When you give Bekah a plunger...

--- You should have seen my Mom’s face when she came home from the Christmas party.  The kitchen counter was completely cleared off, everything was scrubbed, dishes were in the washer. But then she noticed that the whole place smelled like bleach and there were containers of water everywhere and...

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It Was Like a Candle

It was like a candle.  One tiny light lost in a shadow of black forever long.  Slowly, slowly, flickering away. Perhaps it was a star. One of those reddish ones just ready to die. Or maybe it was the expulsion of the ship as it left us behind. But no matter what else it was, it was hope.  And hope has left us. Left me. To die. I never would have dreamed of leaving in one of those shells....

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Crimson Red

To the ends of the earth Till the last man is dead Till our heroes are buried And our skies crimson red We will raise our last flag We will fight one more day We’ll endure every fire Till we’re lost in the grey Alone you have wandered Lost in the gale Fought through each battle Though you knew you were frail You’ve now come to save us But the cost is high Taken the last boat Where...

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The Last Lullaby

There’s a crackle in my ear and radio silence is broken. I hear them, the voices of the last remaining children. And they’re singing a lullaby. For me. Haunting. Desperate. They’re praying for salvation.  Singing me to sleep. They think I’m saving them, that when the ash settles they’ll be safe. Lies. I feel the trigger beneath my thumb. Even if there’s no promised land, I’ll blow this...

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Promised Land

Here in the darkness under an enemy roof I close my eyes and shudder I’ve seen the truth exposed. Didn’t they promise a haven? Refuge beyond the perimeter? Isn’t that why I came here, with this ticking weight strapped to my chest? But where is the sun? the green grass? this land of milk and honey? I see through slatted windows a wasteland stretching on and on forever. Clear skies and...

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I Don't Understand

Here in the darkness under an enemy roof With death strapped to my chest beneath this uniform Surrounded by a hundred perfect copies of me Same green eyes, same radiation suit Same kind of man with a past just like mine. What turned you into murderers? Was it when you were stolen from the fire? or back when the sky first burned and the law burned with it? or when they melted you and turned...

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Fool's Errand

I’m dressed in my enemy’s uniform. Trying not to think about how long it took to peel the dead man’s flesh from this radiation suit. Or about how green will be the last I ever see. Am I a fool? Absolutely. But this whole life has been a fool’s game without ever an end in sight. Until now. And damn if I don’t do my all to keep it. But there’s one thing I can’t get out of my head, something digging...

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One of Us

Fifty grey soldiers.  Our general in front.  Hundreds of others listening over radio. “It’s true. We’ve found it.  A place without the faceless. ” Applause.  “But eighty men died getting there.  Twice as many will die if we try again. The enemy units must be annihilated… there’s only one way to this effectively.” Murmurings. “One of us won’t be coming back.” Silence. But...

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Somewhere in the Grey

I’m breathing hard, eyes closed, waiting for the bullet. My gun still hovers beside my comrade’s head. And a busload of soldiers, with curses and disbelieving shouts are drowning each other out. I don’t listen. But suddenly, a crackle and a voice that’s different: “Command, this is Delta106, we have affirmative on objective. We’ve breached the perimeter.” We’re frozen. Staring at the radio. Because...

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Luckless

This scorching heat never ends. Blisters on our skin. Rashes on our faces. We’re riding in some roofless bus. Bouncing over a world of char. It’s dead. Never to live again. My platoon burned. Turned to ash before my eyes. My brother. I couldn’t save him. I failed. So why am I still here? No reason really. Some luckless fate. I grab a pistol. Point it at the medic’s head. And in an instant,...

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Don't Touch Me

Bullets cascade around me, explosions echo, dirt flies into my face But I’ve got him, my brother My arms are clinging tight I see beyond his bloody face, soldiers in grey camo running toward me, shooting faceless as they come But then their hands are on my back, pulling me away. “He’s already dead, soldier, let’s go!” But I’m screaming, thrashing, “Don’t touch me!” “It’s okay, I’ve got you,...

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Good Bye

“I’m sorry,” I whisper as I kneel beside his body. My hands are sticky wet as I tear the radiation suit. Searching for his wound. But his back arches. Mouth screams. He’s been melted. Flesh joined to shimmery fabric. He’s been butchered. Face swollen, mutated, blistered. I can hardly bear to look. “I’m sorry.” “No, it’s better this way. It’s over.” But I’m choking as I watch him. Eyes flutter...

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I Found You

I’m running. Running hard. Every moment I expect a bullet in my back I need a weapon I need water Every breath is a cloud of ash inside my mouth. There’s a body on the ground large green eyes flickering out He has a weapon. I take it Keep running. Now another, a faceless runs toward me. I lift the gun, I’ll kill him here and now. The bullet flies, it strikes, he falls. But as I pass...

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The Last Bullet

Bullets spew like locusts. I duck to reload. Dead slump down behind me. I shoot everything I’ve got, save one last bullet meant for me. “God save us.” Silence falls. It’s time. I put the gun against my head. But screams of desperation come shrieking through the dark. Who’s their victim this time? My friend, my comrade, the last of my platoon. They’ve doused him, he’s soaking, and the...

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Lost

Hold up the compass and watch it spin East to West and back again Tell them once more that we can’t win We’re lost, oh foolish children of men Tonight we huddle underground Hiding ourselves in this self dug grave Hoping and praying we won’t be found But we will, it takes my all to keep us brave Only a dozen of them have survived Two soldiers cannot save them all And now the faceless...

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