"Are you alright, Heneral?" one of my escorts hurriedly rushed to my side.
It was embarrassing. I had only been hard at work for less than an hour, and already I was out of breath. I had collapsed into the mud, sitting heavily with my back hunched and my eyes squinting up against the sweltering sun. The sky was a perfect blue, and the heat bore down like a punishment. This was one of those times I wished the weather wasn't so good. A light overcast would have been perfect—just enough cloud cover to dull the sun's wrath.
"I am alright," I brushed off the soldier's helping arms as I stood up with some difficulty by myself. My knees were shaking.
I thought of rejoining the line of workers digging the ditch, but I wasn't feeling too well. I felt a bit dizzy and had no more strength in my arms and legs. In the end, I accepted the soldier's offer to assist me back to the road.
