Just English Bull

Dulce Et Decorum Est, Short Story.

This is Part one of three. This piece of work got me a very high score.

We left our base a few hours ago. Out in the open, we knew we were sitting ducks. but everyone was too tired and sick to care. The droning sound of all our footsteps being in time was enough to drive me crazy. The heavy feeling on my bag against my back, pulling my shoulders down into a permanent slouch. The cool metal of my gun's barrel against my calloused and scarred fingertips was soothing. Another reminder that we were so far away from the safety of home. I looked around, gently adjusting my head. Dirt and mud was all that could have been seen to the untrained eye. Smoke lining trees a few kilometers away, was a signal that the troops time had been spent. Soldiers bodies, were mixed in with the mud as there was no way that they would be able to be going home, so there they remain, covered in tracks from careless tanks wanting to get past, the type that show no mercy. I breathed in gently, inhaling the cigarette smoke from those in front of me. The more experienced troops, up ahead. Guns ready to shoot all that moves. The sounds of cannons and guns, being tossed around in the air seemed forever away, as though it was just a distant memory, and that this mess was all just a dream.

A groan sounded from behind me as someone fell. I turned around and held my gun, pointing at where the noise was coming from. I looked down as I noticed something moving at my feet. Realisation struck me dead in the face as my brothers dead and unseeing eyes looked right into mine, as he looked for somewhere to put his hand to get up. The gas attack was hard on us, as there was no way of telling when one would have happened or when to expect one. "Come on, we need to get you up." My voice hoarse from lack of water. My brother being only 23, had a lot left in his life that he needed to see. Like the smile on his fiance's face as he comes home. Or the way their child, a small wee girl named Mary, one so beautifully described in the letter she had sent. I grabbed Michael's hand and hoisted him up, his arm wrapped around my shoulder like a crutch, only he was being semi dragged instead of lifted and walking on his own two feet. "We can stop for a rest here at this crossover!" Hunter yelled back at the troop. Hunter was the youngest ever soldier to ever be ranked as troop leader. I sat Michael down, and left him to do his own thing, which couldn't be much. I begin to walk over to Hunter, but James blocks my path. "You look like you could do with some of this" He mumbled, handing me a plastic cup, with a familiar browny red liquid. "It'll do you some good." He adds on before going back to Hamish, sitting down and watching me with a close eye. I looked down at the cup, the sweet smell of fruits invading my senses. I had only tried this stuff once. I looked back up at James, who had gotten up and was making his way back over to me. I poured the contents into my mouth and let it sit there before I swallowed. As it went down, a burning sensation filled my throat and I coughed, almost spitting everywhere as I did so. I closed my eyes as a warm feeling erupted in my stomach. Tilting my head back, I welcomed the heated feeling and smiled gently.

I don't know if it was the drink, or just the way my body was tired, but I felt as though I was floating through the air, not a care in the world. the ground came rushing back and I fell, landing in someone's guts. I immediately shot back up, the feeling all too familiar for me. i began to rub my face, trying to get rid of the sticky sensation, but to my despair it was no use, as i managed to smudge it all over my face and get it all over my sleeve. My eyes were stinging from the unshed tears that I refused to let fall. I was going home, but I think that time will be cut short. My vision became blurry and I whipped my head around, looking for someone to save me. There is a lifeless body resting beside my hand, but I dare not look at who that may be. No one else is around. I've been left behind, stranded, with no hope of ever living. I have no food, a minimal amount of water, 5 bullets and a knife for my defence. In my opinion, I would be lucky to survive the night. Something brushes past my neck and as I begin to jump away, it roughly takes hold and drags me down. A few tears began falling as I was about to start to scream, but I opened my eyes to find James's electric blue eyes, looked into mine with anger and sadness, calming me in an instant. "Stay down, don't move, make a noise, and I will kill you." He demanded in a whisper-shout, I nod and lie perfectly still as he uses my stomach and chest as a stabilizer for his gun. He takes a shot, and a groan sounds, followed by a thud. A shot from the opposition was fired, and it whistled past my nose, lodging itself in the ground next to my finger. James and I were lying in the center of the road, he was letting a few fly. More bullets and Grenades were being tossed and exchanged a measly 10 cm above the tip of my nose. A single rifle shot could be heard, ringing off the trees in the distance. One more round was fired from James, then it all fell silent. "You can get out of the mud now, Jake." Hunter mumbled as James took his gun away. "The safety from this is about 3 miles to the west of here." He said loud enough for the rest of the troop to hear him. They mumbled and groaned in response.

I got up and walked over to Michael, my smile diminishing as I saw what had happened during the fight.