The Dam (Part 3)
(Excerpt from “The Dam”)
It was another restless night. Brian tossed and turned, lost in a sea of dreams. The usual run of familiar faces pushed their way into his minds eye. He found himself standing in his old bedroom once more. Deborah sat by the window in her comfortable rocking chair, as she always did, gazing out at their two-acre garden stretch of land, decorated with rows of arranged tulips and daffodils either side. The old country house they used to live in. Brian scanned over the details of his memories. The old wooden beams overhead, running along the entire length of the ceiling. Their prized wedding day photo, blown up and sprawled over an empty space of wall above the goose-feathered pillows on the bed. An agreed daily symbolic reminder of their undying love. The sights and smells couldn’t have added more authenticity to the scene before him. Although a far-flung part of his subconscious was fully aware he was dreaming. And savoured every moment of its idyllic recreation. He attempted to move and found that his legs were grounded to the spot. Looking down, his feet had somehow melding themselves into two faded slates of the hardwood floorings. He called out to Deborah, but she didn’t turn around. Just continued staring out at the sun-drenched beauty below. The same as she had always done in all his preceding visions of her. Shimmering rays of light streamed through the window, giving an unearthly glow of serenity and calm. But the feeling of unease was palpable. A horrific truth hidden behind a veil of secrecy. A truth he dare not contemplate for fear of being driven to the edge of madness. A foreign voice called out from some faraway place. A restless urgency of panic to it. It grew clearer and louder the second.
”Sir!” The young man barked out, still with a hint of apprehension at disturbing Brian from his lumber. ”Please, sir! We’ve got a situation!”
Brian opened his eyes, sucked back into the realm of “his” own reality. He squinted against the dark, slender figure obstructing his vision. Eyes trying to focus back to his surroundings.
”What is it? What’s going on?” He responded in a sleepy drawl.
”We’re under attack! There’re at the perimeter! Jim is rounding up the other men!”
Those words dashed any tiredness left in him. The emergency of what was happening dawned on him without hesitation. He flung the covers off himself and leapt over to the crumpled heap of clothes in a darkened corner.
”Where is he now? I mean, Jim? Where is he?”
”The last I saw, he was preparing the third military unit and stationing them along the first and second quadrants.”
His nerves eased a little with the knowledge that the plan they had revised over so many countless times in the past, seemed to be in action. Two men delegating duties to over six hundred soldiers was no joke, but the implemented training regimes they put in place over six moths ago, were sure to help. ”What’s your name, son?” Brian muttered, whilst buttoning up his beige cotton shirt. ”Joey, sir.” Came back the muted reply.
”Right, Joey. I want you to go inform Jim that I’ll be taking care of the third and last quadrants. Tell him to meet me at the top by the flag mast right after he’s done. You got that?”
”Yes, sir.” Barked Joey. ”Is there anything else I can do for you?”
”No. Get going. I’ll see you out front with the others.”
Before Brian turned round after slipping one trouser leg over his lean, shapely calf, the boy was gone. In the quiet gloom of his private quarters, he could make out the faint sound of hurried footsteps scurrying about. If the last encounter was anything to go by, this was going to be a brutal, relentless and calculated pushback from the enemy. Every single human functioning resource had to have their wits about them above and beyond the call of duty. This was their last stand of defence and the fate of humanity was placed square on his shoulders. Donning his brown corduroy jacket, black leather gloves and lacing up a pair of thick rough hiking boots, Brian dove out the door towards the south east barracks.
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Interesting piece you got here, let's hope the story doesn't end in agony and the training they had six months ago be useful. Waiting for more
Thanks, bud! This is just a small portion of a much larger story arc. Hope it checks all the right boxes. :)
Sometimes dreaming about someone we love, about someone we lost, could mean they try to connect with us, even though they are gone. While Brian having dream about Deborah, his love, he got pulled back to taugh reality ”Please, sir! We’ve got a situation!” said young man. They are under attack, the attack everyone expected, but feared to come. They prepared for this for over six months with over six hundred soldiers.
Love your take on the mental game Brian is going through. Of course, some previous traumatic mechanisms have affected him in a number of ways. Let's see how it all pans out.
Thanks, bud. :)
This great story, i appreciate your writing.keep it up
wow ..., his script is very good ..,
the storyline is exciting.
allow me to resteem your posting friends
Nice one. Much appreciated. :)
ok, thanks my friend
Nice part as usual. Will wait for the other one. Enjoy your weekend and Easter holidays :)
Glad you like it. Thanks a lot. :)
Ooh, I wonder how this battle is going to turn out. It seems as if it is the largest one any of them have ever seen. At least that is the idea I got from the previous part of this story.