Under Dirt, Water, and Fire

The Historical Fiction piece, “The Glen”, takes place during the Irish War of Independence, a series of bloody conflicts that lasted through a number of years between Ireland, England, and the Irish Loyalists. The main characters of this story are childhood friends growing up in a politically torn country. When conflicts of beliefs put the two on opposite sides, their friendship is tested to the point of breaking.
“Eastwatch” is a fantastical short story, placing the reader in the middle of a Nordic raid on a walled outpost of an enemy empire. The raid is led by a shieldmaiden bent on revenge for her family against the empire that took them from her. Her desire for vengeance puts the crew at risk, and the crew’s captain begins to question their ability to take on the formidable force of the empire.
“Brain Scramble” is a loose interpretation of a traumatic experience during the Iraq war. Following an IED explosion and enemy attack, “Mac” must exfiltrate with a wounded Marine on his back while suffering from the effects of a concussion. The enemy pushes the attack, and the Marines have to fight their way to safety.
“The Beach” is a short Historical Fiction story about “Will”, a Private serving in the United States Army during the Normandy Invasion. As his landing vehicle hits the beach, Will is thrown from the craft and into the water, where he is pulled down under the red waves. Will must struggle to shore and fight his way up the beach, or he will be cut down by the enemy like so many of his brothers in arms.
The final story, “Buried”, is from the perspective of a fourteen-year-old Combat Engineer serving in the trenches of France during World War I. The young engineer works as a tunneler, and when an enemy artillery shell detonates nearby his posting, a wall of debris and dirt entombs the young man and his comrades. The fight for air begins immediately, accompanied by the knowledge that he might be the only hope his platoon mates have in surviving the crushing walls of dirt now pinning them in the earth.