The charge

The figure doesn't look like a coward, at first. Cowardice stands at the front line like every other soldier, beside Courage, their twin. At first, it is nearly impossible to differentiate the two figures. Both stand tall, both claim that they will fight to the last breath. Both have haunting eyes, eyes that have seen many things, but with different results. They both look like any other soldier, tired, dead-faced, but pushing to survive despite this.

Courage has seen the horror of the world, the terrible things that keep eyes open out of fear in the dark. They have seen death, despair and terror itself starring back. But despite this, Courage has shrugged aside their fear, taking the challenges of life as just that: challenges to be overcome, not without fear, but recognizing fear as a survival tool, an ally to watch their back in the blur of battles. They hold up their rifle like a sword pointed forwards to the next target, eyes grim, determined, and ready for the signal.

Cowardice has also seen the darkest things, lurking in front of and behind their eyes. They have seen the things that fear pulls out of shadows, they have seen the terror in the eyes of others around them. But unlike Bravery, cowardice flinches away. Fear is a threat, a wall too large to climb. The thing cowardice clings to is self-preservation - why risk life and limb when you could just survive another day by hiding? Fear clings to it like a cloak of darkness. The rifle in their hands is a shield, a device to protect them from the world, to project bravery into the paranoia in their grim-eyed gaze. They will shoot only if it's the last hope, or if it's their best chance.

Both pride themselves in their survival instinct, their morals, the things that keep them alive.

But when the cry of charge sounds through the ranks, as Courage nods to fear before charging, surrounded by soldiers emboldened by adrenaline and bravery, Cowardice will stare up at the figure for a long moment before sinking back, pulling other soldiers away with its long shadow of paranoia and the instinct to survive another day.