Stop the block: writing contest

Challenge #7 (part 1)

"Thank-you Victoria." Olivia murmured as the two of them set to work, and Olivia tried desperately not to think about her husband, Caius Marcius, or the war he was fighting in.

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Thousands of miles away, the ground shook as another round of missiles were launched. The underground bunker creaked and rattled, debris cascading down, as men and women dressed in military uniform cowered. The lights flickered on and off as the bombs continued to explode above their heads. Eventually the lights gave out and the bunker was cloaked in complete darkness. The soldiers huddled together under one of the few tables, praying for the onslaught to stop. The shells didn't care for their pleas, as they continued without mercy.

'Boom'. 'Boom'. 'Boom'.

The constant abuse made the soldiers feel like their ears were bleeding.

Just when they thought they would go mad from the horrible sounds and choking fear, the missiles stopped.

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"Oh darling child, sing! Rejoice, but please do not cry." Victoria said, trying to comfort her daughter-in-law, as they stitched the quilt.

Olivia continued to cry silently as she worked. Victoria looked at her in despair, she could not bare to see the beautiful young woman sobbing her heart out.

"If I were in your position and my son was my husband I would freely feel great pride and joy. I would be honored to call such a brave man my own."

Olivia remained silent as her mother-in-law continued to speak. It was as if she could not hear the older woman's words at all, as if she were incased in some sort of bubble, cut off from the world around her: trapped in her own misery.

"When he was but a child," Olivia's gaze shot to Victoria, as she spoke of Caius, "My only son, most cautioned me to keep him close. To keep him by my side, where he could not so easily get hurt, but he was always such a daring little thing," Victoria chuckled slightly at the memory, "I was young and saw no reason to fear him hurting himself. So I let him seek danger, knowing it would allow him to keep his daring nature. William is so much like him" She motioned towards the blonde-haired boy, William Martius, who was once again playing with his toy sword in front of the fire.

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"GET READY BOYS" A tall, blonde-haired man with shining bright blue eyes shouted out, as the soldiers lined up in front of a row of ladders, that led up to the surface.

There was another earth shattering explosion over head, causing the bunker to shake with the force and the soldiers to scurry like mice.

The only one left standing, tall and proud, was the blonde-haired man. The stories of this particular man's bravery and strength had no equal among the lower ranks, so it came as no shock that this man's scowl could make the soldiers tremble with just as much fear as the shells exploding above.

General Caius Martius glared down at his men as they coward under chairs, his once sky-blue eyes now as cold and hard as ice.

"Come now you cowards! Do you have no honor?" Caius bellowed at the soldiers.

"We can't go out there sir." One of the soldiers called out in disbelief.

"We would be killed, as soon as we surfaced!" Another continued.

Caius's gaze grew impossibly more deadly as his team continued to disobey his orders,

"Better to die with honor and bravery than, live in fear." Caius spat at them before turning and heading up the ladder, completely on his own.