Reading Time: 11 minutes Although he had never seen the— the thing—in the next room, he knew full well what it was. And that was why one such as he now quivered in enervating terror.

Reading Time: 6 minutes                 In the trench, it was cold, dark, and wet, and everyone knew the stillness would not last.                 Barclay, sitting on an empty ammo box, ran shaking fingers along the barrel of his Lee-Enfeld carbine. He’d seen vets obsessively clean their rifles before battle, polishing and oiling each part as if it would be inspected by Field Marshall Haig himself. It seemed to give comfort. But with his jitters any kind of fine work would be impossible.                 Lounging next to him on some sandbags, fiddling with something, was Jameson. His rifle lay propped against the earthen wall. After a moment came a click and…