As usual, we were excited to start the night shift. Tense and nervous too, with that familiar feeling of nausea tightening the muscles in the stomach that strangled the appetite. Bill and I had spent most of the day working the weights in the gym, and although we had fuelled on pasta, steak and eggs earlier, I still managed to force down a couple of energy drinks and a protein bar as we walked into our building. We were expecting a bruising encounter –no sense in fighting on an empty stomach. Who would the enemy send tonight? Undoubtedly there would be casualties, we just hoped it would be theirs rather than ours.  How many would be dead before the coming dawn? We settled into our chairs, lit up the screens and eased our mice out of their holders. Orcs, trolls or ghouls, we were ready for them all.

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