ever played cod4? reminds me of that. that was a very cool update indeed, theres more to this aar than i had perhaps expected at the start. i love it when theres many facets to a story.
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That's really an amazing description of the cruelty of war and being a prisoner before the Geneva agreement. 
fantastic writing!
Tom will survive, if he does not panic.
fantastic writing!
Tom will survive, if he does not panic.
@ TheHyphenated1: Thanks, that is what I was going for, to try and get as real of a picture as possible while writing.
@ Hardraade: Thank you, I'm glad you thought so. Sometimes as writers we have to try are best to create a picture with words as we don't have pictures to show or a TV to see.
@ BritishImperial: Thanks, and I've played CoD 4. Even an AAR can be meaningful and have a point to it...
@ Enewald: Thanks, I'm glad you liked it. Surely you can see into Tom's future, you should be his guardian angel
@ Hardraade: Thank you, I'm glad you thought so. Sometimes as writers we have to try are best to create a picture with words as we don't have pictures to show or a TV to see.
@ BritishImperial: Thanks, and I've played CoD 4. Even an AAR can be meaningful and have a point to it...
@ Enewald: Thanks, I'm glad you liked it. Surely you can see into Tom's future, you should be his guardian angel
I would say that you did a fine job of painting a picture at the end of the post. In fact, you did quite a bit more than that. Not only was I able to a clear picture in my mind due to the writing, but I actually kind of shivered. I know that I've read something that was very good when I have an emotional response to it as well. Keep up the good work.
Chapter Five
Union generals overlooking the retreat of the army north, back to Kentucky through the tumaltious weather that followed the battle.
Tom was buried deep beneath the earth, it had been some time now since he had last heared or felt any voices or drops of grain above him. He was under the notion that the Confederates had left, but was now beginning to panic. His location was inept to allowing him to move his chest, so he was starting to gaspe for air. He had no ability to move his body, covered up by the heavy soil. Tom sank down and awaited his fate, he began to pray to God, unable to see anything but mud and dirt, and accepting his fate; he went under.
Above him, there were few Confederate soldiers remaining in the area; most had assembled and were marching north heading for the retreating Union Army. The Confederate men heard the drums and trumpet sounded, and they began to march off from the 'Butcher's Nest.'
The lieutenant that Tom was with, was unable to see Tom as well. He was thinking, much like Tom himself, that Tom was dead. Tom, beneath the soil of the earth, so close to heaven now. Lieutenant Seth had made his way out of the grave, and was staring in the pit; he had begun to attempt to dig out Tom from his deathbed, he had pulled out an arm, believing it was Tom, he lifted the body out of the grave, to his shock and dismay it was just a dead Union soldier, who was now staring at the lieutenant with his lifeless, bloodied, and mud-filled face.
Tom had finally passed away, he saw the darkness and was beginning to see the light of heaven and above. The lieutenant scrambled to find him, he felt another arm and was quick to pull the arm free, then the head, and finally the body in it's entirity; there it was that Tom was motionless in the hands of the Union officer, who began to shed a tear and looked around the now ghostly battlefield and began hearing the old sounds of the battle going off all around him. Rain, lightning, and thunder was getting progressivly worse, as the rain fell from the sky it washed away the mud and dirt stains that covered both men. Lieutenant Seth was shocked and appalled, he lay Tom down on the watered ground, he covered his face with the long overcoat of his uniform and finished by completing the holy spirit cross as he looked down at him.
~ In the woods, the Union hospital had packed it's belongings and fled with the rest of Nathaniel Bank's Army, heading with much haste northward towards Kentucky. Bill was stunned to see Jennifer Dawes working in the hospital as a Union nurse. The night of the attack which overran the Union front, she had allowed Bill to escape. Although Bill was unsure of where to go as he didn't know where his unit was, one thing was certain, he wouldn't become a prisoner of war for the Union Army, not yet at least.
