Lazarus Rising: Chapter 10: part 3

The explosion was huge, The entire mountain shook. The men in Robert's troop gathered together.
 

'What the fuck was that? Albert asked.

'That wasnt a cannon' Alf said.

'That sounded like a whole magazine going up' Robert said.

'Well seems like our nice , quiet little mission is over» Paddy commented.
'Come on men" Robert urged, "I know we are tired but lets go and see."

"Ah, what the hell" Jimmy said, picking up his rifle, "Nobody lives forever."
 and the path northwards towards the sound. Light was now streaming up from the horizon and a column of black smoke was rising up from behind the next hill.

They reached the hill top and gazed down into the small partially treed valley below. What they saw made their blood run cold. Several bodies were strewn around. French and British lieing together in death, mangled by the explosion. A few remaining French and British were fighting it out and Robert knew that French reinforcements would soon arrive. He pulled a small telescope from his tunic and scanned the valley floor.

He was shocked to see Alex down there still fighting but it seemed that most of his men were dead. He also saw the Lieutenant, who looked like he had been seriously wounded, propped up against a tree.
"Let's go" he ordered, "fix bayonets."
The men charged down the steep hill. Paddy screamed an Irish battle cry and the 6 companions threw themselves into the fray.

Rifle shots left three Frenchmen dead and Robert ducked quickly as a sword flashed past his ear. He raised his own rifle with the bayonet extending its reach by a foot. It slashed the belly of the Frenchman and Robert was sprayed by more blood. He kept moving though, not even looking to check if the French soldier was down. His eyes were fixed on the Lieutenant who was slumped over beside a gnarled looking tree with blood dripping from his arm.

He crossed the ground quickly to his side.
"Come on Sir, lets get out of here."
"No Foxworth, I will not leave my men"
"Sorry Sir, this is no time to argue."
The officer was still complaining as Robert hoisted him up onto his soldier and started to head back out of the valley. Unfortunately for both of them, two French Infantry men with swords stood in their way.
"And I thought this couldn't get any harder"