I can't tell you what the time is because I actually have no idea. It must be close to 6 o'clock because the boys are still asleep and the sun is sneaking up. It was a long night last night. None of us fell asleep until about 4 o'clock in the bloody morning and Johnny Turk thought it'd be fun to send a few bombs over our heads about 10 minutes after we'd settled down.
There was quite a bit of swearing going on.
I've now been here, if it is 6 o'clock, about 26 hours. I must admit, it only feels like I've been here 20 minutes. It's been quite the blur. Ned's tucked up against the trench wall somewhere, he and I have only been mixed up 300 times already. The boys haven't gotten used to identical twins living in the trench with them. We'll give them a week.
The sun rise is utterly beautiful this morning. I'm perched on a ridge that over looks the cove and I can see all the way out to sea. The Battle ships looks so very small from up here. The beach is starting to wake up, I can just see a few blokes starting to get a move on with the day. We've still got a long way to go.
The kiwis landed a few hours ago, they reckon we've made a fair dent in the hill but it's only about 500 yards.
One side you're lost in a world of ocean and sea. Light dancing off the water and the waves lapping at the sand. You can't see the bodies down there from up here.
But,
On the other side it's like a desert. Covered in prickly shrubs, bodies and wire, this must be what hell looks like.
Anyway, Neds awake, better go.
Write when I need to sleep.
Clancy Taylor.
-
"Good morning Private Taylor, you're up early." Sergeant Williams greets me with a hand shake.
"Yes sir, have always been an early riser." I explain.
"Ah I understand, you reminded me, I found another cricket ball in my room when we were on the ship, could you let your brother know for me, he collected one last week." He informs.
"Oh, no sir, that was me, I collected the ball, Ned is asleep over there I'm Clancy." I tell him.
"Sorry." He says simply before ducking inside his dugout and retrieving the ball.
Sergeant Williams places it in my hand along with a pencil.
"Write your name on your bloody hat." He sighs. "Tell Ned to do the same."
I can tell he's embarrassed by his mixup,
"Don't worry Sir, once you get to know us both you'll know which ones which, the other boys are already starting to work it out." I smile.
"Right." He pauses. "Go get some breakfast into ya lad, it's going to be a long day."
I toss the ball in the air and catch it; "Righto sir, catchya later."
I step cautiously through the trench, being careful not to wake any of the other boys asleep in the dirt.
I spy a ration of bacon that someone had left out in the open.
"It's probably Callum's." I think to myself as I pick it up.
I take it upon myself to re-light the fire that had been put out by the morning dew. Soon enough the bacon is sizzling away on the old steel top that Ned had bought along with him from home.
"Bloody hell you're a legend Taylor." A voice echos, I look up and see Calum. I chuckle to myself and continue writing my name on my hat.
"Is that bacon I smell Clancy Taylor?" Ned yawns, his wobbly self making its way to me.
"Most certainly is, care for a bit?" I ask, flipping the pieces over with my fingers.
"Yeah why not, just let me go to the WC first, anyone else coming?!" Ned calls out.
"Yeah!"
"Give me a mo!"
"Be with you in a second!"
"I'll be back." Ned winks and with his army of men trudges down the trench.
I finish off the "y" on my hat before securing it back on my head.
I hear a whistle.
It gets louder and louder and before I know it, I'm knocked backwards by a blast, dirt spraying across the fire and my body.
I roar echoes through the trench and I see the upper half of Henry from New South Wales, squirming and thrashing while the bottom half of him is buried in the upturned dirt.
"Well, that's one job we won't have to do, Abdul's already ploughed for us." I chuckle, lifting myself over to Henry.
His face is pale and his eyes are wide.
"Clancy they got me mate." He gurgles.
"You're alright, hang on a second." I tell him.
"No Clancy I'm serious I can't feel my legs!" Henry almost screams.
"I'm getting something to dig you out with." I tell him.
"Use your bloody hands your idiot, hurry up will ya!" Henry frets.
I start to dig, dirt itching its way under my finger nails and into my eyes. I dig where his legs are supposed to be but all we find is the rugged stumps of thigh that is still connected to Henry's body.
"Holy shit! Fuckin' hell Clancy get me out!" Henry tightens his grip on my shoulders and I tighten mine around his torso. I tug him from the dirt and he rests against the trench wall.
We stare at each other.
Frightened and worried.
"What the hell am I going to do?!" Henry bellows.
"C'mon mate, we'll get you down the beach and they'll send you home." I reassure him.
"Not even two days! I come here for this! My mother won't even want to look at me let alone Maggie." Henry looks as if he would cry.
I don't know who Maggie is, but I am pretty certain she is a better person than that.
"Don't talk like that Henry, you're going to be alright." I pick him up and carry him down the beach.
The bacon and the morning long forgotten.
YOU ARE READING
The Echo Of Youth
Historical Fiction"I didn't realise that I could miss something as much as I miss my innocence." It's 1914, the world is at war, and it's unlike anything anyone has seen before. The men of cities and country towns are leaving for a cause much bigger than they realis...
