On the sixty-fourth day of his war Lieutenant Curtis White found himself in a ruined Funta-Forna town
Since they were landed on very bleak beach full of slaughtered soldiers they had moved surprisingly fast through the lush countryside meeting little or no resistance
It was when they reached the small town of Lousu that they met the first serious opposition
For two days their progress was halted until with the help of constant air attacks they obliterated the enemy that faced them
White and his unit moved cautiously through what had been a fine town but found nothing but bodies
Some intact some blown to pieces
Death was everywhere
The retreating army had destroyed everything in its path and this was made evident to White when he found a woman of about forty nailed to the remains of a barn door
She had obviously been raped many times and although quite dead had a luminous smile of her face
White released the corpse and placed it on to the scorched grass
Cover her just cover her let her experience some decency
He found an enemy soldier a boy of no more than fifteen holding his rifle
He had blown his own head off
Two others of roughly the same age had been killed by their commanding officer
Their bodies had been trussed together and each of the youths had a bullet wound in their temple
The officer lay dead nearby he had been shot through the neck
It was White was making his way forward that he noticed a movement in a shell hole
He raised his rifle but soon realised that he was in no danger
A girl was feeding her baby
She took no notice of White
Next to her lay a dead soldier who had had the side of his head shot away
After a few seconds the baby abandoned its feed and looked at White
Have you ever visited the Genesis Bar?
The dead soldier sat up
White shot him twice without thinking
As the bullets ripped away what was remaining of his face the dead soldier smiled
I have visited the Genesis Bar do go do go do go do go
The baby resumed its feed
Lady I would not stay here as this area as it is still dangerous finish your feeding and come with me I will not hurt you
Although shot to pieces the dead soldier was still grinning at White
Compose soldier compose
The baby pulled away from its mothers breast and looked at White again
Come on mam come with me this place is spooky
He helped the girl to her feet and led her and the baby towards his unit
Sarge I have found a friendly one a girl and her baby call back up and let them know
Is there anything else out there White?
Just the dead
Get back and clean up I will send Slater to help the girl is she okay?
She and the child look okay
The baby was watching him again
Do you know who my father was?
No
He was a soldier like you but a brute he raped my mother and killed her family I have a great heritage a rapist brute of a father and a simple mother
Simple
Yes simple my mother was the eldest daughter of the only baker in the town but she was born simple and lived her life in infantile ignorance
And then the war came along
And then the war came along
Your enemy just destroyed everything in their path scorched earth I think I call it
You will be well cared for as you can see we are not barbarians
Two jets screamed across the sky and fired missiles at an unseen target
What is your name?
White Curtis White
What are you called?
The Twelve Nations of the World but my friends call me Stan
What about your mother?
Desmol my mother is called Desmol
In the distance White saw a relief truck moving towards the main square of the town
You transport is here
Thank you soldier have a good war
Be safe and look after your mother
I will and remember do visit the Genesis Bar
On the one hundred and sixty-fourth day of his war Lieutenant Curtis White found himself in bad shape
He had been wounded and was lying in a stinking shell hole full on putrid water
White looked at his wounded leg
He had been shot in the thigh and was unable to move
He knew he would bleed to death unless the medics came
Death might come sooner he thought for if enemy soldiers found him they would kill him as they never took prisoners
He did not want to die violently
The shell hole was on the side of a shallow hill and from his position he could see the enemy in the far distance
Mistakes had been made by the commanding officers of his army for they had moved too fast wanting to clear a peace path too quickly
The enemy had not retreated but had circled behind the attacking troops and isolated them
It was a classic plan which had not been recognised by his superiors until it was too late
Like many others White was trapped in the killing fields
He knew that he would be found within days and if by any miracle he was still alive he would be shot without mercy
He did not want to die violently
White lapsed in and out of consciousness which scared but also comforted him
He thought of his job at the car plant
He thought of his mother and father
He thought of his sister
A wet rag was being rubbed against Lieutenant White’s face
For a second it startled him
He opened his tired eyes
The simple girl was leaning over him and smiling
What are you doing here go go while you can
The girl poured a little water into his parched mouth
The soldier coughed as the water tasted bitter
Behind his mother White could see Stan sitting on the edge of the shell hole
Stan do not sit there buddy or you will come under fire
The baby looked at the soldier
The war is over Lieutenant White
The baby clambered down the side of the shell hole and sat next to the soldier
Nothing was said
The simple girl had washed the injured soldiers face and was now bathing the gaping hole in his thigh where the bullet had felled him
The baby was staring at a group of shattered trees that overhung the shell hole
Lieutenant White had lapsed into unconsciousness again due to his loss of blood
He thought of his job at the car plant
He thought of his mother and father
He thought of his sister
He thought of the peaceful times that had preceded the war
He considered evil and why some men are born without love
You should be able to walk now my mother has fixed your leg use your rifle as a crutch you will not be needing it for any other reason now
The baby was standing on the rim of the shell hole
White looked down and saw that his leg had been covered with a golden powder some of which was floating on the surface of the putrid water nearby
Just take the first step and the rest will be easy
Half stumbling and helped by the simple girl the soldier stood up
His wounded leg no longer hurt
Still helped by the girl he climbed the small slope towards the rim of the shell hole
What do you see?