Jennifer was lost, her gown soaking wet from the rain, stained with mud as she walked helplessly around the woods. Through the mangle of trees, she could the Confederate soldiers marching towards the location of the old hospital. Minutes passed as she walked to the very steppes fo the 'Buthcer's Nest' and saw the Union lieutenant kneeling in the mud with a body beside him. She called out to him, quiet enough that any Confederates wouldn't hear her, but loud enough that he could. Lieutenant Seth looked up at her, he acknowledged her but did nothing after.
She walked over to the lieutenant, she looked down at the body, she was astounished and yelled out, "Tom!?"
The lieutenant looked at her and asked if she knew him, she replied very quickly, with a definate yes.
"Oh my God, Tom!" she cried. "If only... your brother is fine, what happened to you?" she said with tears from her eyes.
In the rain, as the lightning and thunder grew to a blazing storm; she was kneeling in the mud and water, reaching down and picking him up. The lieutenant got up, tipped his hat; his sabor at his holster, he silently walked away from the scene and the battlefield all together. He looked backed several times to see Jennifer get up to her feet and walk away. She was heading to a small and deserted wooden cabin she had previously seen when walking towards them. She was hard-pressed, seeing her once childhood love dead at her feet, now in her hands.
It was impossible to determine if she was crying or if it was the rain, the guess that anyone would have said was both. She turned through the muck and mud, falling several times; but the nineteen year-old was not steering away from the confines of the cabin, finally after what could be said to have been an hour, she appeared from the ridge line and the cabin stood where it had always been. She walked up and opened the door, walking in she looked at the bed and set him down.
She walked to the kitchen where she opened the old cabinets and looked for a candle, the cabin creaked with every step, the cabinets were full of cobwebs. She did find a heavy ammount of candles, she took two out; placing one on the dusty table, the other by the bed where Tom lay. She walked back to the kitchen as a loud thunder burst startled her to some degree. She lit the candle with matches that were found on a counter. She walked back to the bed, looking outside at the rainstorm, lightning, and thunder. She looked back at Tom, lighting the candle, putting out the match and leaned over to Tom's lips, kissing him as another loud burst of thunder erupted from the skies above.
Union generals overlooking the retreat of the army north, back to Kentucky through the tumaltious weather that followed the battle.
Tom was buried deep beneath the earth, it had been some time now since he had last heared or felt any voices or drops of grain above him. He was under the notion that the Confederates had left, but was now beginning to panic. His location was inept to allowing him to move his chest, so he was starting to gaspe for air. He had no ability to move his body, covered up by the heavy soil. Tom sank down and awaited his fate, he began to pray to God, unable to see anything but mud and dirt, and accepting his fate; he went under.
Above him, there were few Confederate soldiers remaining in the area; most had assembled and were marching north heading for the retreating Union Army. The Confederate men heard the drums and trumpet sounded, and they began to march off from the 'Butcher's Nest.'
The lieutenant that Tom was with, was unable to see Tom as well. He was thinking, much like Tom himself, that Tom was dead. Tom, beneath the soil of the earth, so close to heaven now. Lieutenant Seth had made his way out of the grave, and was staring in the pit; he had begun to attempt to dig out Tom from his deathbed, he had pulled out an arm, believing it was Tom, he lifted the body out of the grave, to his shock and dismay it was just a dead Union soldier, who was now staring at the lieutenant with his lifeless, bloodied, and mud-filled face.
Tom had finally passed away, he saw the darkness and was beginning to see the light of heaven and above. The lieutenant scrambled to find him, he felt another arm and was quick to pull the arm free, then the head, and finally the body in it's entirity; there it was that Tom was motionless in the hands of the Union officer, who began to shed a tear and looked around the now ghostly battlefield and began hearing the old sounds of the battle going off all around him. Rain, lightning, and thunder was getting progressivly worse, as the rain fell from the sky it washed away the mud and dirt stains that covered both men. Lieutenant Seth was shocked and appalled, he lay Tom down on the watered ground, he covered his face with the long overcoat of his uniform and finished by completing the holy spirit cross as he looked down at him.
