Chapter 17. Here today, gone tomorrow

  "Are you up for some chess tonight." Harkness asked. "I haven't had

  a decent game since we played at Bornemouthe."

  Winston unrolled a stretcher. "How long ago was that."

  "Too long." Harkness said.

  They'd spent the morning washing blood off stretchers and

  standing them against the first aid station wall to dry. Harkness

  nudged Winston. Behind them, new recruits tried not watch

  what they were doing.

  "They'll know what it's about soon enough." Winston said.

  He tipped out the bucket he was using. "I'm off to get some fresh water."

  The aid post had been set up in a farmer's milking shed and at the back

  of the buildings there was a well. As he lowered the roped bucket,

  Winston caught sight of his reflection in the dark water below.

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  He'd watched Harry's body fall backwards into the river and drift away

  after he'd shot himself, now the feeling of floating in a current washed over him.

  Winston shook his head and closed his eyes until the feeling passed.

  *

  Harkness held out closed fists and Winston picked.

  "I'm white then." Harkness said. He turned the board around and made

  the first move. "They're trying to rush reinforcements up, but they're not

  going to get here in time."

  As an aid post medical officer Harkness was privy to planning that

  Winston was not.

  Winston moved his piece. "When's the next show then?"

  "In two days time." Harkness said.

  It had rained continuously before the last planned attack. The battle

  field had been a sea of knee deep mud and because of it, three teams

  of six stretcher bearers had been tasked. The attack had been a

  complete disaster. After reorganising, only two teams of four stretcher

  bearers were left - made up of the survivors who were still able to

  walk and carry.

  "Here today, gone tomorrow." Winston said.

  Harkness tapped his Queen. "Fuck it, I've got two bottles of the

  finest medicinal spirits hidden away here somewhere."

  Winston laughed. "We'll call it a draw then."

  *

  The soldiers were in position, shoulder to shoulder an hour

  before the attack. As final preparations were being made

  Winston stood against the trench wall with his eyes closed listening

  to his new squad mates. He heard the Scouser accents of Arthur and

  Robbie good naturedly cat calling each other, but one voice was missing

  - young Toby. Winston looked around. Toby had his back to them and

  was trying to wrap his hands with bandages.

  "Show me Toby. The stretcher handles are hard on everybody's hands.

  Have you got gloves?"

  "I lost them the first week I was here."

  "So did I." Winston said. He finished bandaging Toby's hands.

  Toby saw the silver chain wrapped around Winston's wrist. "What's that? "

  Winston showed Toby the the pendant. "It was on my wrist when they

  brought me in to the aid post. No idea where it came from, so it's a bit of

  a lucky charm."

  "I wonder what the 'V' stand for," Toby said. "Victory maybe?"

  "That's a nice thought." Winston said.

  "Fix bayonets." the officer on the fire step called.

  *