Oh that was so damn good!

*smiles very big indeed.... thank you Fem...

V.

Well well Bobby's got balls.
And he was, by God, determined that the other bastard KNEW he had them.

Bunners

and now I have that tune for 'Janies Got a Gun' going through my head with the words 'Bobby's Got Some Balls' being sung... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqQn2ADZE1A

thanks for the read Buns...

V.

Wow. Just Wow! I don't know how you do it, but don't ever stop.

BTW, what's Tate been up to?

*smiles very big... ty ty ty that is much appreciated John...

Tate's being patient... he hasn't knocked on my door demanding anything yet...

V.

Thanks much Sirius... she'll come back soon...

V.

An excellent spooky tale for the season! It's Twilight Zone-worthy.

YES!!!!! I love the Twilight Zone! Thanks so much Walt...

V.

Heh. Death doesn't like to lose, but when he does he's honorable about it.

Probably because he knows he'll win in the end anyway.

so very true... thanks for the read K...

V.

Rod Serling would be proud of you.

*smiles so very very big...

Thank you Marm...

V.

I was thinking the same thing... Rod would be proud of this story.

*hugs...

V.

Really great!

thank you so very much...

V.

Most excellent fare for a quiet Halloween night. The accolades above are certainly well earned and I must add to them. As a war story and a ghost story, you have found the 'sweet spot' for telling this tale. It was fun, funny and fascinating. The language is perfect, as it always is in your work. And it ends well for all involved, which makes it more satisfying than a bag of candy.

Thank you for a perfect holiday treat.

*hugs*

*chuckles... you are most very welcome...

*hugs a bunch...

V.

That was a superb tale, V! Thank you for sharing.
And, yes, I agree with many here that Rod would surely give an honorary inclusion of this tale among his collection.
I think this would translate exceptionally well to the old silver screen.

you just made me smile so very big... ty ty ty

*hugs...

V.

*laughs... it was?

thanks so very much Bering... I'm glad it gave you a smile...

V.

Yet another superb story from you, Vixyy. Your style is so distinctive; even unattributed, I think I could pick out one of yours from a bunch of others in a heartbeat. It's that mix of respect for the subject matter and quirky humour that always does it for me.

The period details are, as ever, there in spades but woven into the storytelling so as never to feel forced. Above all, it's the dialogue that impresses me most, the way you capture the idioms of the time. It's straightforward enough to research uniforms, weaponry, the details of planes... but the speech patterns and the slang of a hundred-plus years ago? Not so easy to pull off. I'd love to know how you do it.

I actually have no idea. *laughs...

Some of the expressions were still in use when I was a child. Many I can find on line (search 'slang of WWI' [or whatever period]) and some of it has probably soaked in through all the reading I used to do as a child. I read the entire Doc Savage series which was a dime novel of the 30's brought back in the 60's.

Sometimes... sometimes I do get connected to something and the understanding is simply there...

thanks for the read...

V.

A good spooky tail with a happy ending.

*smiles... thank you...

V.