White looked out over the valley where he had last seen only destruction and death
It was covered in flowers of many different colours
These are tomorrow’s tulips
Tomorrow’s Tulips?
The Genesis Bar if you like
Tell me Stan am I dead and this a kind of afterlife
No you are very much alive it is just my mother and I have tired of the war and have decided to stop it
You showed us a great kindness in our hour of need
You are a great man Lieutenant White
I am just a soldier any man in my unit would have done the same
The baby took hold of White’s hand and led him forward
The simple girl took his other hand as he still felt unsteady
Within minutes they were walking through fields of many tulips
Red
Blue
Green
Yellow
Pink
Turquoise
Gold
White
But not black there were no black tulips
A rabbit ran across their path
Look mother there is a task rabbit
You have told me stories of the task rabbits stealing you bread
The girl looked vacantly at the soldier and the baby
She does have lucid moments you know but they are beginning to fade
This is why I created this field for her
I may be the product of rape and hate but she is still my mother the poor thing
But where do I fit into this?
You are our guest just like the soldier you shot when you first found us
Did he you offer you a kindness?
Not really but when he found my mother he did not rape her and stayed a short while offering us water
And then he was killed as your unit approached the town
I am sorry for that
It was not your fault you had no way of knowing
Did he visit this field?
For a short while but he was not clean bad blood still ran though his veins
He wanted this all
He wanted possession of my mother
That is why we returned him to the battlefield where you found us
You killed him again which was necessary
But what of me I have no wish to possess your mother I just want you to be safe that is my only concern
I do not think the war has ended Stan
When this field ends what is beyond it?
The war has ended Lieutenant White
Nothing more was said
In the distance White could see movement and as he drew closer he could see a bar full of confectionaries of all descriptions
He recognised the bartender as a Captain Slew who they had lost during the landing on the beach
Captain
White saluted
There is no need for that now not here
Are you dead?
Oh yes very much so the bullet took out what very little brain I had in the first place
What is your pleasure?
Pleasure?
What would you like to drink Curtis?
A soda, I would like a soda
White sat silently at the bar sipping his soda
He was unable to comprehend what had happened to him
He watched as the simple girl fed her baby again
He watched the captain as he arranged a vase of tulips which he placed in front of the mirror on the bar
Next to the bourbons
The band was playing a patriotic tune as the soldiers matched through his home town
White was near the end of the column
They stopped in front of the church in the main square
The mayor of the town as well as various other military dignitaries were assembled on a small wooden stage
Ladies and Gentlemen this is a great day not only have we vanquished evil but to a man our boys have returned without one casualty
God certainly smiled on us during the dark hours
Mothers might have wept when they saw their sons match to war but I for one knew that they would return
They left as boys but returned as men
Ready to take this great town of ours forward
As you can see I am pretty decrepit
(Laughter)
As you can see I am pretty decrepit and will be put out to grass soon
(More laughter)
But the young men of this town will take us forward
White felt a tug at the sleeve of his tunic
He looked down
The baby was standing next to him
He will go on for hours before you are decorated
Decorated?
Yes decorated for bravery
But I was no braver than any other soldier in my unit
You rescued my mother and I under very heavy fire
Apart from the dead soldier there was no resistance
There was resistance and you were shot but we were rescued and sent to a safe place
That is why I ended the war for you
You are a great man Lieutenant White
The band started playing again
It is your turn collect your medal
White marched forward and saluted the general
And last of all for Lieutenant Curtis White the bravest of the brave I take p[ride in awarding him The Indigo Cross
Ladies and Gentlemen it is because of Lieutenant Curtis White that we are all here today for he stopped the war
We are all aware of his bravery and who he rescued and it was because of him that the enemy was destroyed
Men will now live in peace with other
With the possible exception of the Lewistown ball games
(Laughter)
Seriously you are all fine young men Lieutenant White’s bravery is your bravery you would have all done the same in his position
It was just that he happened to be in wrong place at the right time
And because of this we are all able to visit the Genesis Bar and share sodas with him
White stood in front of the cheering crowd with the small indigo and cream cross pinned to his tunic
He looked into the middle distance where he could see the simple girl feeding her baby on the small wooden bench next to the river
She looked up and smiled at him and for the first time he saw that the light had returned to her eyes
Which were now the deepest of blue