Chapter 18. Signs of life

Winston came to, lying on his side coughing and spitting dirt.

His entire body ached from the over pressure of the explosion.

After checking Robbie and Arthur's bodies for signs of life, he crawled

over to where Toby lay.

Toby groaned. "What happened?"

"Lie still." Winston said as he unpacked field dressings from

his kit. "We caught an artillery round that fell short."

"Robbie and Arthur?" Toby whispered.

"They're gone." Winston said. Toby slid into unconsciousness.

Winston saw the stretcher lying nearby - it was useless

without a second person to carry it. He was thinking of his

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options, when he thought he heard his name being called.

Winston listened and heard it again.

"Over here." he called out.

*

The soldier wore a red cross arm band - a stretcher bearer.

"The name's Ithaniel." he said. They crouched down as an

explosion shook the ground and showered them with mud.

"Harkness told me to come forward and give you a hand."

Winston couldn't believe his luck, but it did seem odd that Harkness

would take it on himself to do such a thing. Another shell exploded

closer, followed by a gust of gunfire. Winston knew it was the

beginning of a counter attack. "Give me a hand with the lad."

He splinted Toby's arm and wrapped it tight to his chest.

"On my count we'll slide him on to the stretcher."

Ithaniel nodded and knelt beside Toby. "Hold on Winston, you've

missed something." He took a pair of medical shears out of his kit

and cut Toby's throat.

Blood sprayed Winston's face. "What the fuck have you done?"

Winston fell backwards trying to wipe the blood from his eyes.

"Look at you." Ithaniel laughed. "You're bleating like a lamb."

Winston drew Harry's gun from his tunic pocket.

Ithaniel smiled. "I saw you pick that up off the river bank where

your friend dropped it."

"What?"

"I've been following you Winston, waiting for a chance to have

a quiet word." Ithaniel looked at Toby's body.

" and I doubt that Toby will be interrupting us."

"Fuck you." Winston said.

In a blur of movement Ithaniel took the gun from Winston's hand.

"If you intend to shoot me, at least make sure the safety is off."

Ithaniel unlocked the safety and handed it back.

Winston blinked - unsure of what was happening, then he took

the gun. "You're the one about to bleat like a lamb."'

"Unlikely." Ithaniel said.

In a fluid swirl of energy Eurides appeared beside Winston.

"Hello Ithaniel."

*