~ In the woods, the Union hospital had packed it's belongings and fled with the rest of Nathaniel Bank's Army, heading with much haste northward towards Kentucky. Bill was stunned to see Jennifer Dawes working in the hospital as a Union nurse. The night of the attack which overran the Union front, she had allowed Bill to escape. Although Bill was unsure of where to go as he didn't know where his unit was, one thing was certain, he wouldn't become a prisoner of war for the Union Army, not yet at least.
Jennifer was lost, her gown soaking wet from the rain, stained with mud as she walked helplessly around the woods. Through the mangle of trees, she could the Confederate soldiers marching towards the location of the old hospital. Minutes passed as she walked to the very steppes fo the 'Buthcer's Nest' and saw the Union lieutenant kneeling in the mud with a body beside him. She called out to him, quiet enough that any Confederates wouldn't hear her, but loud enough that he could. Lieutenant Seth looked up at her, he acknowledged her but did nothing after.
She walked over to the lieutenant, she looked down at the body, she was astounished and yelled out, "Tom!?"
The lieutenant looked at her and asked if she knew him, she replied very quickly, with a definate yes.
"Oh my God, Tom!" she cried. "If only... your brother is fine, what happened to you?" she said with tears from her eyes.
In the rain, as the lightning and thunder grew to a blazing storm; she was kneeling in the mud and water, reaching down and picking him up. The lieutenant got up, tipped his hat; his sabor at his holster, he silently walked away from the scene and the battlefield all together. He looked backed several times to see Jennifer get up to her feet and walk away. She was heading to a small and deserted wooden cabin she had previously seen when walking towards them. She was hard-pressed, seeing her once childhood love dead at her feet, now in her hands.
It was impossible to determine if she was crying or if it was the rain, the guess that anyone would have said was both. She turned through the muck and mud, falling several times; but the nineteen year-old was not steering away from the confines of the cabin, finally after what could be said to have been an hour, she appeared from the ridge line and the cabin stood where it had always been. She walked up and opened the door, walking in she looked at the bed and set him down.
She walked to the kitchen where she opened the old cabinets and looked for a candle, the cabin creaked with every step, the cabinets were full of cobwebs. She did find a heavy ammount of candles, she took two out; placing one on the dusty table, the other by the bed where Tom lay. She walked back to the kitchen as a loud thunder burst startled her to some degree. She lit the candle with matches that were found on a counter. She walked back to the bed, looking outside at the rainstorm, lightning, and thunder. She looked back at Tom, lighting the candle, putting out the match and leaned over to Tom's lips, kissing him as another loud burst of thunder erupted from the skies above.
it really seems that he is, but nobody's checked his pulse yet. i really didnt see this coming.
@ Erie_Patriot: Thanks, glad to know you still enjoy this...
@ Enewald: Always looking out for our old friends are we? Hah! Perhaps, perhaps not...
@ BritishImperial: You good sir, have a way of looking at things from all angles, though that is all I can say for now.
To all: My bid apologies, but my laptop caught conficker (of all the people to catch it) so I won't be updating anything until next week when it returns, as know I come from another computer to catch up on things. Hopefully no one else caught it. Thanks, volks.
@ Enewald: Always looking out for our old friends are we? Hah! Perhaps, perhaps not...
@ BritishImperial: You good sir, have a way of looking at things from all angles, though that is all I can say for now.
To all: My bid apologies, but my laptop caught conficker (of all the people to catch it) so I won't be updating anything until next week when it returns, as know I come from another computer to catch up on things. Hopefully no one else caught it. Thanks, volks.
Chapter Five
~ Clinch Mountain, Tennessee.
Bill was stumbling through the woods, struggling with the muck and the heavy rains which have turned all roads to impassable mud works, the rain was heavy like hail, and not to mention the small creeks that littered the place were quickly overflown and eating away at any solid landmass in his path. He constantly looked back, over his shoulder with a nervous look on his face when doing so; the thunder overhead grew louder and the lightning grew closer. One such bolt of lightning struck a tall pine only a hundred or so yards in front him, sending Bill falling back into the mud; covering his entire body in the brown guck.
