Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 9

trench who had tried to surrender gave a great roar and charged forward, led by Fairview, still limping. The Fifth followed behind them. Within minutes, the Mippites had fallen back to within five yards of their ledge, successfully dislodged from the ground they had tried to gain.
    I quickly ascertained that all was well with my men while Fairview sent the Fifth over to support the nearly nonexistent Eighth in the left flank. Then I crawled over to where Fairview crouched in the main trench, a triumphant smile on his face. "Not enjoying this?" I said lightly.
    He gave a slight laugh as he took the water bottle I handed him. A cloud had brought a momentary mist down upon us, but the hill was still as hot as a cooking pan. "It's the first victory we've had all day. It's worth enjoying."
    Because we'll have no other. Those were his unspoken words. We both sobered. Even with the reinforcements, it seemed unlikely that we would gain any ground. Yet the one order that the Commander-in-Chief had sent to Fairview had been clear. Fairview's stance on such matters had just been made equally clear.
    "Dick," Fairview said hesitantly.
    "Yes, Alec?" I looked at him with curiosity; we rarely addressed each other by our given names.
    "Can you keep a secret?"
    I looked around. The men jammed up on either side of Fairview and me seemed little more than dead. Fairview's messenger-lad and soldier-servant were talking to each other, and my own men were back in the right flank's trench, hidden in the momentary mist. Nobody appeared to be listening to Fairview and me. "I suppose so. Why? Do you have a secret love-mate?"
    He gave a breathless laugh. "I guess you could say that. I haven't been sure— Well, I lacked the courage, I suppose—"
    It was at this moment that Doyle plopped down beside us. Of course.
    "Me and the fellows," he said in an accusing voice, "me and the fellows want to talk to you about this ."
    "Yes?" I said as patiently as I could, while Fairview buried his face in his hands.
    Doyle held up a ration biscuit and shook it in my face. "It ain't natural, and it ain't just, to make working soldiers eat stuff like this. The sailormen in our navy, they get much better rations. Oysters and the like. While us, we do digging that's near to break your back—"
    "Doyle," I said through gritted teeth, "will – you – go – away !"
    There was a pause, punctuated only by the soft whistle of wind as it sent the cloud further down onto us, softening our surroundings, blurring the rocks. Then Doyle said in a hurt voice, "I knowed you ain't wanting me."
    I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Doyle—"
    "None of the masters ever do. They hire me and they fire me . . . none of them ever like having me 'bout. I was thinking it'd be different, after you and the other master here picked me out special for this job. But it's just the same as it's always been. I know when I ain't wanted." He gave Fairview and me an injured look. He did not, however, go away.
    "Doyle." I passed my hand over my face. "There is a time and a place—"
    "Wait." Fairview, who had been listening to our conversation with a contemplative expression, grabbed my arm. "Listen."
    I listened. I heard what I'd heard a minute before: nothing. No shells, no machine rifles, no gunfire of any sort. Only the soft sound of shuffling.
    "Fix bayonets!" At once, Fairview was on his feet shouting; this was no time for sending quiet messages. "Fix bayonets, 1st Ninth! They're about to—"
    The Mippites attacked.
    CHAPTER 11
    YOU MUST HOLD ON
    Flag dispatch to the commanding officer of the Allied forces at Spy Hill at 10:30 AM, from the Commander-in-Chief:
    "I am sending two battalions, and the Fifth Light Infantry are on their way up. You must hold on to the last. No surrender."
    ****
    I would like to tell you what a trench attack is like. I would also like to tell you what it's like to be hit by a bullet. In both cases, though, the act is too swift, the pain too intense – the mind reels, the memory forgets.
    An officer has to make reports, though, so I will piece together, as best I can, the events that followed.
    Thanks to the mist, the near surrender, and Doyle's endless chatter, the Mippite soldiers were able to creep within ten yards of us. The moment they attacked, the left and right flanks began to shoot our attackers . . . but not for long. The Mippites were too close. Far too soon, the Mippites reached the main trench: Fairview and his men.
    Fairview's men were caught