Screaming Dreams

Against the Wall by Mark Howard Jones

This story, set in an alternative future maybe, takes you on a strange journey through the eyes of one of its soldiers.

Extract

It felt as if I was being watched by every brick, every shattered window frame, every door frame, every tile. The buildings followed my progress with malevolent interest and seemed to be blaming me for their current state, as if the war was my idea and I was responsible for its progress, solely relied upon for its successful outcome. At least the mingled stink of dust and death wasn't so thick here.

After nearly a block-length of progress in the open, I dodged into the shell of an old bookshop to have a quiet cigarette. A hesitant tune of gunfire and the occasional burst of a mortar shell in the distance accompanied my hearty puffs.

My nicotine break was brought to a premature end by a bullet whistling past me from the street. I was sure I wasn't the target - I was too far back in the darkness of the shop and I'd covered my cigarette with my hands - but I ducked behind some cover just to be sure. Who was firing this far behind our lines? Surely the Astrakhs couldn't have broken through this far?

I decided to try and make my way to HQ using the buildings as cover. It'd take me longer but it might save my skin for my own personal use - instead of simply as a trophy for some Astrakh scum.

(click for larger view)

Cover art by Steve Upham

PDF : 210x148mm : 20 pages

Published 2008

FREE

or read the Flip Book version

About the Author

Mark Howard Jones lives in Cardiff. He has had work published in magazines, books and on the web on both sides of the Atlantic. His novella The Garden of Doubt on the Island of Shadows is available from ISMs Press.

About the Artist

Steve Upham enjoys all things creative, including drawing, painting, digital art, photography and much more. He has been running his own craft workshop for over ten years, but continues to create artwork on a freelance basis. He is also the editor/publisher at Screaming Dreams of course!