Eloquent Expressionalism

3 Pages 633 Words

Eloquent Expressionalism

The thick morning fog swirls in plumes on the field as the sun attempts to break through the cover above. Hues of orange, purple, and red combine to form a breathtaking vista that belies the nature of what’s transpiring. The tall grass is stained red. Heat and humidity work in sync to establish an invisible barrier that bonds clothing to skin with little effort.
To either side stand men in arms. Their brandished uniforms clearly visible against the backdrop of thick pine and spruce trees that surround the expanse of open land. Officers on horseback dictate orders to men who form the front line. Their well-groomed steeds exert a sense of power that would strike fear into anyone who would draw near. Pistols hug their sides as a reminder that abandonment is treason, and punishable by death.
Cannons flank the field, positioned aggressively at the front of the line as to optimize their distance. Men awaiting the next shot step away in order to evade the recoil of the large gun. The smell of gunpowder and open wounds fill the air, a truly sickening combination. The sound of men screaming is overpowering, their cries heard only by god, a futile attempt at salvation. Whiffs of smoke emanate from the entrance of bullet holes, all while cauterizing tissue. The ground is littered with discarded weaponry. A rifle, lay jammed but mere feet from its owner, a pale young sergeant with thinning hair, and a look to his eyes as though he’d seen more than men twice his age. His vision slowly fading being replaced by instead, a murky darkness that drowns its victims in its sweet surrender.
Soldiers charge over the already bent blades of grass, tripping, falling, over comrades and adversaries alike. Bodies taking cover from rogue cannonballs flying overhead. The earth is soft and rich, coating the smooth leather of the soldiers army issued boots. Unpolished buckles fail to gleam as they should due to oxidation, wh...