Man at War – Excerpt No. 69

He moved the rest of his men closer to the spire. This way they controlled both the front and rear of the church, giving them full coverage of potential exits without being in each other’s line of fire.

At the seven minute mark they heard distant gunfire. While everyone had a trench club and were issued pistols, two also carried shotguns for close quarters fighting. The rest used their standard issue rifle with bayonets. That was definitely a trench gun.

Everyone brought their weapons to the ready, and sure enough in the distance they spotted an orange glow. As soon as the source came into focus a rifleman fired off a shot and extinguished the light.

a cinematic colour photo of armed British soldiers in a defensive position near a ruined church with crumbling stone walls and shattered stained glass windows looking for threats under the faint moonlight, their uniforms and gear are appropriate for the Great War era, with worn trench coats, sturdy helmets, and vintage rifles, set at night with a dark blue sky and stars twinkling above, the photography style is dramatic and intense, capturing the tension and uncertainty of war, with deep shadows and rich textures, the soldiers' facial features are rugged and weary, with a mix of fear and determination in their eyes, their skin colour is pale and exhausted from the prolonged conflict.

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.