Bill struggled to his feet, the mud was acting like a sort of quick sand or glue; keeping the young soldier from getting back to his feet at a steady and normal pace. Behind him he could see the shadows of several men on horseback, talking to one another; Bill was furiously fighting to get of the mud. One of the men on the horses pointed in Bill's direction and drew his sabor, kicking his horse and rode forward, only to fall into the seep of mud that awaited him at the jump over a fallen log. He and his horse were stuck, the man jumped down only to get his legs caught in the fray. The men behind him dismounted and tied their horses to the nearby trees and drew their weapons and chased after Bill, leaving the man stuck in the mud behind.
Bill finally freed on leg and just in time, was able to free his other leg and struggled across the muddy fields of Clinch Mountain, the Union soldiers behind him in hot pursuit. The soldiers, much like Bill, were struggling to get through the muck, one of the soldier's fell face first into the mud, only to roll over in a flash to ensure he wouldn't drown into a muddy grave. Bill jumped across the fallen pine from the lightning strike, smoke coming from the tree and the ground blackened from the intense heat. One of the Union soldiers drew his pistol and began to fire at Bill, who was either eluding the shots by skill or luck. Bill dipped down and began to slide down a muddy slope to get down towards an creek that had fully passed it's banks and was now more of river than a small and peacefull creek.
The men behind yelled and screamed, firing at moments but most were eager to capture the rebel escapee alive rather than dead. The lead major was also eager to prove himself to his superiors. The sergeant however was more likely to kill Bill if he had the chance, the same who was the first to fire upon Bill. They looked over the bluff to see Bill sliding down, one of the soldier's looked at the major and said, "Why don't we just let him go," he said with heavy breathing and exhaustion. "We can just tell him he died in the chase," he concluded.
"Nonsense," said the Major who was looking at Bill running towards the creek. "Ah, it doesn't matter, if we can't get him the river or mother nature will. That river runs along this country for miles, he'll have to cross it and when he does, dead."
The sergeant looked at Bill, who was running towards a fallen log that was over the length of the overflowing creek. "Major," he said pointing at the prisoner and realizing the log he continued, "he'll cross the river over that log," he said as he drew that pistol.
"Hold that pistol sergeant!"
"Major, let me take the shot."
"Never, not unless I give the command to fire," the major said.
"Fire? Okay," said the sergeant as he aimed his pistol at Bill, taking steady aim. The major and the other soldiers (all privates) lunged forward to stop him. The sergeant fired one last shot, then grabbed by his associates, restrained and dropping the pistol in the process.
On the floor, the shot sounded like thunder as Bill rushed to the creek and the log. Then he was flung into the water, face first, his arms in the air and blood coming from his shoulder. He fell and made a great splash in the water, the Union soldiers looked in horror and happiness.
"It's finished, he's dead," one remarked as they marched back to their horses.
In the creek, Bill lay in the water being carried away by the current. His face was down in the water, his body motionless except for the movement of the water. At the same moment back in the log cabin with Jennifer Dawes and Bill's brother Tom, she looked up and out the window after Bill had hit the water.
~ Clinch Mountain, Tennessee.
Bill was stumbling through the woods, struggling with the muck and the heavy rains which have turned all roads to impassable mud works, the rain was heavy like hail, and not to mention the small creeks that littered the place were quickly overflown and eating away at any solid landmass in his path. He constantly looked back, over his shoulder with a nervous look on his face when doing so; the thunder overhead grew louder and the lightning grew closer. One such bolt of lightning struck a tall pine only a hundred or so yards in front him, sending Bill falling back into the mud; covering his entire body in the brown guck.
Bill struggled to his feet, the mud was acting like a sort of quick sand or glue; keeping the young soldier from getting back to his feet at a steady and normal pace. Behind him he could see the shadows of several men on horseback, talking to one another; Bill was furiously fighting to get of the mud. One of the men on the horses pointed in Bill's direction and drew his sabor, kicking his horse and rode forward, only to fall into the seep of mud that awaited him at the jump over a fallen log. He and his horse were stuck, the man jumped down only to get his legs caught in the fray. The men behind him dismounted and tied their horses to the nearby trees and drew their weapons and chased after Bill, leaving the man stuck in the mud behind.
