Clip From "Wartime"

Movement down his sight caught Andrews eye, and with a large crack the earth to his right exploded and pelted him. He ducked down and was about to yell at the Sarge down the line when there was another crack and one of the men groaned, fell back, and landed in the mud. Andrew could see the bullet wound in his head and looked away to keep from throwing up. The rest of the men had ducked down now and Andrew could hear the Sergeant cursing and yelling into his radio. Between the overpowering explosions of the shells, Andrew could make out bits and pieces of what he said. “Damn sharpshooters!……Where are our riflemen?….WHAT?!” Andrews interest peeked as he listened closer to the Sergeants’ conversation. “A machine?! Why the….Can’t you send?….are gone?! German ….” Just then a shell hit near the center of their trench and sent all the men, and Andrew, flying with the impact. Andrew found himself face first in waist deep mud. Andrew struggled to get out, his eyes were covered and he began to panic and yell but instead only gurgled in the mud. A strong hand gripped his neck from behind and yanked him out of the mud and plopped him down on solid ground. Wiping the mud from his eyes, he saw the tall form of the Sarge standing in front of him. There was a single man behind him, and Andrew looked past them and saw the carnage of the other men torn to pieces by the shell. He threw up then and there, nearly all over the Sarge, but he foresaw it and sidestepped just in time.

Story of the Painting

As Victoria sat in her room, all other worldly troubles seemed to melt away from her. The worry that filled her now consumed all else, and the constant sound of her own breathing drove her insane. She placed a hand on her enlarged stomach, remembering the joy she felt a few months ago. Compared the the dread she filled now, it seemed like a distant dream. She recalled that day, just a while ago, when she was being blessed by the Elder Priest when both she and the priest fainted. Rumors spread, and the priests talked with one another about the strange event. The following day, they approached her and provided her with the only answer they could think of. She looked down, and even now, the thought of her child containing a demon seemed unbelievable. Scarier still, was the holy men's solution. A soft knock interrupted her thoughts and the door opened. A petite woman dressed in black entered, her face was veiled so Victoria could not know her. "The...They are ready." Stammered the girl, and Victoria rose, fear nearly freezing her in place. She had never even witnesses an exorcism before, and as she followed the girl, she wished she knew what to expect.