I plug the wound with my fingers to staunch the flow of blood that pools and darkens the earth.
Your skin is pale, lips tinged blue. Sweat beads upon your forehead.
Nausea sloshes around inside me and I take a deep breath to quash my panic.
A bullet whizzes past my ear, grazing my skin. I shield your body with mine and strain for the sound of a helicopter.
Your lungs rattle once, twice and then you are still. Silent.
I sob into your chest until your uniform is sodden.
I wanted peace. I am in pieces.
God help me.
Written for Friday Fictioneers. A 100 word story inspired by a photo prompt. Read the other entries here.
fabricating fiction 
This is a sad tale of combat… at least that’s what I took from it. Well done.
That was my intention. Thanks for your comment.
Wow! I can see where that came from – I hadn’t spotted it. Lovely piece of writing – the present simple tense works beautifully here.
Thank you Patrick. I love present tense. I wish I had the confidence to have written my novel in present tense and not have been persuaded past is better.
I reckon you had good advice. Present tense is tough to carry for a long work. Win the prize first and then they’ll have to take it as you send it.
Thanks
Beautifully written, Louise. The sadness emanates from the page.
Thanks so much Millie.
In so few words, you have channelled so many emotions. Well done!
Thanks Francesca.
Wow! This is beautiful in its sadness. Kudos, my dear.
Thanks Alicia.
Well written. So very emotional. “I wanted peace. I am in pieces…”
Thanks for commenting.
This is so jaw-droppingly (!!) good that I feel I can be picky, picky… I just want a different verb instead of “sloshes.” Everything else is so spot-on. “…strain for the sound of a helicopter…” is where the soul of this story lies for me.
I appreciate constructive criticism thanks. It was bubbles originally but I thought a little cliche?
churned, maybe?
war is hell. a very moving piece.
Thanks.
A sad truth. I felt all the emotion in this. Excellent read. 🙂
Thank you.
A very creative tangential take on the photo. I hadn’t seen that part. Well done.
Thanks Sandra.
“I wanted peace. I am in pieces” – superb !
Thanks.
Lovely but sad story of combat. The last two sentences I found particularly good.
Thanks.
A really intense piece of writing. Lovely.
Thanks Claire.
Very evocative piece – presumably you took the word ‘plug’ from the prompt?
Yes, when I saw the photo I thought about plugging a hole of some sort.
So sad when the quest for peace ends in death.
And things never seem to change
Oh, my, already, in the very first sentence, more death and destruction…well, this was interesting anyway…
Thanks for reading.
Dear Louise,
The spoils of war. Graphic, poignant and well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Thanks Rochelle.
So intense and poignant. Loved your take on the prompt.
Thank you Vinitha.
Dear Louise, Such a moving story and sad! “Wanting peace and falling to pieces.” This is a sensational line! I’m so impressed with your writing ability! Good job – yet hopeless end! Nan 🙂
Thanks so much Nan. That’s really kind of you.
Love the way the staccato rhythms help set the scene. Great story.