Battlefield Louisiana

My mind was completely empty- and then it struck me. A withered arm, with a kick like that of a stone shot from the taut elastic band of a cleverly aimed slingshot. Its force knocking me off my feet and into a timbered ravine, where sheltered, I bore witness to what followed.

 A flair. A scream. A fire. We had made good on our target- mitigating the French caisson before it could advance. A great cloud of sulfuric vapor, made sweet with the smell of burning flesh, titillated my battle starved senses. From the depths of my shrouded hiding place, I savored the sickly stench as my reward.

A near impish cry of relief went up from the troops. Their solace however, was short lived. Within seconds it exploded into blood curdling screeches of terror- when without warning, what could only have been the gaping mouth of some mysterious, unseen…