Manuscripts Burn


MANUSCRIPTS BURN

"Manuscripts don't burn"
- Mikhail Bulgakov

Hi, I'm horror and science fiction author Steve Kozeniewski (pronounced: "causin' ooze key.") Welcome to my blog! You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and Amazon. You can e-mail me here, join my mailing list here, or request an e-autograph here. Free on this site you can listen to me recite one of my own short works, "The Thing Under the Bed."

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

The Last War: Chapter 76, Part 15

Many people had had a great impact on Dave Trevor's life. His first female drill sergeant, who he had secretly had a crush on. The captain who had first led him into battle during The Cuban War. His German friends, like Michael Gruber and Marianne Totschläger. His recently deceased friend Pierce. Even that conniving, but somehow innocent young private Lake. Still, of all those people, the one that would have the most impact on his life he would never even meet or know.

The Mongols had suddenly turned their attentions to the demolitionists whic hhad destroyed their armory earlier. Trevor had run as fast as he could to aid the demolitionists and the two AF officers with them. He arrived just in time to see the Monk leader strike down the younger AF officer. That lieutenant was the man who would have the profound impact on his life. More specifically, his weapon would have a profound impact on Trevor's life.

The sergeant hadn't noticed, but the AF man's gun had clattered to the ground. He leapt up and aimed his flamethrower at the charging Horses.

"Die, you Imp bastards!" he screamed out.

He began flaming down the Monks. He was still screaming and wreaking havoc among the Imps, so he didn't notice one of the wounded ones had fallen right next to the dead AF man's AS gun.

The Horse had lifted the gun, not bothered to aim because of the extreme agony he was in, and let loose with a barrage of shells. A stream of flak came streaking towards Trevor, but he only noticed it out of the corner of his eye. He turned around, but was too late.

The shells had already passed by the ready target of his flesh to strike the tank of fuel on his back. He heard and smelled the leak, and knew instantly he was doomed. Merely by dropping his gun after he died the young AF officer had brought about the biggest change in Trevor's life: his death.

Behind him he heard Lake call out, "Sarge?"

After that he exploded into an intense conflagration. He smiled as the flames licked away at him. He knew his life as a crusty old sergeant could have come to no better end.

His last thoughts were, "At least I went out with a real bang."

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