Man at War – Excerpt No. 263

31 May 2026

The three privates sighed in relief, before each one said, “Sir,” before heading towards the headquarters.

Marc smiled at his second, then looked over his shoulder. They had the time to get there and back, but their walk back would not be a leisurely way, unless they picked up the pace.

“You up for a brisk march?” Marc asked.

Aelred smirked and mumbled something to himself. Neither Marc nor Murphy had any idea what he said because that language died out centuries ago.

“Let’s go,” Marc said before using his vampiric strength to jump over the wall.

Three British officers in World War I uniforms run directly toward the viewer across a devastated battlefield at night. The central officer, wearing a side cap and mustache, leads the charge with a determined expression, flanked by two other officers also in motion. A bright full moon illuminates the dark, rubble-strewn landscape. The black-and-white image has a vintage photographic border.

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.