jim_pollock
08-24-2008, 12:42 AM
am new here and new to short story writting. would like to hear any feed back at all .thanks . :D
on a night that could be described as nothing more than crisp , a dry Irish autumn evening with ice that felt like it hung in the air ready to cut you in two at any moment.a young man of small stocky build herded the sheep down the valley road between the two slops of fields covered in mountain heather topped with the setting frost of the night to come. He rubbed his hands and cursed his brother once again for not being home on time , he couldn't care if he had to work the double shift.
it was Wednesday night and by rite he should be sitting in front of the fire , but his damming thoughts of his brother were interrupted when he noticed the sheep had started to steer off course going to investigate he saw just why. above him on the road came a lorry. as it got closer he realised that it wasn't any lorry but a lorry full of British soldiers and not any soldiers but black and tans.
With a reputation of carnage and murder mostly ex convicts they were feared by all apart from the simple. this sent shivers down his spine , he had run ins before with these soldiers and knew they weren't going to make his life easy on this bitter cold night. As the lorry came to a screeching stop, he thought to himself "i wish my brother was here he always knew how to deal with them" . he tried to put on a brave face he when hearing the accent, the rough and hard English accent shouting at him from the lorry"move the ****ing sheep or we will move them for you " he knew what this meant , and as he franticly tried to get the sheep to move around the lorry they just wouldn't , ignoring all his commands adding to the growing frustration of the soldiers.
that's when he caught a glimpse of the menacing eyes peering out at him from the back of the lorry , as the man's face came into the light he let a roar out of him that although the accent was unrecognisable to him he knew the solider was in bad mood. A man standing at over six foot leaped out of the lorry telling his fellow soldiers "am sick of this ****ing country we had it easier in jail" his army issued boots hit the ground at a terrible speed causing the sheep to run in all directions , this soldiers eyes pierced the young Irish man, he had a manner that could have only be described as psychopathic ,created from a life of abuse or rejection, his voice hollow, only a grin came across his face when he once again told the boy to "move the sheep or ...... " at this the boy noticed that a few more soldiers joined him , laughing in encouragement "on go Philip do him , teach the fenian simpleton a lesson"
he needed no more encouragement he lifted the end of his riffle and met the boys face with a crushing blow .the boy was in agony trying to crawl to safety on his stomach he hears the voice “come here were not done” . dragging the boy back wards him he flips him around and those heavy army boots rained down the boys head faster than they ,met the ground when he jumped out of the lorry . as the boy drifted in and out of conciseness he herd the laughter and mocking , he quietly muttered his prayers in gealic believing this was his last minutes on this earth he couldn't care if the soldiers herd him speak Irish. he had resigned himself to death.
from the purple hills of heather came a sharp,strange but fimialr noise it was an I.R.A flying column, men who roamed the hills of the countryside waiting and ready to engage the enemy whenever the chance arose. they were watching the whole thing although they were going to ambush the British patrol they were waiting to the army sent the boy on his way before firing but one man on the hill couldn't control his temper , while having to sit there and witness this evil his rage broke and he fired . "what the **** are you doing Sean ? " shouting the commander of the flying column "that's my brother there killing !" came the reply . at this stage a full out battle had begun the man's shoots had commenced the ambush permanently but the rest had no option but to join in now. on the road the black and tans ran to there riffles only the solider with the evil glint in his eyes had his riffle with him , as the rest jumped into the lorry to get there guns the abuse had already claimed a few lives. the solider lay in the ditch firing back up the hill ,he was soon joined by two other soldiers they couldn't get a clear shot but that was it , when they turned around to see why there was no other firing going up the hill they saw the lorry back off at speed , "get back , for **** sake get back"
the men in the lorry panicked and ran. I.R.A flying column stories of killing whole lorry loads of soldiers were famous and the men decided they weren't going to become another story of I.R.A success . the lorry sped off and left on the road were three black and tans and a motionless body of the boy.
the three soldiers stuck in this situation all decided without saying a word to each other that running would be the best option rather than waiting to be picked off one by one by the fly column who were just sitting above them , as the soldiers crawled off further down the ditch the frost was numbing there hands and the stinging nettles there face they crawled until the shouts in the distance became more and more faint.
"Philip you have done it now !" “me ? " “yeah you Philip” scorned the solider franticly scrabbling behind Philip. “look it will be o.k. , we will find somewhere to get our heads down tonight and make tracks back into town tomorrow” but not even Philip sounded too convinced .
