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