Black Clouds

TW: violence, PTSD

The god rays blasted my eyes as we spotted the shore rising from the horizon. Some soldiers peeked through the Ramp of the LCVP onto the oncoming beach. So far, no indication of enemy forces on the shore. The ones up above told us to not expect a firefight when approaching the beach, but no one ever takes their word for it, we’re the ones out here risking our hides; We always expect it. It’s not like we would start playing cards or sleeping on our way to the shore, to then get greeted by the welcoming sound of an MG-42- I mean, hundreds of MG-42‘s riddling us with bullets.

5 minutes passed, less than a mile to the sandbank, and the tension kept rising.

-         Umm, hey… Bryan.

The private on my left spoke to me in a chill but slightly nervous tone. Couldn’t tell if his calm demeanor was faked or not.

-         You still have your good luck charm?

-         Why? You suddenly became superstitious?

-         No!... But who knows? Just hoping your charm shares its “luck” with us too.

I pulled out of my army jacket’s breast pocket my father’s keepsake, a grenade pin. I was initially made fun off for it. Here people like to pretend like they’re really tough- I mean, it happens everywhere. My father gave it to me after returning from Japan. His squad had been lured into a grenade field trap, and he was leading the rest until he tripped on a tripwire, and a grenade fell in front of him. He told me he screamed from the top of his lungs to get back, grabbed the grenade, and threw it as hard as he could, but the grenade barely left his hands. He lost his right arm his face suffered major damage.

Before dying he left me a note with the pin inside. It read “Life is like an explosion. Its end is as sudden as its start.”

Less than one minute until arrival, my compatriots pulled out their family photos, sang their last prayers, and clutched their rifles. Once the LCVP hit the sandbank and we stopped, the frontline kicked the ramp and we stormed into the beach. It took us a few seconds to ignored the adrenaline pumping in our veins and notice that no one was shooting us. The overwhelming battle cry of our army suddenly turned into a tranquil beach. We could only hear the waves peacefully crashing on the shore and feel the iodine filling our lungs. We just looked around in disbelief. Apparently, no German expected us to arrive here.

We investigated the beach. We still couldn’t believe how effortless the capture of the Steinfürth Coast. Soon after, we established look-outs and began to unpack our boats, and pitch our tents. We planned to keep a provisory base here, before heading out to Haddenbach.

As we finished unpacking the tents the Colonel ordered us to have a thirty-minute break and after that, we’d march into the city. A couple of my roommates were sitting by the munition crates, and it seemed like they were avoiding people's gaze, but told me to come over.

-         Yo Bryan. Want one? – Ian hushed as he pulled from his jacket a beer.

-          Are you mad? How did you even manage to sneak one of those here?

-         You want it or not?

-         Of fucking course, I want it! Haven’t had one in a month!

I sat on the ammo crate and turned my back to the tents.

-         My wife brought me a pack before we departed. I thought, if I’m going to die in some German beach, might as well have some alcohol running on my veins to keep me warm.

-         Man, you’re crazy. I can’t imagine. The Colonel would bring hell upon us for this.

-         Indeed, I would!

We all felt a chill running up our spine and we could almost notice a dark and deadly aura behind us, breathing on our necks. We felt like prey hiding desperately from its predator. We turned around to face our superior, but there was this hesitation in our movement. Like a child when it doesn’t know if it’s scarier to know what lurks in the dark or to not know it.

-         Lt. Colonel Summers! I-I’m sorry! I-

-         Spare me your excuses. Private Ian, I’m waiting for my cut.

We raised an eyebrow and looked at each other in confusion as Ian smirked, reached into his backpack, pulled another beer, and handed it to the Colonel. He cracked the bottle open, took a sip, and grinned.

-         You should have seen your faces.

Did you really think anyone could sneak in something without my consent?

-         I more or less… Made a deal with Lt. Summers.

-         You’re terrible!

-         To us! – we cheered.

The group laughed it off and with a clink of our beers, the Colonel left us and we stood there, with only a couple minutes of peace left. I noticed Sean was holding his beer, and staring at the void.

-         Hey, man. Are you good?

-         Yeah, yeah. Just- Can’t stop thinking about my wife. If I die here today, what will happen to her. Some men will go to our house and tell her that I died.

Maybe, I’ve already seen her for the last time.

-         Sean. We’re not dying today. We have stories to tell. You’ll go back to your wife, Ian will get married when he returns home, and I’ll get to read bedtime stories in a few months.

-         I don’t know. I guess.

Sean wasn’t feeling good and, honestly, nothing I would say would make him. We are in the middle of a war; Risking our lives every second. No one is truly okay here, regardless of how they show themselves.

The squadron started to become agitated and we knew it was time. The soldiers were all heading for the Colonel’s tent at a semi-fast pace. We obviously joined them.

-         Listen up, everyone! We are going to lay out the plan for the capture of Haddenbach.

We will divide into the three groups we previously discussed and each of them will enter through a different entrance. We wait until it’s 3pm to storm the city; this way we will attack them from multiple angles at the same time. They will be forced to spread unequally.

