Man at War – Excerpt No. 243

11 May 2026

“Here you go,” the Lieutenant said. “I’m not sure he’ll drink.”

“Having a tough time?” Marc asked.

“We are administering sulpha,” the nursing sister said. “He’s not responding.”

That was no surprise because this was not an infection. Ghouls in his mind were not of nature and as a result nor was his ailment.

He filled the glass halfway while leveraging his blood bond to rouse the soldier awake. Even that had little effect, but the soldier managed to open his eyes momentarily.

Highly detailed cinematic scene set inside a dimly lit canvas ward tent at a British Casualty Clearing Station during the Great War in 1915. A distinguished British Colonel named Marc stands at the bedside of a severely wounded soldier lying in a simple cot. The Colonel is holding a glass of water that is now filled halfway, carefully helping the soldier drink. He has just used a subtle vampiric blood bond to rouse the unconscious man, who is now barely opening his eyes in response. Nearby stands a young Canadian Bluebird nurse, a brunette with lively steel-grey eyes and a mischievous grin, holding a gleaming stainless-steel pitcher. She wears the standard dark blue uniform dress with white apron and starched white veil. The nurse has just handed the pitcher over and is watching the interaction with quiet concern, commenting that they are administering sulpha but the soldier is not responding. Soft, moody lamplight casts dramatic shadows across the scene. Background shows rows of cots with other wounded soldiers, medical equipment, faint blood stains, and the muddy war-torn atmosphere visible through the tent flaps. Historical accuracy with subtle supernatural tension, realistic yet slightly stylized, intimate focus on the Colonel helping the wounded soldier drink while the nurse observes. Clothing and settings appropriate for 1915.

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.