A NOS MORTS

~ Iain Kelly

The bugle sounded, the flag was lowered. Feet shuffled on gravel.

The silence was broken by the diesel engine of a barge. They didn’t close the canal anymore.

Some her mother had nursed back to full health, some never recovered. One her mother married.

Twenty years later she was alongside her mother as men repeated the same mistakes. She remembered the faces, the blood, the screams. The cost of war.

She was the last of them, the nurses of the Hôpital Temporaire d’Arc-en-Barrois.

Would anyone remember those men once she was gone?

The barge carried on along the canal.

crook-building
Copyright Sandra Crook

Written as part of the Friday Fictioneers challenge hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields (more details HERE). The idea is to write a short story of 100 words based on the photo prompt (above).

To read stories of 100 words based on this week’s prompt, visit HERE.

Published by Iain Kelly

39 year old writer, avid film viewer and book reader, employed in the media industry as a television editor.

104 thoughts on “A NOS MORTS”

      1. neil had the two words I was feeling – beauitful and haunting…
        I also loved the bit of meter in the flow here –
        would make a great read aloud…
        slowing down with
        ” She remembered the faces

        the blood
        the screams.”

        long pause – and look around
        and quietly saying:

        “The cost of war.”

        so good!!

        Liked by 1 person

  12. There’s great ambience feeling to this. You express such sorrow well, along with this hopeless dream that no one will forget those sacrifice in war; we always do at some time. Great piece!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  14. I love the writing in your story. It’s simple, clean, elegant. Absolutely direct and to the point, choosing such good little incidents to convey the atmosphere. The barge was a particularly good touch.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  30. For a few years I worked in a ‘former’ WWI hospital, built using wooden huts. Now that hospital and its memory are long gone. In years to come it may be completely forgotten. Your interesting story delivered memories. Thank you

    Like

    Reply

  35. Great the way you pack so much in. This has an overwhelming weight about it – the barge representing life going on, almost as a disrespect to those who have died. Definitely a story that lingers.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  37. How very sad and how very sad that this is very true – a lot of people tend to forget about what they don’t experience first hand or learn through family members. Very nicely written 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  44. While most of us were writing about castles and princesses, here you come with another unexpected twist. Superb story telling as usual!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

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