![[the-unsent-letter.png]] *Added to the Codex on* ***October 29th, 2024*** --- ### Quotes "There was no higher power on that battlefield last night... Those cursed circles told me that." - Pvt. Michael Jenkins "It feels like the Devil put a curse on us today..." - Pvt. Michael Jenkins "It was like he clawed his way up from a fresh scorching down below just to kill his way through Belgium." - Pvt. Michaels Jenkins <br> ### Description [[Maria Falck|FALCK:]] Hey Casper, looks like one of the Privates tried to send a letter home after the battle in Bastogne. You want a look? [[Wikus "Casper" Van Daele|CASPER:]] I've read through a dozen of those already. Why would I want to read another one? FALCK: Looks like the chain of command didn't want this one getting out. You don't want to look at contraband? CASPER: ...Alright. Send it over. --- TOP SECRET // DO NOT DELIVER BY ORDER OF US ARMY COMMAND // INTERVIEW PVT. JENKINS ASAP Dear Jimmy, I write you thankful that I am even capable of doing so. Now I know I normally write to the whole family, but since you're in charge of making sure Ma is taken care of while I'm gone, I'm asking you to keep this between the two of us. I don't want to go worrying her, but I need to tell someone about it, otherwise I feel they might get us all convinced it was some sort of nightmare. I'm telling you, so you gotta keep this letter safe. I know you know that feeling you get in your gut when something wrong is about to happen. See, we got these orders to just sit still and look after some crates while the Germans were breathing down our necks. We were getting help, but when that unit showed up, I got the feeling in my gut. I'll be damned if I can remember the name, but do you remember back in '32 when we went up to the city and saw the talkie with that Lugosi fella? It had all those folks walking around like they were possessed. Zombie something? Anyhow, it felt like that only more frightening if you can even believe it. They had these masks on when they showed up so we couldn't see their faces. How are you supposed to trust a man you can't look in the eye with your life? I say you can't, but they set out right away to take on those Germans. Jimmy, I've seen a lot during this damn war. I've seen things I hope you never have to witness for yourself, but the way they fought was something I've never seen in all my days. They brought fog and cold with them. There was a presence in that soup and my heart could scarcely handle the way they moved through it. If you've heard stories about those shark attacks the Navy's been dealing with, you'll know about what I saw. Bastogne looked like the pits of hell itself. They lit these circles of fire as they bloodied their way through the town. There's this statue of an angel in the cemetery here and it was completely surrounded by flames. Everything was. There was no higher power on that battlefield last night, Jimmy. Those cursed circles of hell told me that. When they finished, some of the guys tried to get a look at them under those masks. It felt foolish, but they didn't seem to care so long as we didn't stop them moving around those crates we were guarding. The one I saw, it was like he clawed his way up from a fresh scorching down below just to kill his way through Belgium. If those crates are important to someone like that, I don't even want to know what's in them. I'm going to keep my distance until they clear out of here. I hope it's soon. I don't know, Jimmy. We won and everyone is celebrating like we won, but it's not right. It feels like the Devil put a curse on us today and I can scarcely figure out how to feel good about that. In any case, I told you to keep this safe and I'm telling you again. And for the love of all I'm saying DON'T TELL MA else I'm coming for you like these monsters did for the Germans when they send me home. She'll hear stories about The Butchers of Bastogne soon enough, I'm sure. I'd rather it happen when I'm safe and sound. Love your brother, Michael --- CASPER: I stand corrected. Don't think I've ever read a letter quite like that. FALCK: What have we gotten ourselves into? CASPER: Hell, if I had to guess. What in the world...?