May 10, 2023 – willowdot21

This week’s story is sensitive so I apologize in advance ….but I feel it is a relevant story… It will conclude next week.

For visually challenged writers, the image shows battlements, a strait of water, then a large fort

Deciding to stay paddling for a while she carried on alongside the prints in the sand until the paw pints turned up the beach away from the sea. Eventually Gail came to some battlements which formed part of a large fort overlooking a strait of water.
Gail followed the paw prints up the steps to the walkway and looked to see if there was any sign of the creature who had made them .
There was a door to the right and she could not resist, she pushed it open and went inside.

It was dark cold and damp inside after the heat of the afternoon. There was a damp musty feel to the place which made her shiver. Moving forward Gail began to hum …more and more of late she’d found a good hum always lifted the spirits.
There was a door ahead of her and she reached for the handle, as she did she felt a shudder as a young man in army combats ran straight through her and out of the door hot on his heels was a dog. The young man left the door ajar and so Gail followed him into the sun……. But it wasn’t sun it was snowing and it was night. Gail looked along the pathway edged by the fortifications and saw the young man just up ahead , he had a Labrador on a lead. Looking at his uniform Gail could see he was equipped for dessert combat and the dog had a stab proof vest on similar to the soldier’s body armour.
He turned in her direction and that was when he saw her!

“Hello” he said, “do you know where we are “
“Well not really but I was on a beach in England on a hot sunny afternoon when I followed what I assume was your dogs paw prints in the sand” Gail stopped to see if the young soldier had anything to say but he just stood still looking at her. “I followed the prints through from the otherside of that tunnel” she said pointing to the door behind them.
Suddenly he found his voice and he smiled at her. ” Well I was in Hellmand province we were travelling through a village when a man ran out into the road carrying an injured child.” He stopped and rubbed his side and then stroked the dog, “that’s so strange” he said.
“What is?” Asked Gail.
“Well, err, no let’s stick to the facts for now. We stopped and our interpreter Rashid jumped down to speak to the guy. I got this feeling that things were not right so I got out of the armoured car and walked up the road to see what was occurring!” … suddenly he sat down on the pathway and the dog nuzzled him. “Sam, here follows me everywhere, he’s a very clever dog his job is to sniff out explosives.”
Gail walked across and sat down next to the soldier. “So this is Sam” she said stroking the platinum Lab, who licked her and wagged his tail. “I am Gail ,so who are you?”
“I’m sorry where are my manners my name is Paul and I am so confused. I was in Hellmand and now I am here.”
Gail smiled and said “well if you continue your story we might work out what is happening to you.”
“Yes! I walked up the road towards the two men and the child in arms with Sam at my heels. As I got close Rashid signaled to me to stop. He turned towards me and signalled danger. Sam suddenly moved forward and I could tell he was sensing explosives . I signalled back to the others to withdraw then I shouted to Rashid and asked was there a problem. As the vehicles moved back Sam and I joined Rashid. I went forward and put my arms out to take the child. Just then Sam lay down at the man’s feet , I screamed at Rachid to run! “
Paul stopped and fought to catch his breath. Gail put a reassuring hand on his chest and gently asked him to carry on.
Paul shuddered then continued. ” All hell let loose, the man threw the child, which I could now see was a bundle of rags, to the ground and I saw the suicide vest he was wearing, he looked me in the eyes, Gail, and I knew we were dead. I felt Rachid run past me and I prayed that he could get far enough away from the blast to survive.”
Taking another deep breath Paul, continued. ” The man and I held eye contact for at least a minute I saw he had the trigger device in his hand I willed him not to active it …… One of the guys back at the convoy obviously had a clear shot and I felt the bullet whistle past me, too late because he’d triggered the the device and the whole world exploded. I remember flying and hearing Sam cry out too. Then we were falling fast then thud into black nothingness. I felt like I was lost in a blizzard “
Gail looked at Paul and Sam and she felt tears burning in her eyes.
Paul stood up and looked out to sea then he turned to Gail who was sitting with Sam’s head on her lap and said “I am dead aren’t I, and Sam too, we were blown to pieces weren’t we? Where are we and what happens next?”
Gail looked at Paul and said, ” I am not sure where we are but I am pretty sure that I am here to get you and Sam to where you are meant to be. “
Paul looked at Gail and said, I am scared, I am so grateful that you are here but I feel I have to stay here until I know what happened to Rashid and the others in the convoy .”

Back at the house an alarm was going off in the lab Merlin was in the library looking at star charts while Morgarna had just jump back from Saturday’s Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool… Looking a tad dusty.
“What’s that alarm for Merls isn’t it the one you fitted to Gail to let us know if she got into problems?”
Merlin was by her side immediately, ” it is lets see what the problem is.”

Morgarna landed at the fort and went through the tunnel out into the snow and the night. She found Gail, Paul and Sam looking out to sea.
“Morgarna” Gail was supprised to see her standing there. ” What are you doing here?”
“Merlin and I picked up your alarm… We all have one so who ever is back at the house can make sure we are okay.”
“I didn’t know that “
” Well it’s a good job we do your stress readings were off the scale my girl. Right cigarette anyone, and I have whiskey and lemonade. I have been back to Hellmand province 2007 and I found out exactly what happened. Paul , are you ready to hear the outcome? …….

THIS IS OF K.L.Caley’s #writephoto: Fort.