Crunch: The Holdout
Writing Exercise #13
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Enjoy!
Crunch: Write about a holdout soldier under assault
“Are you sure you’re not going to come? The Colonel ordered a…what did he call it. Rearguard action.”
“You mean a retreat?” I scoffed.
“N-no…rearguard action. We’re gonna…guard our rears.” He shifted awkwardly.
“Go connect with the unit, tell ‘em I’m dead. I probably will be when this is all over, anyway. I am determined to see the whites of their eyes—to make ‘em look at the kind of man they’re fighting. I want to take a few of ‘em out with me.”
“Damn your pride, man—live to fight another day!”
“I don’t like paying for the same ground twice. We’ve held this town for three weeks. You expect me to give it up just like that?”
“Yes!” he said, exasperated. “Wait—”
“Just go, corporal. Go live to fight another day.”
He looked hurt and confused. Like a part of him wanted to stay, and another part of him wanted to live. He turned to go—then paused.
“Somethin’ for you.” He tossed a small, shiny metal flask over to me. “And something for them.” He had a couple grenades, which he set down carefully by the door. “See you on the other side.”
We both knew what he meant.
When he left, there was silence. Only my ragged breathing, the straining of my eyes through the scope of my rifle.
Outside this little square window, the dry, golden grass stretched away into a dark grey fog. I heard a biblical thundering, a flash in the distance. Then the ground erupted on the plain. A biblical thundering again—the ground erupted a little closer. A creeping barrage.
I grabbed the flask. The walls of this little house shook violently. They were going to level the town—not fight for it.
The thunder.
I saw my eyes in the metal of the flask, and then--
(307 words try and stop me)
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What is your favorite war movie?
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I loved this! Great little cautionary tale about pride and sensibility, at least how I read it!
Loved this. The guy staying behind seems the obvious hero, even a bit cliche with his bravado. But then the ending wherein his empty pride is ultimately useless…. Brutal.
1. Probably Master and Commander
2. Yes. Got a degree in history, taught for bit. Still study it constantly.
3. Yes, once. I thought it a very strong film.