Man at War – Excerpt No. 239

He replied in kind, “I’m here to see Private Mackenzie and Lavoie.”

Both names were pronounced properly in their mother tongues, whereas he had no identifying accent. When he wanted to, Marc could sound more British, but was amongst his countrymen here.

The nurse raised an eyebrow and she pursed her lips. He wondered how many other commanders made their rounds to check on their men. I’m not sure I’d like the answer.

She pointed to the right, near a small group of men. Several of the cots were empty, which in hindsight made his question rather moot. Still, he suspected she would have made a scene had he simply walked in.

Black and white photograph inside a World War I field hospital ward. An older British officer with graying hair leans over a wooden desk, looking down at a seated nurse as he speaks. The nurse, with dark hair, looks up at him attentively with her hands clasped on the desk. Papers, a pen, and a glass jar sit on the desk between them. In the background, rows of hospital beds and several Union Jack flags are visible under dim overhead lights.

Disclaimer: This novel is an work in progress and readers may encounter grammatical errors and inconsistencies. Please view this a draft and not a published work.