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TITLE (EDIT)
Cold Wind |
DESCRIPTION
The short story of three soldiers who've deserted the battlefield of WWI, only to discover they've been set up into something much worse.
[1,345 words] |
AUTHOR
David H. Paniagua |
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ABOUT
THE AUTHOR
David H. Paniagua is the Inland Journalism Education Association winner for Critical Review, and a student at Chaffey Community College. He is currently working on his first book, entitled The Couple.
[March 2000] |
AUTHOR'S E-MAIL ADDRESS
amcdave@msn.com |
AUTHOR'S OTHER TITLES (1)
Wasting Time (Short Stories) The story of a drug dealer, his bisexual girlfriend, and other wacked-out people in his life. [1,783 words]
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Cold Wind
David H. Paniagua
Cold wind blowing in the August sky. Three soldiers of the 45th Division pace themselves in the field, cautious of freezing temperatures. Captain Josh Stevens is leading his men toward another town, unknown to any of them its name or if the enemy awaits. What only matters is a ticket home on the hospital train. It is somewhere on the horizon, buried deep in their war-ridden bodies and dancing in dreams full of anger. They had lost so many men in the last few days. Stevens managed to get his compass working again. 45th Division walked into their temporary destination after a ten-hour hike of dead-ends and close calls.
Stevens' company included a sniper, Private Michael McReady. He had been carrying the last rounds of a Vickers machine gun. Private Kevin Brynes maintained the standard-issue rifles and handguns. The Captain pointed toward a derelict building; about three stories tall and wide enough to house several dozen people. In the distance, the crackle of gunfire and German howitzers blowing their hellfire was finally going away. Actions against the soldiers could result in being kicked out of the Army they strived to serve, but there were other means to an end now.
Private McReady set the Vickers on the roof, scoping out the open land ahead of them. When nightfall overwhelmed the deserted town, the Captain went up to talk to his best friend.
"Been awhile since we got into action," said Stevens. "How long before they get over here?"
"Shouldn't be too long, sir. There's a couple lights flashing about three o'clock and six o'clock. My guess is that we won't have company for another six to twelve hours. Could be earlier, who knows, but I believe it would be best in leaving a little early."
"Well, Brynes is out cold. He loves to sleep early, I guess. Have you ever seen a man that went to sleep at eight o'clock?"
"Can't say that I have, sir." McReady panned left to right, and back again. "I can see another howitzer explosion coming about ten o'clock there. What's your estimate on how long the fort will last?"
"Another half-hour. It's doomed, just like everything we're fighting for, son. I want to go back home. We all do, it's a given. Then again, I don't know if my job will be there when I get back. All kinds of questions in my head. I'm sure you got the same problems, and it can get pretty worse once we arrive on U.S. soil again. The Army folks are going to really get on our case, too."
"We'll think of something, sir."
Josh pats him on the shoulder, walking back to a hotel room on the second floor. Brynes is in the same room. The snoring that accompanied any of the Private's deep sleeps is missing. Stevens is alarmed, and walks toward his bed.
Nothing.
Private Kevin Brynes has disappeared. Unaware of his actions, the Captain races back outside. This time on the crumbled streets of the town. McReady is not in the direction of which Josh is standing and sees nothing.
Stevens takes out a handgun, pulling the safety off and aiming it every few moments. He whispers for Brynes, who has been known to pull pranks in the past. A dead silence is the response. But the Captain continues his search. Too many soldiers have died in the last few weeks. And for what? A few yards of land? That wasn't the way he was going to leave this Earth. Josh had more to live for.
He walks into the first building next to their hideout. Walking slowly up the stairs, Stevens calls out for his name again. There's a loud crack coming from somewhere up the staircase. The Captain aims the handgun, ready for another attack with the Germans.
"Brynes, you there?" he asks.
Suddenly, another crack. Even closer this time. Stevens races up the staircase to the second floor, charging through the first door on his left. He jumps out of the way of one German and fires at the other. The round goes off, hitting the German in the chest. The enemy falls to the floor, releasing his grip on the bloodied Brynes. Stevens checks the Private's pulse. It's slow, but he'll live for now. The Captain runs out of the room, firing off a few more rounds into the escaping German. He falls down the staircase.
Josh pulls out a clothed bandage, wrapping it around Bryne's forehead. The bleeding has let up. "What happened, son?" the Captain asked.
"The Germans are here, Captain. You gotta go warn McReady. They're everywhere."
"Why didn't they see us on the roof?"
"I don't know. Get him off into this building. Hurry."
Stevens runs out of the room, walking upstairs to the roof. He looks straight in the direction of McReady's position, seeing nothing but the Vickers. A second soldier has gone missing.
That's when the body of Private Michael McReady was thrown over the building by more soldiers. Stevens cried out in anger, firing off shots that barely missed the enemy. Something is said between the soldiers, as they move back down the building and toward the other.
"Oh, God, they killed Mike," the Captain said. "Can you walk? We have to move."
"Yeah, I'm fine. Get me two handguns." Josh pulls out two sets of handguns, supplying the last remaining soldier with security. "I'll make the run first. You take the second charge, it's the only way you'll get to safety."
"What about you, sir? Don't you want to chance it together?"
"There's no time. You're going to have to just do it. Do you follow me?"
A short pause, and Brynes responded, "Yes, sir. Loud and clear." Captain Josh Stevens nods his head, and starts for the flight of stairs. Private Brynes brings up the rear, covering the Captain's movements.
The two remaining soldiers in 45th Division make their way down north of the town. Germans are already firing, missing their targets but gaining on them. Stevens and Brynes fire back, hitting dirt. The Captain signals for Brynes to split up into the alley. He hesitates, knowing they might never see each other again. "Just make sure you make it to the train, son. You got that?" Brynes nods.
Captain Josh Stevens runs back into the line of fire, getting the attention of the incoming German troops. Kevin Brynes starts for the alley, climbing over a wall and into a river. He can't hear anything but the rush of water and a few sharp cracks from behind.
The gunfire sounds awfully like the Captain's, but he can't be sure anymore. Kevin scrambles out of the river, up a hill and comes in contact with an American holding a rifle.
"Identify yourself," the soldier says.
"Private Kevin Brynes. 45th Division."
"What brings you over here in this condition, Private?"
"My team was wiped out by the Germans in that town, sir."
"How'd you get there?"
"Captain Josh Stevens, sir. He led us out of the danger for as long as he could."
"Okay, soldier, go clean yourself over there." He points to the squad of troops checking rifles, handguns, and artillery shells. "We're about to take over the town right now. You stay behind. There's a lot of mess to clean up." Kevin Brynes walks over to the troops, saluting the Captain.
***
Dawn breaks across the field. The bodies of the Germans, Private McReady, and the Captain of 45th Division are taken out. McReady and Stevens are placed in a separate ditch. Kevin helps the troops bury the dead. He wants a moment alone to thank his friends for keeping him alive all these months. The Captain of the squad cannot let him have his wish. They are to leave for U.S. soil in four hours. As the remaining 45th Division soldier and the troops move on out, the temperature swiftly changes. The cold soldiers are given a chance to feel the heat again. Cold wind blowing in the August sky once again.
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COPYRIGHT NOTICE
© 1999 David H. Paniagua |
STORYMANIA PUBLICATION DATE
October 1999 |
NUMBER OF TIMES TITLE VIEWED
1879
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