Once again, I am “mashing” my response to Master Class 2014 with the Friday Fictioneers prompt, and I do this for two reasons primarily.
Firstly, it permits me to somewhat “jump” the 100 word requirement for the latter. And secondly, it allows me to once again recommend that most of you should really try your hand at the former.
As always, I hope you enjoy, experience.
Copyright – Sandra Crook
I observed the shit-stained haystack once more.
Had its movement been caused by the mere trundling of the cart, or were itchy passengers buried within?
As I wondered, I pondered… what are we doing? Why are we doing this?
I’d killed before. But he, a soldier, was armed with the same professional bloodlust as I. I would never forget, as out of breath, he dropped both arms to his side, still gripping the knife in his left hand, while his brain slowly acknowledged my round, that had just torn through it.
Yes, I’d killed before. But this was different. These, mere civilians.
Children.
Children deemed unfit due merely to their heritage, their identity, their God.
Our God.
My Gott…!
I closely observed the haystack once more, before waving on the shit-stained skittish driver with his dubious cargo, whispering to no one as they pensively passed, “Gott Sie segnen…”
•••
It’s no great secret that I plug-in a song at the end of every post, and it’s also no great secret that I never really push it upon you. But just this once, please, listen…
.
as long as i'm singing 
I’ve been working closely with this era currently.
The song is both beautiful and haunting.
I am absorbing the words, combining them with the compost in my mind, and the images in the music. It leaves me speechless.
Transparent.
Well done, m’Friend. On so many levels. I must get back to the Friday Fictioneers, I miss their musings.
k~ dear, you are the one who taught me the freedom to create in this fashion. My thanks, dear, to you. Truly.
And I PROMISE – it’s back to “the caves” with me as well – and my novel WILL come forth in due time!
Passion will pour from you Troy, of that I am certain. We can teeter totter together until we are both Captains, rather than captives of our caves. :-)
<3
As much as I want to do ghost tours and hunts, the voices…the sadness…I wouldn’t last an hour at any of those camps. You pulled these two prompts together seamlessly. I can see the hay cart shaking, envision the people hiding within it the narrator refuses to see,and then…THEN you catch me with the shock of the German scream and I’m still very there.
SAM… You are the best =)
Deep thoughts and the song tag adds to the the senses
Thank you, and on my blog, I try hard to make sure that the song always does.
I like the dichotomy between the killing and the blessing at the end. A provocative piece.
Thank you so much Tara – I’m glad they played well against each other.
Powerful stuff, nicely done.
Thank you Sandra, and thank you for a powerful prompt to play from.
Powerful stuff. I kept going back to that lovely adjective “shit-stained”. I can even SMELL that visual! LOLOLOLOLOL Brilliant! ♥
The measures that people will take to rise above, is what I hoped to evoke. I pray that it worked.
“Go with God” – did he let them pass?
Did he?
I like the humanity you revealed in your story. I’m sure there was more of this type of thing than we think but not as much as was necessary. I’m still shaking my head over the song. Although not the same as this song, Al Stewart’s “Roads to Moscow” can always give me goose-bumps: http://sustainabilitea.wordpress.com/2012/12/09/story-of-stalins-war-al-stewarts-roads-to-moscow/. Well done!
janet
I hope it happened much more often than the history books eluded to, janet. And thank YOU for the Al Stewart link!
Very moving (the video too).
Thank you =]
Sometimes even the devils have hearts!Great storySam !
And sometimes the “devils” are just mere men and women, who don’t realize their own power until it’s almost too late.
True :-)
Touching.
Thank you =)
Dear Troy,
One nitpick. “had just torn through it” or “that just tore through it.”
Aside from that it’s perfect. It’s no secret that this is a subject that touches me to my marrow. You’ve captured a battle of conscience well. Applause with tears.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Nitpick duly (and delightfully) noted – thank you for the catch, Rochelle! I am glad that I was able to touch you, though I apologize for the tears, dear.
Haunting, vivid and moving.. I experienced it, and enjoyed it as a fine ‘mashup’, and a thoughtful piece.
Thank you so much Steph. Really.
This is such a good combining of the two prompts. The compassion of the soldier is clear and welcome. A really well-written good read.
Thank you Sarah, I hope that there were more of those who existed than we knew.
Well written and heart rending. It’s good to remember that in those horrific times there were those who did care and tried to do what they could.
Yes Patricia, it is very good to remember this. Thank you.
Well told, with an unexpected burst of hope at the end
Hope springs eternal, right? =)
Beautifully done. There were always soldiers who struggled with the orders they had to follow. Willy Reese was a German soldier who wrote in his memoir “A Stranger to Myself” in which he said “it was a terrible thing to be human and a soldier.”
I can’t even imagine being placed in that scenario – I pray that I would do the right thing.
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