A drink

[devros1]

Tom ebtered the pub felling gloom the day had not gone well. It was raining outside as he entered throught the oors. He had just reacieved news that his brother had been killed ni the blits he scept his head down as he strolled over to the barmaid.

"Give me the best booze you'v got" Tom said bitterly

He sat on the small stool as she handed him some beer.

"Im gonna drink myself to death tonight" Tom whispered to himself under his breath.

He watched the barmaid staring at him.

"What ar you looking at?" Tom said calmly

[Rhys Bevan]

"I don't know, do they label animals?" grinned Rhys, emerging from the doorway and taking a seat opposite Private Edwards, cutting across the barmaid who had been about to shyly answer the Private's question.

The news of the London Blitz had exploded into the trenches earlier that morning and by early afternoon there wasn't a single soldier stationed at RWF's Anglesey Headquarters that hadn't heard the news. It hadn't effected the vast majority of the infantry directly or at least not as much as the horrific bombings of Cardiff but weeks before. Few soldiers had any relatives or friends in the capital but there was always the odd man who had lost someone close to him and would subsequently fall into a fit of depression.

Tom Edwards was one of these men. His brother had been reported missing, presumably dead by the authorities and he hadn't seen the disgraced Private all day. Alongside a couple of other men, Rhys had been chosen to offer his condolences to the depressive men and attempt to raise morale as best he could. Rhys had never been a good friend of Tom's however, so it could be a tricky sell.

"How are you doing?" he whispered.

[S.SGT David Bevan]

David entered the silent pub at his brothers side. He scanned the room for friendly faces and grunted with recognition towards Private Edwards. David too, due to his extreme popularity amongst the men, had been chosen to assist his brother in raising the morale of those affected by the bombing. However he didn't relish the chance to have a drink with Edwards, a Private he ahd upheld a fierce rivalry with since the day he'd met him. The Staff Sergeant didn't care if Tom's brother had been killed. Every Edwards in the world was one too many in David's opinion and he was set on completing his task as half-assed as possible.

He took a seat next to his brother and grunted again, before raising his arm for attention. A young waitress, perhaps nineteen, approached the table, smiling sweetly. Normally, David would have embarked on a grand attempt at flirting with the girl but he was annoyed as it was and so merely ordered a drink for himself and Rhys before settling himself into his chair and checking his wristwatch boredly.

[devros1]

Tom felt a presence behind him as he drunk his cold bitter tasting beer. Suddenly he heard a voice say

"I don't know, do they label animals?"

He turned round to see Staff Sargent Bevan

"How are you doing?" he heard him ask

"Fine fine so i here you captured a Jerrie how did you manage that Rhys?" he asked calmly.

He watched as David Bevan walked in to the bar. He watched in laughter as he saw David staring hungrily at the barmaid.

"Don't waist your time mate on her she charges you!" He said cheerfully at the Sargent.

"Only jocking my old friend she has a boyfriend already but i wouldn't Even try it because the boy is a nephew of a high ranking officer mate you be lucky to live"he turned to Rhys

"So what AR you having wine or a beer?"he said bitterly.

He walked over to the barmaid.

"Get us some proper welsh beer not this putrid English stuff!"

[jackdaniels]

Jack was sitting in the corner drinking some nice welsh beer. It had been a good day he shot every target at the range and his new recruits were doing well.He was thinking about the day when he heard a man say quite loud

"Get us some proper welsh beer not this putrid English stuff!"

He turned to see a gloomy looking Tom Edwardsm, who was sitting by Rhys Bevan and David Bevan.Jack slowly got up and walked over to sit by his friends .He sat down by them and then said to Tom

"I'm sorry about your brother Tom it must feel terrible"

His Brother was killed in London then he turned to the Bevan boys and said

"How was your day, mine went well."

[Rhys Bevan]

Rhys groaned as Jack approached them. This was exactly what he had hoped to avoid; a social situation. He just wanted to offer his heartiest apologies to Tom and get out of there. But now it looked like he would be enrolled into a full-blown conversation with the other three. Rhys had nothing against Jack and even Tom wasn't neccessarily always a total git but they weren't exactly the most riveting of conversation-makers.

The Staff Sergeant tried to look as if he was interested as Tom displayed his expert knowledge on the barmaid's...profession and displayed his generally irritating anti-English feel. Rhys observed that most of the Welsh would probably rather wage war on their Anglo-Saxon neighbours rather than the Germans themselves but stayed quiet. He was half-English himself and had no intention of being beaten up by a pub full of thuggish and patriotic goons from the valleys and held his tongue. He was content to listen to pro-Welsh ramblings as long as no one began to burst into song about some mountain.

Rhys raised the glass to his lips and nodded curtly at the young medic who too seemed to have heard of the tragedy that had embarked its ugly head on the Edwards family. Apparently Michael Edwards had been nine years old. Nine years old.

The randomness of fate always confused Rhys. The vast majority of the troops in the nearby barracks and indeed the country would claim that it was down to God. Rhys wasn't so sure; the answer was a tad convenient in his opinion. Whatever the reason, it seemed unfair - no, wrong - that a child of under ten years old would die where his brother, more than twice his age, would live. It seemed like a cruel joke. The war would be tearing Tom's family apart. And it looked like the entire continent would be next.

"How was your day?" asked Jack, turning to Rhys and David. "Mine went well."

