[FL] Then The Sky Fell In

Day 4,029, 21:41 • Published in Ireland Ireland • by Celadori Cotis
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Dublin, Ireland
Day 4029, 2230

Dear You-Know-Who,

I'll be home soon, the exercises are almost over. I know you have been waiting a long time for me to write those words, but now it is in sight of

The first of the bombs caught us by surprise, but the second was an insult.

We thought that we would have a booze-up that night, being as the training war with UK forces had been called off. Fyckers had the coordinates screwed up in the last order, advance guard overshot the bounds by a few hundred kilometers into civilian territory, scared the locals all to hell. In the confusion they started to set up base, thinking that was part of the plan? Who knows.

Well the the Brits didn't take kindly to that, called off the whole of the exercises. SO we mobilized half the garrison for no reason, out in the sticks tending a couple of farms the Brits stuck us with. Don't want to intrude on the farmers, but if we are going to be here until the diplomats back home sort things, hell, who needs to sleep outside in the mud - us or the cows? Not a hard choice in the end.
Unknown to us, drinking and gambling in hay, storm clouds were building, soon releasing a torrent rain upon the hills. No matter! Close the doors, another shot to stop to the chills; that is how you make a trough of hay a luxury bed! I burrowed my way underneath the biggest pile, circling round until I reached the heart of the stack - like when we were kids, remember? I curled up under there with my bottle and rifle and fell straight asleep.

That is what saved me, I'm sure. Woke up to a huge BANG and a splitting headache - thought I imagined it at first because I had such a hangover. Groggily started to get up but there is something heavy on top of the pile now; probably some of the other guys fell asleep up there, too. Clawed my way out the side and stood up next to what was the side of the barn.

The first bomb had blown it half to bits and the main support beam was cracked clear in half. It had fallen on my burrowed home, spreading a fire that I hadn't been able to see from under my sleep clouded eyes. Smoke rose up from the shattered pillar, forming a new column that twisted under the burning roof!
I dove out the new hole in the wall just in time for another bomb to bring the ceiling down behind me. Lost Tim and Joseph in that first volley, I'd find out later. They were on top the hay when the pillar collapsed. I got sick when I head that - all because I hadn't wanted to shared my comfortable hiding spot...

Found the commander and that's when I understood just how badly our overshoot of the training grounds exposed our new, unexpected flank to attack. Without the Brits as a buffer between us anymore, the Romanian army saw an opening and damn if they didn't take it with gusto. Could barely retreat fast enough to avoid the bombs and take to the air in our own fighters... Course it was too late.

Anyway, I had started to write you and say "I'll be home soon, the exercises are almost over" but that has changed now. When I am able, I'll send you another letter. We are going to be very busy up here for the foreseeable future.

Yours Always,

Reginold Fathile
Private First Class
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