Man at War – Excerpt No. 214

One hundred-and-thirteen paces in, he came across the first flare. The bright red light gave the earthen tunnel a hellish glow, which was fitting for a place where ghouls congregated.

Over time it narrowed, until he transitioned into what appeared to be a layer of shale. Marc passed another three flares until the tunnel broke through the ceiling of the mine. The rubble served well as a makeshift ramp, though one always needed to be careful.

The level of precision and craftsmanship for the supports meant this tunnel was built by humans. In the distance there was gunfire but knew the men at the entrance were blissfully unaware. Just how far does this network extend?

a surreal and vibrant cinematic photo of a British Officer with a determined expression, wearing a worn, earth-toned uniform and helmet, holding a pistol in his right hand, walking through a dimly lit, dark underground mine with old wooden beams and dusty air, the clothing and style are meticulously detailed to be appropriate for 1915, set in the eerie and ominous atmosphere of No Man's Land at night, with an emphasis on surreal photography, rendered in a photorealistic style, and textured with a pronounced film grain, the officer's facial features are strong, with a pale skin tone, and a few days' worth of stubble, his eyes are fixed intently on something in the distance, as the misty darkness surrounds him.

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.