon would mean a guaranteed death if they entered his blood stream. 
 
 “ Don ’ t be afraid, ” the Mouse said. “ I ’ m not going to kill you. I ’ ve killed enough for one lifetime. ” His genetically engineered eyes gleamed in the darkness, and a touch of wetness stained the fur of his upper cheek. 
 
 The War had been short. Human guns did little against an enemy that was almost as small as the bullets being fired. The bombs had killed many, but even the mightiest of human weapons couldn ’ t keep up with the mouse birth rate. The humans had starved, dying of plague, malnutrition, and thirst as they struggled against an enemy that could spoil their food and water with a single bowel movement. 
 
 “ I was the first of my kind, ” said the Mouse, “ and you are the last of yours. ” Their eyes met, and the Solider was surprised by the sorrow in the Mouse ’ s eyes. For an instant, it seemed as if the Solider would speak, but his gaze hardened once more. 
 
 The Mouse gestured to the Soldier ’ s gun. “ The young ones want to make your death painful, but I am not so cruel. ” 
 
 The Soldier nodded. 
 
 A few moments later, a shot rang out, shattering the dark night.