The soldiers felt it safe enough now to leave the ditch and started a trek throw the fields. By now it was getting dark ,in the middle of the country with no street lights the soldiers were finding it hard to see , there was mist full of the frost starting to fall and in the distance the soldiers could make out only a flickering light. They followed this light , it led them to a cottage , the cottage was run down but there were lights on and smoke from the chimney , they decided they would hold who ever was inside hostage till the morning and leave at first light , they creped up to the house one solider warned in a whisper “Philip no messing, you have done enough tonight “ as they got closer to the house they picked up speed kicking in the stable style door they found the cottage to be empty,the fire dying and a lit candle sitting on the kitchen table , apart form that there wasn't much more in the cottage , apart from a stench. “smells like a dead body in here “ the youngest solider complained, “better smelling dead than being dead” replied Philip.
The soldiers arranged themselves so one covered the front door, one the back and one on the windows they expected the occupant of the house back any time and didn't want them raising any alarm of their were a bouts. As the night went on no one came back to house and Philip started to dose off , that was until he felt his jacket being tugged he jumped from his half conscience state just in time to see someone run out the door of the room towards the back door “ what you want” shouted Philip he got confused response from the other two “ what you mean ? “ and “are you talking to me ?” “am talking to who ever was in here” Philip wasn't a man to be messed with so the two men didn't reply hoping he wouldn't come out no matter what nonsense he was chatting they didn't want to tell him he could be imaging things.
The house was dead still , only the occasional gust of wind from the chimney would disturb the silence. It was pitch black outside as Philip lit a cigarette he looked out the window its the same window he was looking out all night but when he raised his head from the lilting the cigarette he saw something wrote on the condensation of the window “I am Seamus” it read , as Philip reached out to scrub it out the candle ended and a loud moan filled the house “ what was that ? “ the soldiers were terrified, it was a sound out of this world more a noise of animal than human but lasted so long the soldiers all ended up in the same room staring at each other then it came to a sudden stop . The youngest solider started to giggle , “what the **** do you find funny boy” snapped Philip . “I am Seamus “ replied the young solider , “I am Seamus “ but the young soldiers facial expression matched that of the other two, total fear . The young solider was waving his hands and pointing to his throat as if to explain it wasn't him but another force using his voice and body .
“that's ****ing enough” squealed Philip at that the young soldiers body tightened and loosened in a spilt second tears streamed down his face . “am getting out of here “ said the young solider but no sooner the words left his mouth , he turned and screamed “no your not !”in Philips face. Philip snapped again this time producing a knife , “stop messing, stop it or I will slit your throat” the young solider encouraged him “go on , go on do it. Coward” Philip had the knife to the young soldiers throat and couldn't take any more of his taunting with one slop he cut the soldiers throat the body collapsed to the floor in a heap , unable to see the floor the other man dived down grabbing the solider in his lap whisper something in the young solider ear “ what you saying “ Philip questioned . “Am ask for your forgiveness Philip “ “well he's dead now “ replied Philip . Moving back to the window Philip ordered the other solider back to the door “and take him with you “.The solider dragged the life less body with him propping him up against the wall take to catch his own breath but Philip snapped “now!”
the night seemed endless but quiet it seemed the young soldiers practical joke was just that, a joke. Light just began to creep above the hills when Philip herd a muttering coming form the hall he went to investigate and found the solider kneeing over the dead body of the boy rocking back a forth speaking not English but what can only be described as gibberish mixed with laughter and tears . Philip stood there for while just watching, the other solider had no idea he was there until Philip shuffled his feet closer at this the solider looked up .Philip quickly drew his gun and shot the man in the head , he screamed at him after the shot “ why ! Why you have to scare me like that !” screaming at the dead body he asked “how did you face get like that ?” now Philip stood n the house at his feet two of his own soldiers lay dead.
The sun was up and a search party was at the scene of the ambush only thing remaining was the blood stains were the boy lay the previous night . The army searched the valley and ditch's they came across a field with footprints stamped in to the long grass. Along with the soldiers was the general smartly dressed and spit polished shoes he looked awkward about the thought of having to trek threw fields , he commanded the closest two soldiers to him “ follow them prints see if we can find these men before we ourselves come under attack “ the two soldiers obeyed and quickly jumped into the field and followed the tracks they reached the top of the filed when one points and shouts “look there's something in the next field” “well go check if its them” barked the general. The two soldiers ran across the field getting closer they could make out that it was a tree. A tree standing on its own with nothing but fields around it for as far as the eye cold see. A fairy ring as the locals called them, trees that grew in the middle of the field , the locals believed if they removed them they would upset the fairies so instead the framers worked around the tree, old Celtic mythology that was lost on the English soldiers but when they reached the tree they found the dead bodies of the two soldiers and hanging from the tree above was Philip, the bodies were mutilated and carved into the tree and on the chests of the soldiers was “ I am Seamus ” over and over again .
