“We’re sitting ducks down here,” Sergeant-Major kept saying. A nervous man for a soldier, but I didn’t say so. Instead, I maintained the legendary silence which had served me well throughout my career.
I raised my telescope and saw the dust-plume of a single horseman.
Sergeant-Major saw it too, and without a glass. “That’ll be Lord Leighton’s galloper, I expect,” he said unnecessarily.
I leaned in the saddle and glanced back at the column behind us, the glitter of harness and the immense cloud of dust raised by so many hooves.
Sergeant-Major may be nervous, I thought, but he’s right.
Ohhh, good story… want more. need more…
Yikes!
You weave a very tense tale and leave us wanting more.
-Rachel
Whats going to happen, tell us!!
Aptly named. It’s crazy how calm things are before everything goes to shit. Great story man. The tension was there and was great for carrying the story to… where we all know it goes. Keep it up man!
One should not be a sitting duck. Run away as fast as you can.
Made me think of General Custer and the battle at the Little Bighorn. Tense atmosphere, when you’re facing almost certain death.
A very descriptive scene, the tension is palpable. Well done! =)
It never seems to end well when an army is defending from the valley. You convey a mood of hopeless inevitability, even in the heart of a veteran who wants to believe in his commander.
Love the mood here, and the voice of the speaker. Such stoicism.