Hubbard, L. Ron by Final Blackout

Author:Final Blackout
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2011-11-01T00:30:12+00:00

The barracks had originally been intended to accommodate a thousand men and so there was ample room for two hundred and eight. But for all that the place was damp and gloomy and, to soldiers who had begun to depend upon mobility rather than barricade for protection, it was too near from wall to wall and, compared with the sky, too close from ceiling to floor.

A silence fell upon the Fourth Brigade as they went about preparing their abiding place. For the first few minutes they feverishly got things in order and then, that accomplished, they touched up themselves. But more and more as the hours passed, they glanced inquiringly toward the door. Two or three times false word came that the lieutenant had arrived and there was a scurry of activity to make certain everything was all right. They supposed, naturally, that General Victor would accompany the lieutenant upon this inspection and, above all things, they did not want to disgrace their officer.

Bulger put dinner off and off until everyone was fairly starving, for he did not want to have the place messed up with food and smoke. Finally Pollard gave the word and Bulger's two scarecrows broke up some desks and benches to build a fire under the air outlet. There was another burst of activity to get supper through and cleared away before the inspection should come. And then, once more, they relapsed into waiting.

Little by little the tension died from them. They felt empty and neglected.

They did not even know the time, for they no longer had the sky. A mild attack of claustrophobia was creeping over each of them.

In short, their morale was slipping. As long as they could remember, they had had the lieutenant in sight or alarm distance, and now that they did not know where he was, they felt nervous. What if something should happen? Of course, they knew nothing could happen, but still¯

"An enemy command over that ridge, sir. About three hundred and fifty and machine guns."

"Weasel! Scout the position. Pollard, make sure we can march in ten minutes. Bulger, apportion those supplies. Carstone, are your guns in condition? Good. Stand by."

"Sir, there's damn near a regiment in that town."

"Pollard! Stand ready to feint a front attack. Hanley! Prepare to take cover on the right. Toutou! Your outfit take cover on the left. Carstone!

Make ready an ambush. When Pollard sucks them out, roll up their flanks, cut their retreat and give Carstone his chance!'

Yes, what if something should happen?

What if something had happened?

Gian went over his artillery again and wiped away some mythical dust and gave his men seven brands of Hades if they slipped up again.

"What you think, Gian?" said Toutou.

"How can I know what to think? These staff officers!"

"The sun's down. At least, those helios aren't working."

"He said he'd be back," said Gian.

"But he hasn't come back," said Toutou.

They wandered away from each other.

"Maybe he got sick all of a sudden," said Weasel. "Maybe he got sick and we weren't there!"

"Maybe they fed him some poison," said Bulger.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.