War Stories 9

by Kieran Richards

“Kath, Holly, they’re back. The platoon’s back!” Anton yelled as he sprinted down trenches skidding to a holt as he got to Kath’s quarters.

“What did you say!?!” Kath stuck her head round the door trying badly to hide that she had no clothes on.

“They’re back Kath. The squad are back!”

“The squad are back!” Holly poked her head round the door under Kath.

“Should we go out and greet them?” Kath asked with a yelp as Holly proceeded to suck her nipple.

“I don’t think you’re in a fit position to do so. I think I’ll go alone.” Anton made to walk off when Kath grabbed his arm.

“Don’t get shot will you?” Kath let him go and she and Holly went back to their fucking.

“Anton, are the other two still around?” Cassandra ran out to greet him.

“They’re in the trenches. So how did you lot come to turn back this way?”

“I convinced the commander to turn back since you three weren’t with us.” Cassandra hugged Anton round the neck making him groan. “I kind of missed you.”

“I never thought someone would tell me that, not since the first charge.” He stared off into the destroyed distance. “Anyway shouldn’t we be going to the trenches.” Anton and Cassandra headed back to the trench with the squad behind them.

“Hi everyone,” Kath shouted as Anton and Cassandra entered the trench.

“I see you haven’t got your underwear on.”

“How could you tell?” Kath asked putting her hand to her chest.

“The top button of your trousers isn’t done up. Neither is your fly.”

“Oh shit!” She turned around and sorted her trousers out.

“Finally. We’re all in the same place again!” Holly said as she, Anton, Kath and Cassandra sat down at a table in the mess.

“Yes. I was nearly killed four times,” Anton said sighing.

“I thought it was twice, When did the other two come in?” Kath said.

“The two times you were beating me around.”

“That’s not fair. I hardly hit you.”

“You jumped off the side of the trench and kicked me in the head!”

“Only once!” they continued to argue until it broke into a slap fight.

“Will you two let it drop!?! Seriously you’re acting like a pair of school children.” Holly intervened.

“Primary school or secondary school?” Anton asked earning him a punch in the face with Cassandra laughing.

“I never thought anyone could be so literal about that.” Cassandra was close to weeping.

“Welcome to my world.” Kath sighed and looked down. “Do you remember the start of all this?” she said to the whole table.

“A bit too well for my liking.” Cassandra’s laughing stopped just as suddenly as it had come. “I never thought even the pope could say that.”

It first began seven years before when the pope made one of the most important speeches the world has ever known. He claimed that homosexuality was one of the largest sins possible to be committed. In the same speech he brought the death of people who thought contraception was a good thing and the deaths of many other religious peoples. He was seen as one of the most powerful dictators the world had ever seen. Many people became Catholic to avoid death. He condemned over three billion innocent people to death. Some say he will roast in the deepest part of hell that is reserved only for those of the likes of Hitler and Stalin. Others say that he will sit on God’s shoulder with Jesus. But people like Anton and Kath say he will just die and it’s the fault of the people that listened to him that will go to any sort of hell. The origin of this war was at the Vatican in the year 2012.

“If anyone has any thoughts in their heads there won’t be another pope or at least one who doesn’t want to bring the deaths of several billion people,” Anton snarled, “and I would like it if people don’t bring that up again.”

“Kate’s reaction when we saw that on the news was rather strange,” Kath said looking down at the bench.

“That is one reason why it hurt me so badly when she tried to kill you.”

“May I just put in, who the hell is Kate?” Cassandra broke the extreme wood staring.

“Long story rather not talk about,” Anton said like an answering machine.

“She was a friend of theirs and Anton had to shoot her.” Holly whispered conspiratorially.

“Oh,” Cassandra nodded as she stood up and left with Holly close on her tail leaving Anton and Kath staring at the table.

“Everyone get ready to evacuate. They’re about to try a final charge!” the commander screamed at everyone in the trenches. Kath, Anton, Cassandra and Holly were the last to get out in the middle of an artillery barrage.

“We were back for one day, one fucking day!” Cassandra yelled as they got into a crater.

“We’re too late!” Anton yelled just as they saw the shape of several men running toward them.

“Anton I know you’re there!” a man yelled coming out of the dust. “It’s over for you brother!”

“Oh God no.” Anton turned wide eyed to the shape.

“Anton what is going on?” Kath asked suddenly worried.

“Please no anyone but him.” Anton was nearly in tears.

“We have to go!” Kath tugged at him trying to get him to move.

“No!” his head snapped round to look Kath in the eye. “If he is here than even if we run he will hunt us down. That is why he is here. He wants me dead. He won’t stop until one of us lies dead!” he pulled away from Kath and began to walk towards the figure emerging from the dust.

“Anton no, I can’t lose you too!” Kath screamed and ran after him. Caught him and spat him round to face her.

“Run Kath, run. No matter what happens you have to protect people, people like Holly and Cassandra. This is something I have to do.” He turned and walked up and out of the crater as Holly and Cassandra grabbed Kath and held her back. Anton drew the sword on his belt and walked up to the now clear figure. Kath finally began to run as another hail of artillery fire hit their position. She looked momentarily to see the two brother’s swords clash as an artillery hit right next to them leaving a distinctly pinkish red haze.

Later when the squad stopped at a town, Kath found a sharpened piece of bone in her thigh. She clutched it tightly and cried for Anton and all he had done for her.

Three years later...

“Kath I’m home!” Holly walked through the door of their new house and Kath came down the stairs to greet her. “Oh Kath are you still wearing that old thing?” Holly indicated to the pendant around Kath’s neck that was made up of a piece of string holding a small piece of bone. “I thought I told you to throw it out?”

“Maybe you’re right. Maybe I should stop living in the past.” And with that she unfastened it and dropped it in a nearby bin never to see it again.