Last Man Standing

Chapter 1: The Draft

    Before I start I would like to say that my other story, Nightmare, will be put on hold because of writer's block. With that being said, welcome to the first chapter of my new story, Last Man Standing. I got the idea to do a book like this while playing battlefield 1 which is one of the best games ( if not THE best game ever) I have ever played. The movie Hacksaw Ridge also played an important part of giving me ideas for what to put in this book. You might notice that some if not most of my ideas will come from these two things, but I do not own either one of them. I will also refer to the tanks such as heavy tanks, light tanks, and landships as they played an important role in WWI. I will also try my best to keep this story as historically accurate as possible. Things to note.

1) The cover picture isn't an original picture. It is merely a place holder for when I do create an original.

2) This story is historical fiction so most of these made up events may not have happened.

3) English isn't my forte so there will be a lot of grammatical errors so please bare with me.

4) I know cats in the early 1900s didn't have radios but in mine they do to help aid the plot along.

    I've rambled on long enough
On with the show.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    A young man, around the age of 17, was seen walking down a dirt road leading to a log cabin on the outskirts of what is now known as The Ozark National Forest. A 1910 Schacht Roadster sat in front of the cabin, the handles and rims slightly rusted. The young man walked up the concrete steps of the porch and went through the splintered oak wood door, the metal hinges created with any slight movement.

    "Josef", called a man's deep voice from the dining room, "Where have you been?"

    "I was fetching your paper like I do every morning", the newly named Josef stated.

    Josef walked into the small, 10x10 foot dining room and set a copy of the Democrat Gazette down the small, homemade oak wood table. The woodwork wasn't perfect, but it was good enough to fulfill its purpose. The man picked up the newspaper and began to read.

    "Damn Germans", he swore, "their cursed U-boats sunk another one of our transport ships again. It's infuriating how president Wilson refuses to do anything about it. If we're up to me, I'd send troops over there right now so we can kick their ass and show them who's boss!"

    "Dad calm down. Being upset isn't good for your health", Josef said quietly as he set a mug of black coffee down on the table.

    "I know. I just wish America was the same way it was back at the time of the revolutionary war. Back then we fought against something we knew wasn't right and didn't stop fighting 'til things changed." He grabbed the mug and took a sip before making a face at the bitter taste.

    "Son, didn't I tell you to put some sugar in my coffee?"

    "No, you said you liked it black because the taste helps you wake up in the morning."

    "Oh yeah, I did didn't I?"

    "I swear you're going senile, old man", Josef said before walking out of the dining room before stopping to look at a picture of his mother over the fireplace.

    Jacob noticed his son, once again, staring at the picture of his wife over the fireplace. He shook his head as he went back to eating his light breakfast of bacon and scrambled eggs. He didn't know why but his son just couldn't accept the fact that his wife was dead and she wasn't coming back. Josef was such a bright, innocent boy before the Lord took her and ever since that night, Josef became quiet and reserved.

    "I could join the army if and when the war starts and show the Germans who's boss", Josef said in a monotone voice.

    "Oh hell no! I've already lost your mother and God knows what I'd do if I lost you", Jacob said while taking a swig of the black coffee, and once again, making a face of disgust.

    "I understand", said Josef while walking out the front door, down the concrete steps onto the lawn. Josef stopped in front of the roadster and turned the crank just hard enough to get the engine running. Grabbing the rusty handle, Josef pulled the door open, sat down on the light grey leather seat, and closed the door.

    Josef drove down the old dirt road and into town on his way to the store. He turned on the radio to listen to the news. After some static, Josef heard the reporter and listened closely.

    "After having the Germans sink 7 of our transport ships, president Wilson and the United States congress have had enough. Today, April 6th, 1917, the United States have officially declared war against Germany. Along with the declaration of war, congress has also passed a bill called  the Selective Service Act. This act States that all men from ages 17-40 years of age can and will be drafted Into the United States military. Drafted soldiers in the North West Arkansas region will report to Bentonville AR in a week to be relocated to a training camp somewhere across the nation. That's all for now, have a good day."

    Josef's blood ran cold. If his father caught wind of this, he would have a cow. Josef turned the roadster around and sped home before Jacob could do anything that he might regret. War was brutal. At least that's what he has heard. If I'm going to war, I won't stop fighting til I'm dead or I'm The Last Man Standing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    And done.
    That took a lot out of me. Once again, some of the stuff might not be historically accurate ( the radios, drafting ages, or the Selective Service Act in general)

    I also know that the names of the tanks I put in the beginning A/N were nicknames and not the actual tank names. I'm expecting this to be my first real story, but at the same time I'm not. If you readers can give me feedback on what I did wrong or on things that need to be fixed or improved please comment me and let me know.