Chapter 13. Mock


    From the blood trail, Kurt could see the English stretcher


    bearer had survived the blast. He rolled him onto his side and


    saw that he was still breathing. The lifeless bodies of the stretcher


    bearer''s squad and the casualty they were carrying lay scattered


    in the street.


    "What''s your name."


    ''''Finn." the stretcher bearer said in a whisper..


    *


    Kurt looked at the glass phial of iodine he''d taken from Finn''s


    first aid kit. "This will do nicely thank you."


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    He put it in his pocket as a keepsake. "If my friend Waldamir


    was here, he''d say us meeting like this was nothing more than


    chance, but I don''t see it that way."


    Kurt took the bayonet from his boot and put it on the ground.


    "I think everything happens for a reason." He knelt and lifted


    Finn into a sitting position. "You and I were destined to meet."


    "I find it odd." Finn said. "That you believe in destiny."


    Kurt was surprised that Finn had come around so quickly.


    "And yet, you are little more than an insect."


    Finn started to laugh.


    Kurt angrily reached for his bayonet. "You''re in no position


    to mock me."


    Finn''s laughter slowed, then it deepened to a growl.


    The hair on Kurt''s arms and neck stood up.


    "I am Eurides," a woman''s voice said, "and Finn is now in my


    care." She stood Finn up and turned him around.


    Her eyes blazed from his face,


    Frozen with fear Kurt dropped his bayonet. "What are you?"


    "Nothing you would understand." Eurides picked up the


    bayonet and ran a finger along it''s blade.


    "Finn will have no memory of me, but he will remember talking


    to a German soldier and assume it was you that helped him."


    "Yes," Kurt said. "I was going to do that."


    "Were you now." Eurides said. "Take the phial out of your pocket."


    Kurt held it in his hand and wondered why Eurides wanted it.


    "Put it in your mouth."


    "What?" Kurt shook his head. "No."


    He was no longer in control of his body. His hand placed the


    phial on his tongue and his mouth closed around it. Wide eyed


    with horror he tried to spit it out, but his lips wouldn''t part.


    "Bite down on it." Eurides purred.


    Blood filled Kurt''s mouth and spilled down his chin. He felt


    thin slivers of glass slice his tongue, then cut the roof of his mouth


    and stick in his throat as he swallowed.


    Eurides smiled. "Say hello to your friend Waldamir for me


    when you see him next.


    *