Sierra will break in through the northern gate. The entrance is very wide; there will likely be mounted machineguns hoping to catch us in a corridor to wipe us out in one go.

Oscar will enter the city through the southeast road. Before, you will split into 2, allowing a sniper team to cover the frontline from the hills outside.

Finally, Foxtrot will charge head-on with the tanks from the west. We will use the front one as a decoy for their explosives and traps. Start arming the decoy tank with the Automatic Acceleration System.

Now, fetch your equipment, and head to your designated area. We depart in 10 minutes. Dismissed!

               In a split second, soldiers scurried all around the sand. The sniper team cleaned their scopes; the mechanics did a last-minute check-up on the tanks; the frontline gunners made sure to not run out of ammunition, and the Colonel discussed strategies with the other Captains. The beach was overthrown with the sound of reloading rifles and light chatter. Before heading to Squad Sierra, I gave a few handshakes to my friends and wished them well in battle and life.

               We were ready. As we marched towards the city, our boots were the only noise we made. They were preparing for conflict. Praying for one more day on earth. For the well-being of their family. Soon enough, the belltower in the center of Haddenbach was visible. We waited until the Colonel signaled us the other two squads were in position.

               It was time. The battle cry from the other two squads could probably be heard from the beach. We approached the gate carefully, taking into account the possibility of mounted MG-42’s. But once again today, the shouts ceased before we could even peek around the corner. We guessed correctly. Empty. The entrance to the city was deserted. Haddenbach looked abandoned. Cars left in the roads, open doors. We searched for bodies; perhaps someone had invaded the city. But we didn’t find a soul. It was extremely unlikely for something like this to happen without our aerial reconnaissance having noticed. Two days prior to the invasion, we had been told that everything down in Haddenbach was normal.

Tick. Tock.

-         We have to move. We will reunite all three squads in Aalen Platz.

The colonel signaled us to stick to the walls and advance towards the plaza. After a few minutes of careful marching, all groups reached our destination. The marketplace was portentous. A cathedral stood tall at around 600ft. It was surrounded by little stores made of wood and fabric. There was food still on the stands, so whoever was working here, clearly left in a hurry.

Tick. Tock.

-         So… mission complete?

-         I… Don’t know. Where’s the comms guy?

-         I’m here sir!

-         Contact HQ. Ask them for a last-minute aerial survey of the area.

-         Yes sir!

Jeremiah began tinkering with his portable radio backpack as we continued investigating the area.

-         Colonel! You have to see this.

A group of soldiers gathered near the cathedral’s door to inspect something that appeared to be written in the door. It said : “Hier Liegt Amerika” in bright red.

-         Anyone knows German?

-         I can only tell it says America.

-         No way, Ian.

-         Private Matthew! Ask HQ to translate a message.

-         Sir, I can’t get it to work.

-         What? Aren’t you supposed to be an expert?

-         I am, but… There’s only static, no answer from HQ. We had just talked to them fifteen minutes ago. I don’t understand.

-         HAS ANYONE BROUGHT AN ENGLISH-GERMAN DICTIONARY?

The sarcasm was obvious in our Colonel’s tone. But no one expected to hear an “I did”. We all looked into the back of the platoon and a rather skinny guy who emanated a nerdy aura stood still with his arm lifted in the air. We wanted to burst out laughing. Who brings a dictionary to a war? But hey, it actually helped.

-         Look it up! I want that translated! The rest of you, search the surrounding houses and the cathedral.

Tick. Tock.

-         God! Matthew, can you stop that beeping from that goddamn machine?

-         What? My radio isn’t beeping…

-         Then what is that noise.

-         Now that you mention it, I did notice some weird noises since I entered the city.

The group that headed to the cathedral started smashing the door open.  I, for some reason, looked down on the ground and noticed I had stepped on dogshit. I tried to scrape it off and stomp on the floor to get rid of it, but I felt something was off.

               When I stomped on the ground, it felt like it was hollow. I thought it was my imagination but I felt like I had to at least check it out. I pulled out my knife and began digging the spot. Ian came over and asked what the hell I was doing but I didn’t even pay attention. Eventually, I managed to poke a hole through it. It was pitch black and I couldn’t see a thing.

-         Yo, Ian. You have a flashlight?

-         Umm sure, here.

I shone it inside and I felt confused for a second. It was a 4-foot-deep hole, and in the floor, there was a thick cord. I initially thought it was an electric cable, but the texture was different. Next to it, there was some sort of thin cylinder, with a brownish color, almost like a cigar.

               In that instant, it clicked in my head.

-         Colonel! I found it! It means... Here, lies, America?

The men in the cathedral finally brought down the door and they saw what I had expected. A multitude of strings, like the ones I saw, spread in all directions, all coming from a pile of crates in the center of the church. The crates were open and they were full of powder

               On top of one of the crates was some sort of timer that produced a sound like a clock.

               The mushroom cloud reached the sky.