zero hour

by bofa xesjum

eddie woke up. or did he? or was he? eddie? was that his name? he felt someone looking at him. a big guy, wearing a green uniform. the big guy’s body was bright red, but his face was blue and his eyes were gray. what is your name, eddie asked him. sam. you look like a good guy, sam. will you be my friend? no. why? sam seem to consider eddie’s request. in the first place, i do not particularly want a friend. in the second, i do not like your looks. and in the third, frank has declared that there are to be no more friends until the war is over. oh. and when will that be? have you been asleep? i guess. the next assault is to three days - tuesday. maybe you should be getting back to your unit - if it still exists. it all - or at least something - started coming back. eddie was lying on a blanket on the floor. he looked down at himself. he was wearing plain gray pants and a darker gray shirt. i wonder what i was? he mumbled. you were not a fighter, wearing those clothes.- probably a digger, or a shambler. thanks for your help, eddie told sam. but sam was gone. eddie looked looked around the room. he noticed something in the corner. that he had not noticed before. a suitcase. he got up and walked over and opened it. inside was a suit of clothes. complete with a striped shirt and tasteful navy tie with small white dots. nicer clothes than he had ever worn in his life. the suitcase also contained a typewritten note. it seemed to be in code. or maybe in some language he did not understand. he put it back in the suitcase. and put on the clothes, which fitted him perfectly. with these clothes i can go anywhere, he thought. i do not have to find my unit. and get blown to bits like a peasant. i can take the orient express to istanbul or vienna. yes, that is what i will do, for sure. he picked up the suitcase. and went down to the dark street. there were no people in the street. and no soldiers. he turned the first corner. he saw a figure in the shadows. it was sam, with his blue face and green uniform. hello there , sam said. you did not want to be my friend, eddie reminded him. i changed my mind, sam replied. you look so nice in those nice clothes.. they suit you perfectly. i especially like the navy tie with white polka dots. i want to be your friend now.