The Breaking Of Bread
by William Watson

Across the desolate clearing, two soldiers call cautiously, challengingly, back and forth.

Mere boys and sole survivors of their respective companies, Rep and Yankee agree to a desperate bargain: A life for a loaf of bread!

The foes will lay down their guns for the moment, sit down together, break the stale crust of bread and share it.

Afterward, they will again take up their rifles and face each other across the clearing in a final showdown.