War...War Never Ends...
War...War Never Ends...
-Prequel-
(c) Cederwyn Whitefurr
17th September, 2017,
All Rights Reserved
Rowan stood on the balcony of his high-set Queenslander home, his dark, soulful eyes gazing out over the distant fields; long stalks of sugar cane gleaming, their tips rustling in some unknown, ancient tongue, their endless ranks seemed to march to the mist shrouded horizon before the Thompson Gazelle flicked a black tipped ear.
He was oblivious to the hyper sonic whine of the mosquitoes that lit on his sensitive ears, forcing him to unconsciously flick them again and again, his eyes staring, transfixed on nothing, not seeing the clouds rumbling and boiling over themselves like a wave on the beach, the distant flashes briefly leaving purplish spots before his eyes, as in the distance the crackle of thunder echoed off the ranges and the air was as heavy and thick as spoiled milk - each breath felt like he was trying to breathe a misty water...
So lost was he in his own enigmatic mind, he did not hear the distinctive squeal of the rusty iron screen door hinges - his gaze was unfixed, staring...devoid of soul and warmth - as he continued to stare at the distant lightning, as a single tear slid down his furred muzzle and dripped to the timber floor, his memories turning inwards - resurfacing - as the distant thunder and lightning crashed and roared - sounding like distant artillery fire....
Rowan suddenly screamed, then clawed at his head, as if he could tear the very thoughts from his tortured mind and dash them onto the ground....
*
The screams...the screams...the screams in the jungle...
"MEDIC - I NEED A GOD DAMNED MEDIC..." Come the screaming voice, who it belonged too, who knew, Roland grasped his first aid kit in his paw, slapping his helm on and began running towards the voice, through the blood, the body parts littering the ground - none of it mattered - bullets ricocheted and found fur and flesh alike, as he staggered...the shriek of an artillery shell smashing into their lines, the explosion that tore soldiers apart like confetti...
Artillery from behind their lines belched smoke and fire in a thunderous carcophany...none of it Rowan heard, as he ran towards the soldier who crouched next to another one, who lay screaming and writhing in agony. Rowan didn't even hear the whistling scream of a incoming mortar - it thudding into the torn and bloodied earth mere feet from the terrified Gazelle medic...
*
Time seemed to freeze itself - Roland felt his heartbeat slow - a single thud against his ribs..
*
A young soldier threw himself over the mortar, valiantly sacrificing himself, to save the lives of his brothers in arms; it exploded, the white hot shrapnel flying in all directions - and more were cut down by the flying chunks of searing hot metal - yet the gazelle remained unharmed - not even a single hair was singed - but what seared into his mind wasn't the explosion - but watching this nameless - and to be forgotten - soldier come apart like some child's pinata...
*
Then his heart thumped again...and again...and again...
To Be Continued...
*