New Story Excerpt: Historical Fiction

Today will be a different sort of post. I normally don't share pieces of my fiction writing on this blog, but today, I will have to make an exception.

I have been working on my fourth and final novel in The Warriors of Aragnar, but I took a short break to embark on a side-journey for just a little while. I have been wanting to write a historical fiction book for many years, and I had an idea I just had to write down. This following excerpt is the result. This story is still without a title, but it is set in WW2, and focuses on several German and American characters. It's quite different then the average historical fiction, but I'll leave that a secret for now. There will be more to come! In the meanwhile, enjoy!

Prologue: Memoirs of a Traveler

There is a certain silence in war.
A peace amidst adversity.
I had never imagined that in my years of life, I would experience something so horrid. The history books cannot hold a candle to what is seen before one’s very eyes.
I would know, because I walked between the lines of bloodstained ink, through the very laws of reality itself.
I saw. I lived.
I loved.

CH 1: Sound and Fury

“Death has no name other then what he is given. But surely, if he were a sound, it would be the wailing of sirens, the screaming of bombs.”

-Unknown

The night sky erupted into billows of flame, explosions shaking the earth. Mere moments later, the sirens screamed a warning too late. Searchlights flicked on with sluggish assurance, whipping through the chilly night sky. Black shapes filled the air, enemy planes laden with more bombs. Another explosion cut through the dark, sending pieces of brick, mortar, and debris hurtling unseen in every direction.

Screams echoed on the streets as helpless townspeople scurried toward the shelters, hands over their heads as they cowered in fear. The airplanes were so high above, and yet the roars of their engines reverberated in one’s ears…were they all diving now? Had it come to such a desperate course of action that nothing but total annihilation remained? Who could answer, for fear was the only thing that was certain. Death was sure to follow.

A lone figure ran across the cobblestone street, his officer’s uniform unblemished, medals gleaming in the firelight. He looked anything but brave. His face was taut with desperation, and his lips moved, but no words could be heard over the frantic din.

People paid him no mind as he rushed down a crowded road, they simply moved out of his way, too focused on their own safety. He, however, paid no mind to such things, for his urgency drove him onward.

He turned down the familiar street that led to his home, his stomach already twisting in somersaults as the acrid stench of smoke hit the back of his throat. He gagged, but continued running. He wouldn’t believe it, wouldn’t voice his fears until he knew he was wrong.

It could be said that fear is a stronger driving force then reason.

A ragged sob erupted from his throat, and he dropped to his knees. His officer’s cap fell from his bowed head, and dropped to the scorched stone road.

His home was utterly destroyed. Not a single wall remained standing.

“Amelie, no…” the words were forced off his tongue, laced with brokenness. Tears ran down his face, but he didn’t care who saw. His beloved wife of a mere eight months, pregnant with their baby boy, was gone. “My God, not her, anything but her!”

He threw back his head and screamed at the night sky, tears pouring down his neck and staining his shirt collar.

The sirens still screamed their warning, too late.

(This story is my original content, please don't copy/alter in any way, shape, or form, thank you!)

Image found on googleimages.com, not mine!