Black Hand Gang by Pat Kelleher

Author:Pat Kelleher
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Horror
Publisher: Abaddon Books
Published: 2011-08-15T23:15:42.942040+00:00

Everson realised that Jeffries was playing a dangerous game over this Evans incident. Since the repeal of flogging, the British Army had to resort to other imaginative forms of corporal punishment. Field Punishment Number One consisted of the convicted man being lashed to a fixed post or gun wheel for two to three hours a day without food or water, often deliberately in range of enemy fire. Asserting authority and discipline was one thing, but there was no telling how the men might respond to the brutal and public punishment out here. Separated from their home, their loved ones and now their planet, the trenches were a powder keg right now. The men were discontented, fractious. The last thing they needed was a reason to riot.

Everson entered the small dugout that was being used as a guardroom. "That was a damn foolish thing you did, Evans, bloody irresponsible!" he said, sitting down on the bunk bedside him. He pulled a hip flask from inside his tunic.

"A drop of the real stuff?" asked Mercy, meekly.

"You should know," said Everson as he unscrewed the cap and passed the flask to Evans. Evans took a slug.

"Aaah." He wiped his lips on his sleeve and passed it back. "Gilbert the Filbert's really got in for me hasn't he, sir?"

"Oh, believe you me; he's like that with everyone. No quarter given, but you bloody well asked for it. I warned you. What the hell did you think you were doing?"

"I didn't know the damn stuff made you see things and worse, sir, I swear! I didn't mean any harm. Those poor lads. It was only meant to warm the cockles and raise morale a bit."

"Damn it, Evans, There's a whole world out that that's trying to kill us. I don't need to worry about my own men doing it as well!"

Mercy lowered his eyes.

"This has got to be done, Evans. Discipline is important. Sometimes I think it's all that's keeping us together at the moment. If things go too far, I fear the men might mutiny and there are precious few officers to maintain order. If the men took it into their heads there's nothing we could do to stop them."

"Won't come to that, sir."

"How can you be so sure? No officer has the answers. I don't know where we are, or how. But I have to believe we'll get back. I have to. Because without that, without hope, then it all falls apart."

"The men know that too sir. Right now, they can grouse about the officers all they want but they know that if they usurp them, they'll have to fend for themselves. To put it bluntly sir, they don't want the responsibility. That and the fact, with the exception of Captain Grantham, you're all front line officers. If you weren't it might be a different story. But the men know you sir. They trust you."

"Well that's something I suppose," sighed Everson. "Can you take it, Evans?"

"Sir?"

"The punishment?"

"Had worse, sir," Evans said stoically.

Everson let a smile play briefly on his lips as he stood up, before scowling.

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