The Guns of War
Fire and sound broke the calm of night as cannon went off one by one the dark shattered by
search lights as the moon hung high above two groups fought searchlights blazed trails of scalding white light across the dark seas. I could see it all yet none of it I could hear the guns roar and the machine guns chatter, I could feel it in my teeth vibrating as they fired away and whats more I could smell the sulfur,the blood, even the cold steel seemed to have a scent. And yet the scene flickered ebbing from my senses and then flashing back into focus as one such glimpse ebbed away then refocused the scene had shifted to a lone ship the stars and strips high upon her mast glinting to me in what little light there was. Splashes surrounded her coming from all sides as smoke chocked away all sight the vision faded then came back only I wasn't upon my all encompassing view from above I was on the ship I could feel the shells and waves rock her like a child's toy all around I couldn't see the attackers for smoke and flame obscured my sight
with one exception the familiar sight of a pagoda mast and the roar of fourteen inch Japanese built Vickers guns the visions didn't fade this time staying clear and calm as in a daze I walked around the ship the men scrambling from hole to hole and gun to gun didn't notice me or if they did they didn't care not a one stopped me
as shrapnel filled the skies hunks of iron and steel the size of my first rained down all around me and yet naught one struck me I watched as Japanese ships pounded away at the vessel as I walked forward to the bridge my eyes wide and shocked what I found would shock me more a captain stood shouting orders men at wheels and dials and charts scrambled shouting too and at each other but in the very center of the bridge the chaos seemingly avoiding her stood a small girl covered in
scrapes, burns and blood she turned eyes full of tears and pain yet from her lips even despite the ship being rocked by shells again and again she whispered a single phrase voice cracked and barely higher then the wind of the south pacific night "Don't give up the ship" and with each whisper her eyes seemed to be filled with a fire a primal rage culminating as she shouted out and the guns of the ship roared loud and clear loud and defiant again the scene ebbed one last phrase made its way over the guns and the screams filling my ears " a ship can do everything but talk and sometimes she can do even that "the words of the ancient british officer reached me and i understood "Laffey ?" i said as the last bits of my vision filled with black and my world spun round and round like a top halting on one last glimpse of laffey as her aft exploded i could hear the cries of her men and over it all i could hear her whisper " don't give up the ship" ,
I woke
{ the End}
or is it ?
Authors note: this is my first writing so constructive criticism is much appreciated this is a snippet/ one shot id it gets enough publicity ill continue it say 5-10 favorites well I bid you all farewell may you see fair winds and still seas