The two soliders immediately reported back to the general that they found Philip and the other two dead ,describing what they found the general replied “he must have lost his mind with guilt”
j.pollock.
on a night that could be described as nothing more than crisp , a dry Irish autumn evening with ice that felt like it hung in the air ready to cut you in two at any moment.a young man of small stocky build herded the sheep down the valley road between the two slops of fields covered in mountain heather topped with the setting frost of the night to come. He rubbed his hands and cursed his brother once again for not being home on time , he couldn't care if he had to work the double shift.
it was Wednesday night and by rite he should be sitting in front of the fire , but his damming thoughts of his brother were interrupted when he noticed the sheep had started to steer off course going to investigate he saw just why. above him on the road came a lorry. as it got closer he realised that it wasn't any lorry but a lorry full of British soldiers and not any soldiers but black and tans.
With a reputation of carnage and murder mostly ex convicts they were feared by all apart from the simple. this sent shivers down his spine , he had run ins before with these soldiers and knew they weren't going to make his life easy on this bitter cold night. As the lorry came to a screeching stop, he thought to himself "i wish my brother was here he always knew how to deal with them" . he tried to put on a brave face he when hearing the accent, the rough and hard English accent shouting at him from the lorry"move the ****ing sheep or we will move them for you " he knew what this meant , and as he franticly tried to get the sheep to move around the lorry they just wouldn't , ignoring all his commands adding to the growing frustration of the soldiers.
that's when he caught a glimpse of the menacing eyes peering out at him from the back of the lorry , as the man's face came into the light he let a roar out of him that although the accent was unrecognisable to him he knew the solider was in bad mood. A man standing at over six foot leaped out of the lorry telling his fellow soldiers "am sick of this ****ing country we had it easier in jail" his army issued boots hit the ground at a terrible speed causing the sheep to run in all directions , this soldiers eyes pierced the young Irish man, he had a manner that could have only be described as psychopathic ,created from a life of abuse or rejection, his voice hollow, only a grin came across his face when he once again told the boy to "move the sheep or ...... " at this the boy noticed that a few more soldiers joined him , laughing in encouragement "on go Philip do him , teach the fenian simpleton a lesson"
he needed no more encouragement he lifted the end of his riffle and met the boys face with a crushing blow .the boy was in agony trying to crawl to safety on his stomach he hears the voice “come here were not done” . dragging the boy back wards him he flips him around and those heavy army boots rained down the boys head faster than they ,met the ground when he jumped out of the lorry . as the boy drifted in and out of conciseness he herd the laughter and mocking , he quietly muttered his prayers in gealic believing this was his last minutes on this earth he couldn't care if the soldiers herd him speak Irish. he had resigned himself to death.
from the purple hills of heather came a sharp,strange but fimialr noise it was an I.R.A flying column, men who roamed the hills of the countryside waiting and ready to engage the enemy whenever the chance arose. they were watching the whole thing although they were going to ambush the British patrol they were waiting to the army sent the boy on his way before firing but one man on the hill couldn't control his temper , while having to sit there and witness this evil his rage broke and he fired . "what the **** are you doing Sean ? " shouting the commander of the flying column "that's my brother there killing !" came the reply . at this stage a full out battle had begun the man's shoots had commenced the ambush permanently but the rest had no option but to join in now. on the road the black and tans ran to there riffles only the solider with the evil glint in his eyes had his riffle with him , as the rest jumped into the lorry to get there guns the abuse had already claimed a few lives. the solider lay in the ditch firing back up the hill ,he was soon joined by two other soldiers they couldn't get a clear shot but that was it , when they turned around to see why there was no other firing going up the hill they saw the lorry back off at speed , "get back , for **** sake get back"
the men in the lorry panicked and ran. I.R.A flying column stories of killing whole lorry loads of soldiers were famous and the men decided they weren't going to become another story of I.R.A success . the lorry sped off and left on the road were three black and tans and a motionless body of the boy.
the three soldiers stuck in this situation all decided without saying a word to each other that running would be the best option rather than waiting to be picked off one by one by the fly column who were just sitting above them , as the soldiers crawled off further down the ditch the frost was numbing there hands and the stinging nettles there face they crawled until the shouts in the distance became more and more faint.
"Philip you have done it now !" “me ? " “yeah you Philip” scorned the solider franticly scrabbling behind Philip. “look it will be o.k. , we will find somewhere to get our heads down tonight and make tracks back into town tomorrow” but not even Philip sounded too convinced .
