In this short story by T.C. McCarthy, one ordinary woman with nothing to lose joins the French Foreign Legion and finds herself, and her comrades, pinned down in a bunker surrounded by enemies. Thousands of the mantis-like creatures swarm towards them and with no communications and little ammo, survival is a desperate hope. She is a volunteer and a soldier, and to save herself, her squad, and the refugees they defend, she must remember the life she left behind. Word count: ~ 14,000 McCarthy brilliantly weaves together the interlocked plots of past and present… creates gripping characters in strange but relatable circumstances… does a brilliant job of storytelling. A writer to watch, without doubt