(Page 1 of 2) Blood, Guts, Spinning Wheels and Looms by Steve Jones -B5SUMMARY: ..With a huge tip of the hat to Rocket Sheep.
Soldiers marched into town, proud and victorious. The rhythm of their marching boots offset the metallic whine of trucks and tanks. Women and children lined the main street, their faces showing dread and fear. The town's men had gone to the battle field, there they remained.
The soldiers stood at attention in the town square for a long quiet moment, then were dismissed to occupy the town, taking the best of the houses and goods, and taking all of the food.
At the end of the lane stood an old wooden house with an old workshop to the side. The doors and windows were wide open in an attempt to catch the modest breeze.
The Captain marched in, flanked by two soldiers. They found three elder sisters, one was busy on a spinning wheel, one was weaving at the loom, and the third was busy talking.
"Good afternoon Captain," The eldest, the one sitting in the chair, said.
"Your town has been liberated by the 23rd army," The Captain announced.
"Nice," said the sister at the spinning wheel, she was the middle sister. "I was liberated before ... when I threw away my corset."
All three women cackled like old chickens. One of the soldiers stifled a laugh as the Captain glared at him.
"Liberated or not," the youngest sister, the one at the loom said. "We have work to do. Is there anything we can help you men with?"
The Captain looked at the three old women. They weren't smart enough to be afraid. Perhaps they would learn later, but the Captain decided he had won enough battles for the day.
He turned to leave when a swatch of red on the counter caught his eye. For a moment he thought it was blood, but when he approached, he found it was a red scarf, a beautiful long red scarf with a tartan design.
"What is this?" the Captain demanded, holding up the cloth.
"Just an old scarf," The eldest said. "We didn't make that. Come back tomorrow, we can make a blanket for you."
"The nights are rather chilly," The youngest offered.
The Captain threw the scarf around his neck and glanced in the mirror. He thought it looked quite handsome.
"This will do," he said. Then walked out, flanked by his soldiers.
*************
The next day the enemy staged a counterattack. The Captain would have guessed it would have taken the defeated army a few days to regroup. He called his army together, put on his new red scarf and led them out, marching to victory just like they had before.
Things did not go as well as planned. On the battlefield the locals countermoved every move they made, often before they made it. There were heavy loses among the foot soldiers, and an attack at the left rear flank the Captain had not anticipated. Enemy soldiers were breaking through the line.
As the Captain continued to bark out orders, he went to pull out his hand gun. The scarf was inexplicably in the way of his hand, as he pulled the gun went off, burying a bullet in his own back right flank.
The Captain fell to the ground as reports were shouted around him.
| 
(6 ratings)