My blackened fingers rubbed at my tired eyes. Three of us sat against our own walls of the clapped out WWII bunker.
“So this is it, then?” I asked to no one in particular, finally accepting reality.
“Yeah,” someone murmured.
“The end of an era.” I leant my head back against the concrete wall.

“Well,” Jonah said, throwing cans to myself and Chris. “Here’s to the end, and what awaits us on the other side!” He popped his beer open and chucked it back as we did the same, all of us standing now.
For some reason, when the drink was down our throats we were all grinning.
“It’s been a long run,” Chris smiled.
“We made a good innings!” I added. At that we all laughed. I don’t think we knew why.

There was a clang as something bashed against the door.
“This really is it.” The smile vanished from Jonah’s face. I rested my hand on his shoulder.
“We fought hard, Jonah. For the right thing – and you know it.”
He nodded as I turned to face the door. “Ready?”

I didn’t hear them. Gunshot filled the air.
So came the end.