He stood silently beside me, neither of us saying a word or moving our eyes. The man from Post Two drew near, and all three of us stood gazing at the three ghostly figures passing before us. I don't know how long it was before they passed from sight, back into the fog from whence they came. He sent a scowl in the direction of Post Two, reminding him to get back to his beat, and trudged slowly back towards the smoldering campfire. I was left with a feeling of loneliness and a sense of foreboding to keep me company.
Adrenaline is a curious thing.
It pumps you up for a short time, but once it's gone the fatigue comes crashing back. A long drive in the early morning hours, followed by the exertions of a hot day had left me drained. Despite the strange apparitions in the fog I found my eyes heavy and my mind dull. My thoughts drifted to those who had stood watch, night after night, for whom falling asleep brought the penalty of death. Had I been in those times I would surely have faced the firing squad, for I was soon fitfully dozing with a sturdy cedar as my pillow.