The Trenches Of Hell - World War One

Unheard and Unseen

Me and a few others, the only survivors of the attack who escaped unscathed, were being sent on a mission. We were to crawl across no man's land to the enemy trench and try to listen in to their conversations. Only one of us spoke French, but they did not care. They sent us anyway. There were about 6 of us but we decided to not learn each others names. They loaded us into a truck and sent us up north to Verdun, where the fighting was fierce and the casualties were high on both sides. As we sat on the uncomfortable wooden benches some of us smoked cigarettes, some tried to get rest, and a few just stared off into space mumbling. I tried my best to sleep but it was no use. we eventually arrived at a small camp near the front where a highly decorated officer awaited for us to arrive.

 ¨over here men¨ he said calmly, to which we all jumped off the back of the truck with no complaint. ¨you men have a job to do and night is not far so listen up. You have been chosen for this mission because we believe you are capable. you are expected to crawl across no mans land under the cover of night in pairs of two and position yourselves as close to the enemy line as possible where you many listen in to their conversations. I want to know what they are up to and every scout we have sent from our line was... incapable...¨ his voice trailed off for a second before he spoke back up with authority. ¨Now get moving! I better not see a single one of you until two days from now! and when you return you better have information!¨

 To this we moved with light conversation towards the front where we would wait for the low sun to disappear from the sky for us to move across the fields of death. As we sat in the trench one of the other men came to me and introduced himself. ¨Hey there friend, shall we form a group for the mission together?¨ I replied shortly ¨Sure.¨ I refused to get to know anyone. for when a stranger dies you can ignore it. but when a friend dies it weighs down on you heavily. i learned this the hard way. we then sat silently, awaiting nightfall. As darkness came over the trenches we began to crawl out of the trenches and move along with the several other groups who just departed. if just one of us was spotted they would most certainly fire a flare with mortars all over the field.

We moved with our heads low but no matter how quiet or invisible we were, we could not control the other groups. we heard a single sniper shot ring across from the other trench across the field with a quick flash before hearing a single man scream in pain. To this both sides erupted in gunfire as the two trenches fired randomly into the other trench. I did not wait to find the outcome so i grabbed my fellow man and pulled him into a nearby crater where the bullets would not hit us.

It was not long before the fire stopped, leaving an eerie silence between the trenches. As we crawled out of the crater with caution we noticed lights along the enemy trench. They were looking for us now. We proceeded very carefully across the fields, crawling inch by inch so we would not be seen. right as we got close to their lines i heard a loud crack right above my head. a sniper. fortunately there was a crater right in front of me so i quickly  crawled into the shallow indent in the earth. but my partner was nowhere to be seen. as i peaked slowly out of the crater i realized why nobody else fired after the sniper shot. he shot had hit true, and his target, my partner. 

Anger swelled through my veins. I didn't even know his name but his death infuriated me so much i had to bite my tongue until it bled to keep from screaming. what had we done to deserve this? Why were we here? my entire life i have done as i was told. i prayed in church for a god who is supposed to protect us. All of the dead soldiers around me, the believed in god. some of them keep that belief even as they scream in pain dying. Where was their god? they asked for forgiveness and protection and instead they got death. god helps no man in these fields.

I eventually calmed myself and fell asleep. i was exhausted and was close to the trench. The morning will be the most dangerous.