I know this week's Story Friday is late but I wanted to try and get it just right. It's doubly special in my case as it is a tribute to my friend Ronnie for such a great prompt, and a welcome home present of sorts. Two a way of showing my son his heritage if he's reading this, which I secretly hope he is. So without further ado on with the show.
The Battleship's cannons exploded around him as he took cover behind the anti-aircraft gun. Aedan hadn't signed up for this this, then again he wasn't really sure what he had signed up for when he had joined the Navy. He was wishing he was back home to a plate of steak, mashed potatoes, and corn as the first plane appeared on the horizon. He slide his finger onto the trigger and prepared for them to come into range, and as they did he opened fire with a vengeance. As the enemy planes strafed in him and the other anti-air crafters took out two of them. Quickly the enemy was engaged by their own planes. All the while the cannons continued roaring out like miniature explosions. Aedan kept trying to track the enemy planes with his anti-aircraft gun as they soared through the air, locked in combat with his own planes. He managed to get off a few shots here and there but nothing substantial.
Finally all the planes had been brought down either by anti-aircraft fire or other planes in the fleet. But the cannons still roared with life. Aedan figured he would get used to it eventually or go deaf, one of the two. He remained at his post as he had been instructed to do in case of a second wave. It was going to be a long day he knew, but then that was what you were supposed to expect in the Navy during wartime.
Finally his relief of duty came around as the sun was setting, surprisingly the rest of the day had been quiet since the attack earlier in the day. But the cannons continued to roar with life. Aedan was sure they were pounding a distant shore for some planned invasion, but he just wasn't sure when. He hoped there would be some relief for the holidays, but somehow he doubted it. Though he did ponder that maybe the food in the mess hall would be slightly better on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. He didn't have any proof of this other than the other crew members didn't seem to be dreading the holidays in the mess hall it seemed.
Aedan ate in silence while the rest of the crew were livelier. He wasn't sure why he wasn't more excited he just had a sense of foreboding about the next day. Or maybe it wasn't the next day maybe it was just the uncertain future even aboard a battleship. Aedan finished his dinner and went below to his bunk. He read for a little while trying to distract himself before turning in for the night.
He was jarred from sleep by alarms going off all around him and the cannons still thundering above. Aedan dove into his uniform and grabbed his gear and headed for his post at the Anti-Aircraft Gun. He got there just in time to see his relief mowed down in hail of bullets. Without thinking twice he shoved him off the gun and took over. Firing at every enemy plane he could put into his sights as if the fate of the world depended upon it. Soon their own planes made it into the fight and the enemy was beaten down out of the sky like the invading seagulls they were.
And finally silence fell over the ship as the cannons at last fell silent as noon approached on that day. Aedan felt the battleship turn and head towards the land it had been shelling and knew they had taken it. They were putting in for some shore leave in whatever remained from the shelling. But it would be good to feel earth beneath his feet again even for just a day or two. As the ship trudged towards port all Aedan could think to do was carry his relief down to where the rest of the casualties were being gathered.
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