Man at War – Excerpt No. 68

The remainder formed an all around defensive perimeter and waited. Murphy pulled out his pocket watch. The crescent moon made it a challenge, but he noted their arrival on station.

At this time of night sounds carried, and he picked up the constant ticking as though the watch was against his ear. In the background he heard the men moving deeper into the church.

He dispatched two more teams. They would circle the outer perimeter of the church, and establish a position on the side facing the cemetery. After one minute, a hatch was pulled open from within the church. Let’s flush them out.

a cinematic colour photograph of armed British soldiers dressed in World War I uniforms forming a perimeter around a heavily damaged church at nighttime, with warm golden lighting casting long shadows across the soldiers' determined faces, their rifles at the ready, set against a dark sky with faint stars twinkling in the background, the church's stone walls cracked and worn, its stained glass windows shattered, and the soldiers' clothing and gear meticulously detailed, including their helmets, boots, and ammunition belts, with a mix of concerned and resolute expressions on their faces, showcasing a moment of high tension and drama.

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.