EYE CANDY

chapter one

And with that thought, the sound of gunshots rang out through the empty cobbled streets. Faint shouts from Germans could barely be heard as their guns did more of the talking. Kris didn't hesitate to pick up her feet with the rest of her squadron. None of them bothered to turn and fight back; it would be death that you were asking for by daring a single glance over your shoulder.

One by one, soldiers were shot down. Kris didn't stop for them, even while they pleaded and cried out for the rest to stop. Tommy and her were the only remaining two as they struggled to pull themselves over a fence that was barely standing. It was the only thing around that would provide cover.

Kris fell to the concrete ground as Tommy swiftly began to cock his rifle and aim it at the opposing side. Bullets flew through the wooden fence, whizzing above where Kris was stationed. If she moved one inch in any direction, there was no doubt that she would be struck.

Tommy stayed back, waiting for the rain of bullets to stop. When they had their chance, the two soldiers stood up and began to run once again.

Propaganda leaflets continued to drop from the sky, each one containing the same message for the Allies. They were surrounded. Kris was breathing too heavily, and her thoughts wandered to the empty flask that smacked against her thigh as she ran. They were desperate.

Rounding another corner, shots were fired into the dirt. They were mere warning shots, but they still had Kris and Tommy's heart driving up a wall with anxiety.

"Anglais! Anglais!" Tommy announced, causing the French soldiers to hold their fire.

The two surviving soldiers were pulled behind the French's sandbag barricade with full force. There weren't many words exchanged as soldiers began to fire their guns once again. It was a never ending game.

Tommy grabbed Kris by the sleeve and tugged her away from the barricade. She didn't hesitate to follow him. If he managed to survive this far, Kris wouldn't think twice about staying by his side. There must be some sort of good luck to him.

Kris could feel her lungs burning, but it didn't seem to matter that her internal organs were collapsing on the inside as her eyes caught sight of the widespread ocean.

The beach smelled like salt, the wind whipped through her hair and the salt stung her eyes. But it was one step closer to being home.

Kris's eyes did not stray on the horizon for long as she looked around at all the hundred and thousands of soldiers lined up on the beach. She couldn't even see where the lines ended. Tommy left her side, running over to nearby sand dunes, but Kris didn't move an inch. It would take days to get home, and most of that time spent would be on the beach of Dunkirk. They were sitting targets, beached at the very edge of home.

A hospital boat was lined up at the dock, but Kris could tell that it wasn't enough. There were too many of them, all lined up helplessly trying to get their way home. They would all die before even setting one foot onto the dock of the boat.

Tommy soon staggered back to Kris's side. He handed her a flask with his blue eyes trained on the horizon. Kris took it carefully, tilting her head back to take a swig. As she pulled the flask away from her lips, stray water droplets dropped down her chin. She slid her finger up her neck to catch the falling water and licked it off her skin. It was the first sip of water she had in days.