Historical War Story Collection

The attack of the dead men

I watched in horror as my own teammates collapsed on the fortress ground as they coughed up blood and bits of their own lungs, I wrapped a rag around my face, I took a breath and smelled urine, I was about to take off the rag until I realized that it was cancelling the effects of the gas, yet I still blacked out whilst hearing the screams and cries of my teammates as they perished at the hands of the poison gas. It was as if the grim reaper himself came and laid the hand of death upon our poor souls.

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Earlier that day...

I was doing my regular patrol duties when I came face-to-face with Alexei, a friend I knew before the war, he spoke first "Hey Oleg"

"Morning Alexei, are you tired? It's late" I was trying to keep my eyes from closing because I knew that I'd get in trouble with the higher-ups.

"Technically speaking, it's early" Alexei told me with a smirk.

"Oh, haha, very funny" I lightly punched Alexei as a joke.

He pushed me "Hey if we get out of here you still owe me that watch"

"Okay first of all, it's 'when' not 'if', and second we never shook hands" I grinned knowing I had Alexei in a tight spot.

All he did was smirk "Yeah you did, remember?"

----Flashback before the war----

"Hey Oleg," this was 3 years ago and Alexei and I were 19, we were both orphaned idiots.

"What is it?" I was reading a comic as we sat in the park waiting for a friend to pick us up, we were going out to eat for Alexei's birthday.

"Let's make a bet"

I set my comic down and looked at Alexei "What's the bet?"

Alexei grinned "Whoever can eat the most pickled eggs wins, loser has to buy the winner anything under the price of 500 rubles" he held his hand out for a handshake "Deal? Or are you too chicken?"

(that's worth $8.62 in America, it's pronounced roo-bell btw)

I wasn't sure, me and Alexei both hated pickled eggs, I sighed and shook his hand "Deal"

---Flashback end---

After eating an unhealthy amount of pickled eggs, Alexei won. After he won we walked around the shops trying to find his prize. About 2 or something hours later he decided on a watch that cost 200 rubles. I was going to buy the watch but were got caught up in a crowd, we were drafted into the war, and I never had to buy Alexei that watch, not yet at least. He still hasn't dropped the subject and I've been dreading each reminder he tells me.

I groaned "Yeah, I know, no need to constantly remind me"

Alexei and I laughed for a bit, our laughter was cut short by a cloud of green smoke that I recognized almost immediately. It was poison gas, the gas approached our position as the soldiers freaked out. The grass started to turn black, and the leaves of trees became yellow, it was horrifying as the gas washed over the fortress. We were without gas masks and I knew there was no escaping this gassy execution.

I watched in horror as my own teammates collapsed on the fortress ground as they coughed up blood and bits of their own lungs, I wrapped a rag around my face, I took a breath and smelled urine, I was about to take off the rag until I realized that it was cancelling the effects of the gas, yet I still blacked out whilst hearing the screams and cries of my teammates as they perished at the hands of the poison gas. It was as if the grim reaper himself came and laid the hand of death upon our poor souls.