He was handed a shovel and told to dig. He understood the why, but the how was problematic. After four years of semi-starvation, malaria and dysentery he could scarcely lift the shovel, let alone dig. He started to scratch at the earth with the blade of the spade. The ground was hard, but a sudden tropical shower turned everything to unstable slippery mud. At the cost of his remaining reserves of strength the hole started, millimetre by millimetre, to take shape.
‘Not long now. Rest, sleep, peace.’
Uproar, shouting, rat-a-tat shooting on the other side of the compound.
‘God, what now?’
Sound of running feet. Strong hands took his shovel and threw it into the mouth of the shallow grave. Two men supported him, shuffling along, his feet dragging, until he was eased gently down on to the running board of a Jeep. Smooth khaki uniforms and huge white grins in black faces scarcely penetrated his delirium. The world around him receded. Vertigo. Darkness. Nothing.
Between 33 and 333 words for Trifecta, The prompt was to write using the word mouth, with the third definition: something that resembles a mouth especially in affording entrance or exit: as, among others, the surface opening of an underground cavity.
The moment I saw the prompt, I was reminded of a piece of flash fiction I wrote way back, which every critiquer found desperately sad, so I tried to re-write the ending. But I couldn’t. Sorry friends.
Wow.
Just wow. This was penetrating. Absorbing. Convincing.
Despair in the opening note-a sense of hopelessness & then a sudden turnaround -for the better I feel-the clues say so-”until he was eased gently down on to the running board of a Jeep. Smooth khaki uniforms and huge white grins “-am optimistic about this Vivin:-)A great story !
I think the sad ending fits right in this week
There really isn’t any way to soften the cruelties of war…
Liberation! This was very nicely done, Viv. (keep a watch in your mailbox for a wee package from ‘laska. No sharp tools to open, please)
This is soooo exciting!
A great story and I found the ending to offer a tiny bit of hope. I wish there was more to read. Nicely done!
Despite the sad tone, I liked this piece. (:
I’m with KimmInBarcelona – ‘vertigo, darkness, nothing’ isn’t definitive and may pressage a new beginning, just as it may be the answer to his prayers for an end. It’s the b….y war, and that’s not sad, it’s a horrific reality. Great response
Viv, I don’t think you need apologize for writing the bitter truth about war. It needs to be said over and over until people understand its folly. Peace, Amy
Someone being liberated from a concentration camp? This is really well done, Viv. Wow, what a story!
Well done! 
Yes, I was thinking of the WWII prisoner of war camps in Malaysia.
wonderful imagery of how we become complacent in the midst of digging our own graves
Wow, you’re good at this style of writing, Viv…I was drawn right in!
“God, what now?” was perfect. It so captured his absolute lack of hope, of any emotion at all, the idea that everything had been taken from him so that there wasn’t even any revelry in rescue.
“I wrote way back, which every critiquer found desperately sad, so I tried to re-write the ending.” Bah! It’s okay to have sad ending or even horrific ones. Happy endings all the time, no matter the premise, make for stale (and unrealistic) stories.
Thank you for that reassurance
When ‘vertigo, darkness, nothing’ is a good thing.
So sad and so moving. It is very good.
I didn’t find it sad. I found it hopeful. Maybe I’m misreading the ending.
Very enjoyable, and quite moving.
It is sad, but it’s good.