Morning all. I hope you are ready for a fantastic day. Mine is lining up to be pretty good. Busy, but good. So let’s not delay with chit chat and get down to it. Ready for the morning prompt? Fantastic. Let’s go.
This is one of those scenes that could be the start of something or it could have been plucked from the middle. It’s not bad, I don’t think. It is a scrap of something I could work with anyway. I’d just have to figure out the story it goes to before I decide if it was a beginning or middle bit.
Thursday, April 15th: Even from a distance, he commanded attention.
Even from a distance he commanded attention. He stood proudly, feet firmly placed upon the ground. His eyes glittered as they swept over the array of men lined up in neat rows before him. His body remained in position, his head did not swivel, he barely seemed to breathe, at least from what I could see from my less than exalted position. The only thing that showed he wasn’t a statue were those glittering, roving eyes. I had no doubt that he saw everything, noticed each detail.
A word issued forth, lips moving minimally. It still felt like a shock. I was too distant to make out the words but the man to his left jumped as though touched with a cattle prod and stepped forward. And other twitch of the lips and the shocked subordinate saluted and turned to the waiting men. He issued a command. I didn’t understand the words. It wasn’t a language I recognized even if the loudly voiced command did carry to my ears.
The assembled men knew the word though. The front row of each of the assembled battalions turned to face their right. They marched off to the side, flowing around to the back of the brigade while the men one row behind them stepped forward, taking their place. As they stepped forward, so did everyman behind him. The entire line moved in unison, taking that one step forward as though they were one body. It was oddly disquieting to see.
As the former front row took their place in the back, the commander’s glittering eyes continued to study them.
‘It’s an inspection,’ I realized. I wondered where they were in the rotation. Were the first rows sent to the rear of their columns the first to be inspected and dismissed? Were they the fifth or even second to last? I wasn’t sure and knowing that would be crucial. Seeing them, seeing him, I knew I had to accomplish my mission while they were occupied. If the first row was truly the first then I had time to spare. If it wasn’t, my time was severely limited.
Despite the oddly fascinating display I knew I couldn’t watch anymore. I slunk off back to the shadows. There waiting for me was my guide. This was as close as he was willing to go and having seen the men below, I understood his caution. Still I hoped hs caution came with observance.
“They can go on like that for hours,” he told me. It was a reassuring tone that didn’t mean much. After all it wasn’t his neck in the noose.
“How long have they been doing it today?” I asked.
“Not long,” He answered. “You have plenty of time. I’m sure they will go on for a long time more.”
I fought the urge to sigh. “What time did they start this morning?”
He shrugged. “Time,” he said dismissively. “It has little meaning out here. Now in the city…” he began
This time swallowing back my own annoyance was harder. I knew he wanted reassignment to the city.
“Where was the sun when they started,” I asked interrupting him.
Ten til Midnight 