Cemetery Street

From the corner of my eye I noticed a large black soldier watching Shannie.

"This is the 101st, 2nd Brigade, B Company, is it not?" Shannie scoffed.

"It is," The captain mumbled.

"I got the right outfit; babe!" Shannie jeered. Unnoticed by Shannie or Mulberry, the black soldier stepped closer. "I want to know what happened to my brother," Shannie continued.

"I don't know what happened to your brother," Mulberry dug his heels into the ground.

"I didn't tell you who my brother is. How would you know?" Shannie asked.

Mulberry eyebrows curled, trying to get a fix on the unrelenting demon in front of him. A small part of me felt sorry for him.

"Mitchell or Lightman?" Mulberry asked after a long silence.

The black soldier crept closer, as unaware of me as Shannie and Mulberry were of him. He appeared transfixed by Mulberry's question.

"Lightman," Shannie sighed. A slight breeze rustled her hair.

"What can I tell you about Sergeant Lightman?" Mulberry asked.

"Everything you know," Shannie said.

Extending his arm, Mulberry touched Shannie's shoulder with a concrete hand. "This isn't the proper place to discuss this matter. Maybe we should be alone," he nodded towards me. "Possibly over diner, maybe a bottle of wine."

"My brother's dead and you're hitting on me?" Shannie cried. "You fucking pig!" Shannie slapped the captain's face. A sharp crack echoed across the disassembly area. The black soldier, who I noticed was a captain, flinched. People further away stared towards the source of the crack. The collective gaze of dozens of eyes rained upon the diminutive imp and the stone-faced captain, her handprint glowing upon his face. The two combatants were locked into a loathsome stare.

The black soldier nodded for me to restrain Shannie, he motioned he'd check Mulberry.

"Bitch," Mulberry lunged at Shannie. Like lighting, the black soldier struck. Leading with his shoulders he slammed into Mulberry, driving him to the ground. Mulberry grunted as the weight of the black soldier fell atop of him. Count would have been proud, I know I was. "Burn in hell you rat bastard!" Shannie shrieked. "My brother's dead and you're hitting on me! Burn in hell! Burn in hell you rat bastard!" Another murmur arose from the onlookers. For good measure, the unknown soldier slammed Mulberry's head against the ground.

Mulberry mumbled something. "Don't even think of it asshole," the black soldier warned. "You say another word, I'll open your piece of shit skull, you know what I'm saying?"