Man at War – Excerpt No. 220

18 April 2026

“Fresh?” Marc asked.

He hated asking, but he had to know. This would also give him insight on the size of this place.

“A few dead Krauts, there’s little left of them but bones. I found belt buckles from the regiment that made the initial push to our new lines,” Murphy said before taking a break. “Some… fresh ones… appear to be from our lines. Those that went over the top.”

In the distance there was a stray burst of gunfire, the first he heard since y.talking with his second. I think we made a dent in their numbers today.

a surreal and vibrant cinematic photo of several gangly humanoid creatures with elongated limbs and emaciated bodies lying dead on the damp earthy ground within the confines of a dimly lit underground mine with old wooden beams and dusty mining equipment scattered around, their clothing tattered and worn, appropriate for 1915 no man's land style, with earthy tones and faded fabrics, set at night with only faint flickering lantern light illuminating the scene, surreal photography style with a photorealistic approach and a subtle film grain texture adding to the overall eerie 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.