The Echo Of Youth

Chapter Twenty-Three

July killed me. My enthusiasm is long gone and my heart is so broken I don't think I can carry on. I lost one of my best mates, my brother, a fellow comrade. I can't sleep at night, I'm tortured by the ghosts that loiter over my shoulder and the souls that death stole but never set free. I sit and watch over the few mates I have left, protecting them as their eyes are closed. I can't lose them, imagine Clancy without Ned, or the twins without Tom, or everyone without Blue. I can hardly remember what Elsie sounds like, her soft and beautiful voice is drowned out by the constant artillery fire and the screams of men. God, I miss her more than anyone else I left behind. I go on about her eyes and her laugh and her heart but I truely fell hard for this girl a long time ago. Having Hamish here is keeping me on my toes, I hide letter after letter that comes in the mail and all signs of Elsie are usually lost. Acting like she means nothing to me is proving to be very hard, I'm frightened that Hamish will see straight through our lies.
It's August now.
Perhaps it will be better.
Seeya when I can smile again.
Clancy Taylor.
-
AUG 6th 1915
Gallipoli: Day 104

Lone Pine.

We sit in silence.
The atmosphere is heavy.
Our hearts are pounding.

We wait patiently.
For movement.
A gunshot.
Perhaps a call.

We've already done this. All day has been hard enough, why are they making us do it all again.

I grip Ned's hand as we stare out at the pine tree in the middle of the battlefield.

"We're going to be alright Ned, we survived today, we can survive tonight." I tell him.

"Too right." He replies shakily, letting go of my hand and grabbing his rifle.

We shift our eyes to the Sergeant, who presses his whistle to his lips. The screeching sound is deafening, but it gets us to move. Over the parapet we tumble. Landing into a world of barbed wire and death.

"GO BOYS!" I bellow, calling my comrades, urging them forward.

We scream, yell and roar our terrified bodies across the mud and grime of no man's land. Rifles crack and bombs shake the earth but nothing stops us from falling into the enemy trench.

We launch into the opposing trench, ankles snapping and men screaming. The scenes in front of me, almost stops my heart. Guns and bayonets rest on the trench floor, and fists slam into the cheeks of soldiers from either side.

"CLANCY LOOK OUT!" Tom yells, I spin around and belt the Turk behind me with my fist.

"This isn't a bloody pub brawl!" I state.

"Shut up Clancy, before someone shoots you! At least look like you're doing something!" Ned shoved me into a Turk.

His glaring eyes pierce my soul and fear instantly sends goosebumps over my body but with that fear comes strength, a strength I've never felt before. Closing my eyes I shove my bayonet into the abdomen of the man in front of me. He falls to the ground, his face hitting the trench wall, blood trickling down his lips.

I drop my gun, roaring in anger and hatred as I push through brawls, my mind in a frenzy and not entirely certain as to what I am actually doing.

"Help me cobber!" I rasping voice reaches its arm into the air. I stop dead in my tracks and without a second thought I hoist him onto my shoulders. Clambering over the parapet, The world falls away. Suddenly, the bullets just echo and my heavy pants are all I can hear.