Stories
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Submit your OwnA fate worse than….
This river too was frozen solid like all the others we had crossed…but now the men were tired and cold. A thousand little fires sprang up beside the river with men pushing and shoving to get close. It didn’t help the frostbitten faces and smarting eyes. My lord had...
Trafalgar Square
Foreword “Some say it was a battle; the second Battle of Trafalgar. In military circles, I doubt the term is accurate. I was there, frightened and in fear of my life. I do find it convenient to draw on such comparison. At night, when I’m often not quite awake. I smell...
The secret history of the Haggis
Many people are of the opinion that the small, elusive mammal, the humble Haggis is indigenous to Scotland and is found nowhere else in the world. Tacitus, the first century Roman historian and son in law of Agricola, the great Governor of Roman Britain, speaks of the...
Eulogy for an Englishman
Estaires. Northern France 1915 Exhumed through French mud, In fear laced fascination she stared at a dead hand. Wired in rusted barb and stained in British blood, in defiance a curled skeletal finger cloaked in grey skin, beckoned from its decomposing grip. ‘A grim...
Remembrance day
‘Was that nice, Arthur? Did you enjoy it?’ Molly was just being her usual chatty self and didn’t expect an answer. She scraped the remains of Arthur’s half-finished breakfast onto one plate, piling the rest of the plates and cutlery together on the tray that she’d...
Gonna buy me a brand new car
Ma and Pa Gainey sat on the porch of their old house. It was sundown and they liked to relax and enjoy the transition from day into night. The screen door opened and banged shut as Jesse Gainey came out and started down the rickety steps. He stumbled, tried to regain...
Ted and ED
So at last it was over, the war in Europe. Europe was finally free and Ted as he had done for the last four years, adjusted his cracked tatty cap, then after checking the pockets of his leather jerkin he shook the worn smooth reins as a signal for Ed to start pulling...
No man’s land
No Man’s Land Forward For all those who gaze in peace toward the night sky, I must recall, for soon it will be too late, a simple yet timeless story where Hell met Earth and ordinary people engaged in selfless acts of sacrifice. In the maelstroms and the furnaces,...
The last Housecarl
James turned the green stone over between his fingers. His chest boiled to a wound inflicted from the sword of a French Knight. Blood bubbled freely from its surface. The stump of his right arm, secured in a tourniquet bled dark clots into dirty rags used to dress it....
Old Lil
‘You wantin’ the Peckham bus love? You just missed it! Well, you know what they say dear: when you don’t want a bus, they come in threes!’ But I’m sure another one’ll be along in a minute. Why don’t you sit here dearie? What’s ya name pet?’ Christina? Nice name, ‘ow...