Man at War – Excerpt No. 57

6 November 2025

To get everything out in the open, Marc reached for the photograph and handed it to Murphy. The man hesitated for a moment, but took it with his shaking hands and secured it using his thumb and forefinger.

Seeing Evelyn in all her splendor actually made the battle hardened Sergeant more uncomfortable. Marc made a note to include that detail in his correspondence to her when he had the opportunity. She’ll love it.

“She’s beautiful,” Murphy managed to say after gulping.

a cinematic black and white photo of a British colonel in his late twenties with a strong jawline and piercing blue eyes sitting at a worn wooden desk writing a letter with a fountain pen, his uniform adorned with medals and a pocket watch chain, on the writing desk there's a framed picture of a black haired woman with bright green eyes and a gentle smile, the room is dimly lit with a single candle flame casting a warm glow, the walls are lined with old bookshelves and a large map of the western front, the period is 1915 and the atmosphere is one of melancholy and longing, the photography style is reminiscent of old film noir.

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.