Today’s Anacrusis will be late because the one I was going to put up is just too awful. Too awful. I couldn’t inflict that on my readers.

Here it is!

C H I L I   J O H N

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“I was told we’d be noncombat!” shrieks Lester as he presses up against the trench wall. Phosphorus shells scream and gob-smack.

“That’s right,” Chili John nods, “you’re the civilian component of Operation Wombat.”

“Oh, that’s much better,” Lester says. He looks relieved.

“See that metal-plated monstrosity over there?” Chili John points. “That’s the Tomcat. Your job is to carry some fuel to it–here, use this top hat.”

Lester scrambles off with the crude naptha. Moments later, he and it are splashed all over the ironside, burning happily.

“You’re a bad man,” chuckles Moon.

“Stop that,” Chili John snaps.