The soldiers felt it safe enough now to leave the ditch and started a trek throw the fields. By now it was getting dark ,in the middle of the country with no street lights the soldiers were finding it hard to see , there was mist full of the frost starting to fall and in the distance the soldiers could make out only a flickering light. They followed this light , it led them to a cottage , the cottage was run down but there were lights on and smoke from the chimney , they decided they would hold who ever was inside hostage till the morning and leave at first light , they creped up to the house one solider warned in a whisper “Philip no messing, you have done enough tonight “ as they got closer to the house they picked up speed kicking in the stable style door they found the cottage to be empty,the fire dying and a lit candle sitting on the kitchen table , apart form that there wasn't much more in the cottage , apart from a stench. “smells like a dead body in here “ the youngest solider complained, “better smelling dead than being dead” replied Philip.
The soldiers arranged themselves so one covered the front door, one the back and one on the windows they expected the occupant of the house back any time and didn't want them raising any alarm of their were a bouts. As the night went on no one came back to house and Philip started to dose off , that was until he felt his jacket being tugged he jumped from his half conscience state just in time to see someone run out the door of the room towards the back door “ what you want” shouted Philip he got confused response from the other two “ what you mean ? “ and “are you talking to me ?” “am talking to who ever was in here” Philip wasn't a man to be messed with so the two men didn't reply hoping he wouldn't come out no matter what nonsense he was chatting they didn't want to tell him he could be imaging things.
The house was dead still , only the occasional gust of wind from the chimney would disturb the silence. It was pitch black outside as Philip lit a cigarette he looked out the window its the same window he was looking out all night but when he raised his head from the lilting the cigarette he saw something wrote on the condensation of the window “I am Seamus” it read , as Philip reached out to scrub it out the candle ended and a loud moan filled the house “ what was that ? “ the soldiers were terrified, it was a sound out of this world more a noise of animal than human but lasted so long the soldiers all ended up in the same room staring at each other then it came to a sudden stop . The youngest solider started to giggle , “what the **** do you find funny boy” snapped Philip . “I am Seamus “ replied the young solider , “I am Seamus “ but the young soldiers facial expression matched that of the other two, total fear . The young solider was waving his hands and pointing to his throat as if to explain it wasn't him but another force using his voice and body .
“that's ****ing enough” squealed Philip at that the young soldiers body tightened and loosened in a spilt second tears streamed down his face . “am getting out of here “ said the young solider but no sooner the words left his mouth , he turned and screamed “no your not !”in Philips face. Philip snapped again this time producing a knife , “stop messing, stop it or I will slit your throat” the young solider encouraged him “go on , go on do it. Coward” Philip had the knife to the young soldiers throat and couldn't take any more of his taunting with one slop he cut the soldiers throat the body collapsed to the floor in a heap , unable to see the floor the other man dived down grabbing the solider in his lap whisper something in the young solider ear “ what you saying “ Philip questioned . “Am ask for your forgiveness Philip “ “well he's dead now “ replied Philip . Moving back to the window Philip ordered the other solider back to the door “and take him with you “.The solider dragged the life less body with him propping him up against the wall take to catch his own breath but Philip snapped “now!”
the night seemed endless but quiet it seemed the young soldiers practical joke was just that, a joke. Light just began to creep above the hills when Philip herd a muttering coming form the hall he went to investigate and found the solider kneeing over the dead body of the boy rocking back a forth speaking not English but what can only be described as gibberish mixed with laughter and tears . Philip stood there for while just watching, the other solider had no idea he was there until Philip shuffled his feet closer at this the solider looked up .Philip quickly drew his gun and shot the man in the head , he screamed at him after the shot “ why ! Why you have to scare me like that !” screaming at the dead body he asked “how did you face get like that ?” now Philip stood n the house at his feet two of his own soldiers lay dead.
The sun was up and a search party was at the scene of the ambush only thing remaining was the blood stains were the boy lay the previous night . The army searched the valley and ditch's they came across a field with footprints stamped in to the long grass. Along with the soldiers was the general smartly dressed and spit polished shoes he looked awkward about the thought of having to trek threw fields , he commanded the closest two soldiers to him “ follow them prints see if we can find these men before we ourselves come under attack “ the two soldiers obeyed and quickly jumped into the field and followed the tracks they reached the top of the filed when one points and shouts “look there's something in the next field” “well go check if its them” barked the general. The two soldiers ran across the field getting closer they could make out that it was a tree. A tree standing on its own with nothing but fields around it for as far as the eye cold see. A fairy ring as the locals called them, trees that grew in the middle of the field , the locals believed if they removed them they would upset the fairies so instead the framers worked around the tree, old Celtic mythology that was lost on the English soldiers but when they reached the tree they found the dead bodies of the two soldiers and hanging from the tree above was Philip, the bodies were mutilated and carved into the tree and on the chests of the soldiers was “ I am Seamus ” over and over again .
The two soliders immediately reported back to the general that they found Philip and the other two dead ,describing what they found the general replied “he must have lost his mind with guilt”
j.pollock.