draliman on life

This is my contribution to this week’s Mondays Finish the Story, hosted by Barbara Beacham.

Something about this photo of a big house away from the general populace combined with the word “Brigadier” made me think of that proud 19th Century British tradition of believing that the whole world should belong to Britain and that everyone else was somehow “in the way”.

The supplied sentence is in bold in my story and you can read this week’s other contributions by clicking on the blue froggy.

A body suddenly crashed through a plate glass window at the Brigadier’s house.

“I say,” exclaimed the Brigadier. “This won’t do at all!”

“Frightfully sorry about that, Sir,” said the Lieutenant calmly as he took a sip of Port and shot the interloper in the head.

“Oh, Lieutenant!” said the Brigadier indignantly, looking at the brains leaking onto the carpet. “My favourite throw rug!”

“My apologies, Brigadier,” continued the Lieutenant, swiftly dispatching two more attackers.

“What-ho! Watch the wallpaper! I had it shipped in ‘specially from Messers Smythe and Clarke of Dinkledum Street, you know.”

Before the Lieutenant had a chance to respond, one of the attacking natives pierced his heart with a long knife.

“I don’t understand,” barked the Brigadier as natives closed on him, knives gleaming. “We’ve brought you education, technology… all we ask is that you follow our rules!”

While the Brigadier’s soldiers, fighting for pay, cowered behind the furniture, the natives, fighting for their home, ignored the bullets and reclaimed their land.