...because I could not stop for death - ronance

chapter 5

July 1, 1916

The Somme River, France

Robin doesn't know why they fight in the war. Robin decides later that it was a choice based more off their boredom than their common sense. Nothing reminds them of their immortality quite like watching men around them die.

For the most part Robin is able to remain uninjured, always dodging a bullet in the nick of time, always miraculously avoiding some bomb or landmine. Robin watches as the war grows larger and larger until they begin calling it "the Great War" (they later call it the World War). Robin listens to the radio and mutters a few derogatory names under their breath when they see Jonathan's face on the front page of the newspaper, lurking in the shadows behind Winston Churchill (it would seem Robin isn't the only immortal who enjoys writing history).

Robin's entire life had been spent watching mortals around them die, but they had never quite seen anything like the battle at Somme.

Robin doesn't remember much of that battle, just smoke, death and the devastation afterwards. When Robin closes their eyes, they remember the sound of the guns ringing in their ears and the taste of blood and soot on their tongue. Robin remembers that they could barely see anything, and they remember soldiers around them dropping like flies.

Robin's sharpest memory of that day is when they should have been killed.

A grenade goes off near them and Robin feels hundreds of shards of shrapnel ripping through their flesh. Robin screams in pain and they keep screaming as Robin's fellow soldiers drag them off the battlefield (Robin knows that no one can hear their screams, they simply blend in with those of the dying men around them).

Robin wants the pain to end and they pray for death, but their curse stays strong and Robin is left with the moans of the dying filling their ears and the knowledge that Robin's time on this Earth is not yet done (it is never done).

"Soldier R. Smith," they hear a voice above Robin. "Injured at the Battle of Somme." There is silence before Robin hears the voice mutter, "Well, I'll be damned. She's alive."

Robin opens their eyes and everything remains blurry. Blinking a few times, a figure dressed in white comes into focus and Robin's entire body goes stiff when they recognizes a glint of brown in the figure's hair.

Robin's whole body lights up with pain as they thrash in their bed.

"Whoa, whoa," she says, her hand touching Robin's shoulder. "Calm down there, soldier. You'll injure yourself even more."

Robin's hand flashes out and wraps around her wrist in a death grip and somewhere in Robin's mind they registers her wince of pain. "Robin," they gasp like a drowning human gasping for air. "My name is Robin."

Then Robin blacks out.

When they first opens their eyes, Robin doesn't remember where they're at. Robin sits up slowly, looking around at the beds filled with injured soldiers. A woman at the end of the hall notices Robin and stops what she's doing, wiping her hands off with a towel and walking towards them.

When her blue eyes lock with Robin's everything comes rushing back.

"I see you're awake," she says, placing her hands on her hips. "How are you feeling?"
"Better," is their only response. Robin can't remember the last time they felt 'good.'