It was a general’s duty to comfort his wounded men. Fong did a general’s duty. He had once been one of these men. They were in his care.
Whenever he closed his eyes, he saw their faces and heard their cries, and felt the fire blasts and sword cuts of his own past bite into him again. He was lucky, and he knew it.
When their comrades could, they brought these men home, and lay them on hospital beds, and only sometimes visited. Ripped from the men whom they had fought with, trapped, and useless, and unable to leave, they turned their faces away from him when he came, but he didn’t mind.
Some went mad from it, and they needed him most. He did a general’s duty, but when he left, they were still crying and screaming.
His men were dying, and those who didn’t... He sent them home in pieces.
This war had to end soon. They couldn’t lose this war. They couldn’t.
When he heard the Avatar had returned, he could look his men in the face again.
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branchandroot
Eric Bogle’s “And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda”
Date: 2010-02-04 08:19 pm (UTC)Whenever he closed his eyes, he saw their faces and heard their cries, and felt the fire blasts and sword cuts of his own past bite into him again. He was lucky, and he knew it.
When their comrades could, they brought these men home, and lay them on hospital beds, and only sometimes visited. Ripped from the men whom they had fought with, trapped, and useless, and unable to leave, they turned their faces away from him when he came, but he didn’t mind.
Some went mad from it, and they needed him most. He did a general’s duty, but when he left, they were still crying and screaming.
His men were dying, and those who didn’t... He sent them home in pieces.
This war had to end soon. They couldn’t lose this war. They couldn’t.
When he heard the Avatar had returned, he could look his men in the face again.