NOV 20th 1915
The three of us lie in the bomb crater as the night continues to fall. Gallipoli is asleep, but it's forever awake. I can hear the laughing of a few mates being reunited, discovering that they're still alive. Tom has fallen asleep, his chest rises and falls softly as he rests. Ned's lips are sealed shut, as are mine. It feel like we've been here for hours, maybe we have. Our eyes never leave the ridge of the crater as we wait patiently for the heads of our mates to pop over the top.
Ned yawns, "wonder what Katie's doing." He says.
"Probably missing you." I reply, he nods.
"I miss her that's for sure."
We sigh in unison.
"I haven't heard from Elsie for almost a month, if somethings happened to her I tell you what." I run my grubby hand down my face.
"Na, nothings happened." Ned shakes his head, "God's cruel but not that cruel, he wouldn't do that to you."
"Hamish died so fucking quickly, I wanna go home but can you imagine a life without Hamish and his constant pompous attitude, all three of us lived for being better than him and now he's dead, I've got Elsie and life is still as shit as it was 8 months ago. What the hell are we going to do?!" I curse.
"Don't say hell Clancy, it'll become a habit and Mum will clock ya, look, you're not the only one living this, Tom's gonna get gangrene you watch, I'm croak as a bloody dog from this weather and you're head is so messed up Im scared I'll ever see you again, I was supposed to get married Clan, in fucking January, it's now November and Kate is still waiting, I miss the life we had but God's plan over powers our ambitions, always has and always will, if his plan is for us to die in the fields of France or in this crater here tonight, we will. If the plan is to go home and get married and raise a family it'll happen. This war was meant to happen, that's how life works, everything happens for a reason. Hamish died because Elsie is meant to be with you, and that's what's gonna happen." Ned explains, thoroughly and passionately.
I move a little closer to my brother as the wind rips through no-man's-land.
Tom rises with the strong blasts of freezing air.
"What time is it do you think?" He questions, wincing with every movement he makes.
"Maybe 10, 11 o'clock." Ned says.
"Haven't heard the bugle, Reg sounds it at 11 every night." I explain groggily.
"True." Tom sighs, hoisting himself into a sitting position. He rolls up his trouser leg to see the mangled skin and the shrapnel lodged inside.
"Did a good job of that." He chuckles nervously.
"Roll it down Tommy, try not to think about it." Ned tells him and the three of us fall silent.
Something falls upon my nose. It's Cold, icy cold. I put my hand out flat and watch the tiny stars fall from the sky.
"Ned!" I whisper in amazement. "It's snowing!"
Ned sits up and cups his hands out, letting the snowflakes fall into them.
"It's so beautiful." He sighs in awe.
Tommy is grinning, his mind distracted from the wound on his leg.
Then we hear it.
The Last Post.
Summoning for us.
Calling for us.
We close our eyes as we dwell in the tune. Our eyes welling and ears listening.
"It's time to go home boys." I mutter strongly. I lift Tom onto my shoulders, "Clancy we're both gonna get shot, stop mate!" He frets.
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...
