During the night, each of the survivors found opportunities to scout the castle, examine the grounds, raid the larder, and reflect on recent events. As the dawn broke, each man, whether German, British, or American was filled with a sense of new-found optimism. To breathe! To survive! To exist!
They all collected in the Great Hall. Jimbuna was gnawing on a potted meat sandwich with freshly bread baked by Takeda.
"Looking death in the face ain't so bad when there's fresh rye and beer to go with it," said Jim.
Mookie laughed. "To think, a week ago we were on approach and my biggest worry was the trim pump for the number 4 ballast tank."
AVG Warhawk entered, followed by Enigma and Tarrasque.
"Did we make it through the night without casualty?" asked Tarrasque. He counted off. "We seem to be two men short, one of ours and one of yours."
Jim paused mid-chew. They rose and went out the door... black vultures were already gathering, marking the scene of misfortune. The band rushed through the Inner Ward. At the entrance to the Widow's Den lay two corpses, Pioneer and August. In the German soldier's hand was a Luger, in the American's, a silver pocket watch.
Enigma bent over and checked the Luger. "Empty, all shots expended."
"Blimey," said Mookie, "I hoped we had shot the last of them last night when we pulled the plug on Ducimus."
"God love us, can't we be left in peace?" asked Takeda.
AVGWarhawk stared at the remains grimly. "God does not exist on this island. Only the devil."
Day begins
.