Bill finally freed on leg and just in time, was able to free his other leg and struggled across the muddy fields of Clinch Mountain, the Union soldiers behind him in hot pursuit. The soldiers, much like Bill, were struggling to get through the muck, one of the soldier's fell face first into the mud, only to roll over in a flash to ensure he wouldn't drown into a muddy grave. Bill jumped across the fallen pine from the lightning strike, smoke coming from the tree and the ground blackened from the intense heat. One of the Union soldiers drew his pistol and began to fire at Bill, who was either eluding the shots by skill or luck. Bill dipped down and began to slide down a muddy slope to get down towards an creek that had fully passed it's banks and was now more of river than a small and peacefull creek.
The men behind yelled and screamed, firing at moments but most were eager to capture the rebel escapee alive rather than dead. The lead major was also eager to prove himself to his superiors. The sergeant however was more likely to kill Bill if he had the chance, the same who was the first to fire upon Bill. They looked over the bluff to see Bill sliding down, one of the soldier's looked at the major and said, "Why don't we just let him go," he said with heavy breathing and exhaustion. "We can just tell him he died in the chase," he concluded.
"Nonsense," said the Major who was looking at Bill running towards the creek. "Ah, it doesn't matter, if we can't get him the river or mother nature will. That river runs along this country for miles, he'll have to cross it and when he does, dead."
The sergeant looked at Bill, who was running towards a fallen log that was over the length of the overflowing creek. "Major," he said pointing at the prisoner and realizing the log he continued, "he'll cross the river over that log," he said as he drew that pistol.
"Hold that pistol sergeant!"
"Major, let me take the shot."
"Never, not unless I give the command to fire," the major said.
"Fire? Okay," said the sergeant as he aimed his pistol at Bill, taking steady aim. The major and the other soldiers (all privates) lunged forward to stop him. The sergeant fired one last shot, then grabbed by his associates, restrained and dropping the pistol in the process.
On the floor, the shot sounded like thunder as Bill rushed to the creek and the log. Then he was flung into the water, face first, his arms in the air and blood coming from his shoulder. He fell and made a great splash in the water, the Union soldiers looked in horror and happiness.
"It's finished, he's dead," one remarked as they marched back to their horses.
In the creek, Bill lay in the water being carried away by the current. His face was down in the water, his body motionless except for the movement of the water. At the same moment back in the log cabin with Jennifer Dawes and Bill's brother Tom, she looked up and out the window after Bill had hit the water.
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Off to Ireland!
I'm off to Ireland, Cork and Dublin to be specific so I won't have any updates until after I return from Erie, in about one week.
I'm off to Ireland, Cork and Dublin to be specific so I won't have any updates until after I return from Erie, in about one week.
Quite a turn this story has taken with both main protagonists in desperate situations, if not dead. Great updates.
Enjoy the trip!
Enjoy the trip!
Thanks, and if I can say, the weather here has been wonderful so far. A special update from Erie is next...
Chapter Five
An unknown artist's depiction of the Battle of Clinch Mountain, focusing on the Confederates overrunning the Union positions at the 'Butcher's Nest.' Note however the inaccuracy as the storming is portrayed at dusk or early dawn, not during the middle of the night.
~ Jennifer looked up at the flash of lightning and quickly progressed to look down at the dirt covered floor of the old cabin. Her light blue eyes filled with water as she looked at Tom, still on the couch of the cabin where she'd placed him earlier. She then looked to the sky, filled with dark clouds and nothing but the scene of a storm for the next few hours or longer; darkness plagued the sky.
