Sean Griffin

Valor

Valor Prologue Slowly, the sun crept down towards the horizon. The stench of death filled the air. A flock of crows flew overhead, letting out loud caws. The men, faces etched with sorrow, walked forward. They carried famine stricken bodies in their steady hands. They laid their grim burdens down on the deck of the large longboat. High pitched wails filled the air. A man walked forward carrying a torch. The flame danced with anticipation. He touched the ship with the lit end of the torch. The ravenous flames spread quickly. A brisk wind filled the sail and the boat strained against the ropes that bound it to the dock. Calmly the man unsheathed a rusty knife and cut it loose. Silently, the boat drifted away leaving a trail of black smoke. Laggardly, it faded into the distance carrying the bodies of the deceased on their final journey.