Man at War – Excerpt No. 215

Between the support beams he saw what appeared to be coal. The deposits here were sparse and of low quality. A grade often used by poorer households to keep from freezing to death in cities. Probably explains why they abandoned this mine.

Nearer to him he heard some men pacing, keeping watch on the main exit. The men themselves were effectively in the dark, but their silhouettes showed up against the flare’s glow. Like cresting over a hill in combat.

All around them there were mounds of bodies. As the advance teams flushed out ghouls they must have run straight here. Ghouls had a distinctive silhouette, did not wear gas masks, or carry flashlights.

a surreal and vibrant cinematic photo of British soldiers standing in a dark underground mine with rough-hewn stone walls and exposed wooden beams, flares glowing in the background show their silhouettes, casting long shadows across the floor, their clothing and style are appropriate for 1915 with worn leather boots, faded khaki uniforms, and distinctive Brodie helmets, the air is thick with dust and the smell of smoke, surreal photography, photorealistic, film grain, with a muted color palette and deep shadows, the soldiers' faces are obscured by the darkness, but their determined stances and gripping rifles are visible, the overall mood is tense and foreboding, as if the soldiers are waiting for something to emerge from the darkness.

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.