Far Horizons: Tales of Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Horror. Issue #16 July 2015 | Page 68

Trouble at the Docks
Chapter Fourteen
By Jim King

The hoped for quiet night did not last long.
Gunshots rang out in the darkness, and the camp
erupted with shouting and confusion.

serving Queen and Country, but they knew their jobs.

The outer picket closest to the road had spotted figures coming towards the camp and shouted a
warning. After waiting several seconds for a response,
both guards opened fire then fell back. Pickets either
side responded and likewise opened fire as more rebels
came into sight. Within a minute, the entire picket line
facing the rebel town was falling back and firing shots
against the closing enemy.

The flickering light cast deep shadows but also
marked the rebels. The attacker’s numbers could not
be clearly seen, but they were coming closer. Bullets threw up sand and dust from the ground, whined
through the air overhead, and struck among the attackers. One of the rotary guns opened fire, and several of
the attackers were bowled over by the heavy bullets
that tore through their lines.

In the camp, soldiers scrambled out of their
tents, most in no more than v \