In the river, Bill lay face down flouting lifelessly along the river banks, passing the graves that his comrades had dug for the fallen Union soldiers in the morning, before the rains had moved in. A poor farmer, who had hidden during the duration of the battle, saw the lifeless body moving down the river. He looked down, placing his last donkey into the stables, his hat drenched in water and his face covered in mud, just like an old Tennessee farmer would have been proud of, he quickly rushed into the stables, grabbing a rope, rifle and other acessories and his favorite horse and rode off, down the banks of the river in chase of Bill; unsure of what to find.
Jennifer began to sit down, beside the couch; the candles behind her went out and she heard a huge gasp of air behind her. Tom rolled over and began to cough out muck, water, dirt while Jennifer Dawes was in amazement and shock. She looked hard and Tom quickly gave a glance at her, she rushed to bring towels and a clothing that wasn't soaking wet. She tended him as Tom truly didn't know where he was; he finally stopped coughing and looked straight into her starry eyes, "Jennifer," he calmly said as he fell back into the couch.
"Tom, no don't leave," she responded as she looked over him and kissed him one more time.
Tom smiled and began to speak slowly again, "What has happened?"
"The Confederates had overrun your positions."
"What are you doing here," he coughed out.
"I was a nurse for the Union down here, then I ran into you while a Union officer was with you."
"What?"
"I don't know Tom, I'm just glad you're alive."
"Where am..."
"Ssh, I saw your brother too, I helped him leave the camp before we packed up and left."
"Bill..."
"Yes, Bill was alive too."
"Jennifer," he said quietly, "Where are we?"
She looked to her left, looking at the small fireplace at the end of the room. She looked outside to see the massive storm brewing and branches falling; she then turned back to Tom and gazed, "Clinch Mountain."
An unknown artist's depiction of the Battle of Clinch Mountain, focusing on the Confederates overrunning the Union positions at the 'Butcher's Nest.' Note however the inaccuracy as the storming is portrayed at dusk or early dawn, not during the middle of the night.
~ Jennifer looked up at the flash of lightning and quickly progressed to look down at the dirt covered floor of the old cabin. Her light blue eyes filled with water as she looked at Tom, still on the couch of the cabin where she'd placed him earlier. She then looked to the sky, filled with dark clouds and nothing but the scene of a storm for the next few hours or longer; darkness plagued the sky.
In the river, Bill lay face down flouting lifelessly along the river banks, passing the graves that his comrades had dug for the fallen Union soldiers in the morning, before the rains had moved in. A poor farmer, who had hidden during the duration of the battle, saw the lifeless body moving down the river. He looked down, placing his last donkey into the stables, his hat drenched in water and his face covered in mud, just like an old Tennessee farmer would have been proud of, he quickly rushed into the stables, grabbing a rope, rifle and other acessories and his favorite horse and rode off, down the banks of the river in chase of Bill; unsure of what to find.
Jennifer began to sit down, beside the couch; the candles behind her went out and she heard a huge gasp of air behind her. Tom rolled over and began to cough out muck, water, dirt while Jennifer Dawes was in amazement and shock. She looked hard and Tom quickly gave a glance at her, she rushed to bring towels and a clothing that wasn't soaking wet. She tended him as Tom truly didn't know where he was; he finally stopped coughing and looked straight into her starry eyes, "Jennifer," he calmly said as he fell back into the couch.
"Tom, no don't leave," she responded as she looked over him and kissed him one more time.
Tom smiled and began to speak slowly again, "What has happened?"
"The Confederates had overrun your positions."
"What are you doing here," he coughed out.
"I was a nurse for the Union down here, then I ran into you while a Union officer was with you."
"What?"
"I don't know Tom, I'm just glad you're alive."
"Where am..."
"Ssh, I saw your brother too, I helped him leave the camp before we packed up and left."
"Bill..."
"Yes, Bill was alive too."
"Jennifer," he said quietly, "Where are we?"
She looked to her left, looking at the small fireplace at the end of the room. She looked outside to see the massive storm brewing and branches falling; she then turned back to Tom and gazed, "Clinch Mountain."
Nice.
So Tom will be alright, but what of poor Bill? Hopefully that farmer is a friendly sort.
So Tom will be alright, but what of poor Bill? Hopefully that farmer is a friendly sort.