Man at War – Excerpt No. 218

16 April 2026

Murphy nodded in response. Meanwhile, the others quickly stiffened up before turning their eyes back at the three branches of the tunnel.

“Yes, Sir,” Murphy added. “These tunnels are infested, and we have yet to find another exit.”

“Not even the main entrance?” Marc asked. “…or even ventilation shafts?”

“The main shaft collapsed recently. There are signs that someone was trying to dig themselves out… As for shafts, we found some vertical openings, but they are too small for us to use safely.”

a surreal and vibrant cinematic photo of an underground mine at night infested with tall gangly humanoid creatures with glowing orange eyes and pale skin, dressed in tattered and worn clothing appropriate for 1915 No Man's Land, including long coats, wide-brimmed hats, and scavenged military gear, set against a backdrop of old wooden beams, rusty mining equipment, and flickering lanterns, with a photorealistic style, film grain texture, and an overall sense of eerie unease, the creatures' eyes glowing like embers in the dark, their faces gaunt and menacing, with sharp cheekbones and sunken eyes, amidst a chaotic and foreboding atmosphere.

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.