Shell shock

Chapter 7 the truth shall set you free

We sat in the mud corroded trench trying to regain strength after a previous attack. Neither of us could imagine what would happen.
"I can't wait to go home." Anthony said calmly.
"Neither, I want to see my brother. He was 2 years old last I saw of him, it would be interesting to see how much he's changed." James replied.
We just chatted for a few minutes before a captain came rushing down towards us and every other soldier, chanting.
"Prepare to charge!" Repetitively until each individual was ready to charge.
We all rushed to our rifles and quickly put our boots on. When we reached the wall of the trench I noticed some did not even have helmets on. We each stood against the trench wall. Finger firmly on the trigger.
"Ensure your bayonet is fixed and prepare to charge!" The captain screamed.
Each wandering eye looked at one another as our mud smeared faces stared into each other's panicked and pale faces. All of us were startled with unanticipated adrenaline.
"Charge on my command." The captain paused for a second almost as if he was hoping the war would end himself. "Charge!"
We all jumped out and charged the Germans. Machine gun fire echos passed me. Bullets pierce the China plate bones of my comrades. Rip them to shreds. I keep my eye firmly on the trench and plunge myself forward stabbing a German. Gutting him quickly.
I then see his eyes. His white eyes. He chokes in front of me and whispers something German into my ear. It hit me. We were the same. I retracted my blade and belt down as the fire continued past my head. I looked at my fallen comrade.
"I'm- I'm so sorry." I whispered tears forming in my eye.
"Owen! Come on, we have to charge!" Anthony bellowed at me.
"I can't! I can't kill people like me!" I yell in agony.
"That's not your decision to make, soldier." He says calmly as he drags me to my feet.
"I am no soldier. No of us are. Anthony, we are children!" I proclaim as I grab him, swinging him towards the enemy trench.
"Owen let go, that is an ord-"
The sound of rapid machine bullets penetrates Anthony's corpse. I see the life from his eyes become red as blood drips from him. The weight of his corpse drags us down into a pothole. As I fall, so does my innocence. My mind filled with what I have witnessed. We roll down the bank and my hand shatters like a porcelain plate. I see my old friend greet his new ones. The worms shall care for him now.
I stare at the darkened sky. Lying next to my previous ally. I wish to have died with him. If only the bullets had pierced me too.
Daveeds voice breaks my rambling. "More happened that day though, didn't it?"
"You already know." I say
"Yes but for you to be cured you need to accept it." He says. "You were taken out by Miller and Booker, then as you were going back to the trench what happened."
We had to retreat to our trench. As we were doing so we were unaware of the smell of garlic, or as we know now to have been mustard gas. I had also forgotten that I had taken James' gas mask the night prior. This mistake would finish me.
As the gas approached, Thomas was the first to notice the stench. He quickly informed us with:
"Gas! Gas! Quick put your masks on!"
We all hurried to put our masks on, James putting mine on due to my injury. I think in the scuffle he had also forgotten my mistake.
A muffled scream could be heard saying, "Miller! Put your mask on!"
However he couldn't. So I was forced to watch the man who had looked out for me gargle his last few breaths. If you could've seen it, you would never want to step foot in a trench or around anyone you knew again. I watched as he croaked out for help. His young eyes rolled to the back of his head. His skin shrunk around the bone. That sight will forever be ingrained in my mind and nothing can cure me of these instances, I am forever haunted by honour.
"And I do not want to be here any longer!" Screamed William.