Rhys merely shrugged. When you were a soldier, particularly in an island as gloomy as Britain, few days went well. Added to the fact that 1 day in 10 you were being shot at by a large squad of Germans who constantly referred to you as "Tommy", life wasn't particularly entertaining. He nodded vaguely and returned to his drink.

[S.SGT David Bevan]

David noted the Medic Jack Daniels slowly making his way towards them from a dark corner of the bar. Like many other people he had come to comfort Private Edwards. David wasn't going to do the same he didn't feel any pity for Tom. He felt pity for the innocent child who had died at the hands of the Germans. David knew the reason they were fighting so that no more innocents would die.

His thoughts were interrupted by Jack "How was your day, mine went well" he said happily.

"Great" replied David sarcastically.

The day had been filled visiting depressed Soldiers who had lost loved ones in the Blitz. David had come to the pub to cheer up and now Edwards was here mourning his young brother. It pleased him to think that soon he could leave and visit his own family and his young brother of around the same age.

David then noticed his empty glass to his right and called the barmaid for a refil. He wondered how Edwards new so much about the woman. He had probable asked her to be his special friend but had been rejected. If he was right it wouldn't be the first time the first time. After finishing pouring the beer the barmaid retreated to the bar. David had been drinking all day and he was tight on cash he only had enough for two more.

Satisfied David rested his feet up on the table and and sipped his beer slowly making sure to enjoy every drop.

[devros1]

i have deleted it

[devros1]

Tom watched in utter irritation as he saw the medic walk in . The man was walking around as if nothing had happened he would know some day Tom thought.

"It's getting late and i'm getting tired" he said casiully.

"Im gonna head back to the barracks get some sleep you know?"

"It's nice to see you Jack" he said as he left the pub.

He pulled out the keys for his convoy truck as he starded the engines he drove back to the barracks in the middle of the night.

[S.SGT David Bevan]

David glanced briefly at his wristwatch before necking the contense of his beer glass and brining it hard down onto the table. His shift was over and it was now time to go and embark on the long journey to his home in Beddgelert.

"Sorry ladies I've got to go"called David over his shoulder hurriedly before hastily exiting the pub.

Waiting immediately outside was a large Willy's jeep. David recognized it instantly as his jeep Wolf. Seated inside were three fellow soldiers from his village Sergeant Evans,Sergeant Madog and Private Mathews.

"What the hell took you so long" questioned Evans loudly pretending to be angered. " You're half an hour late".

"I had a few drinks and I lost track of time" replied David happily he was glad to be returning home.

David leapt into the drivers seat and gripped the steering wheel which felt so familiar tightly. He laughed uncontrollable before putting his foot down as hard as possible causing the vehicle to surge forward violently and speed towards an old woman on the roadside. David managed swerve out of the way just in the nick of time. He then continued on at terrible speeds down the pothole infested country roads his drunk fellows singing some grotesque slurred version of men of Harlech.


David had to slam on the brakes and stop suddenly several times when sheep were being moved from Field to Field. He then cursed as a towering tractor emerged from the darkness on a collision course with their jeep. Luckily the tractor stopped quickly and David drove off hastily in the confusion. He wasn't having some west country farmer taking his details and getting him fined for speeding.

[Rhys Bevan]

Rhys stared at his empty class despondently as an awkward silence filled the room. Suddenly - and almost simultaneously - Tom and David excused themselves from the table and exited the tavern without another word.

"Do I smell or something?" he grinned to himself.

"Yes," said the barman gruffly, before turning back to washing his glasses. Rhys stared at the barman open-mouthed.

"Just tellin' the truth," he shrugged. "I makes a point to always tell the truth, no matter what the circumstances. That's what the good Lord says,"

This statement, the barman seemed to think, had won the argument as he stuck his chest out triumphantly, before withdrawing a pocket-size bible from his pocket and tapping it fondly. Rhys was about to point out that his Bible had lost a good few hundred pages but thought better of it.

"That's what the Lord says," the barman repeated to stress his point. Rhys rolled his eyes and nodded disapprovingly towards the pile of glasses erected on the grimy bar.

"The good lord also says 'thou shalt not clean empty mugs of beer with your own saliva,'"responded Rhys, pushing the chair away and rising to his feet. He tossed a couple of coins on the table and made for the door. "Just an observation,"

"No, it doesn't," frowned the barman. But it was too late. Rhys was already gone.

Rhys made it out of the pub just in time to see his brother drunkenly barge his way into his chipped Willy's Jeep with a couple of his friends. Well, David called them friends. Perhaps the word "cretins" would be more sufficient. The jeep swerved down the road loosely, before flooring it around the corner and out of view.

"No chance of a lift then..." muttered Rhys. He slowly turned in the general direction of the barracks and began the slow trudge home.

[PuNk! ™]

Moderation Post:[/b]

Finished Completely [1 PAGE] (With a few exceptions of inactive members / Jack)

S.SGT, D.BEVAN: 10CP
~ Well written posts, would've earned more if you posted beyond 3 posts.

S.SGT, R.BEVAN: 10CP
~ Descriptive, talkative, nice posts. Again, you only posted 3 times.

PVT, T.EDWARDS: 5CP
~ Short, lack of spelling and punctuation, not very thrilling to read sadly.

~Danny[/color]