The corpse was on the cold metal table, naked and pale. Corporal Von stood on the side, somber expression on his face slightly tinged with rhum. His tear-stained cheeks mixed with snot would have been comical if it weren't for the situation he was in.
It was supposed to be a safe operation, their squad was only assigned to do a surveillance on the nearby village when they were ambushed on the road by the rebels. Minutes passed and after the hailstorm of bullets, Ronnie sprawled on the rocks, three bullet slugs buried on his chest. His eyes stared blankly at Von, his mouth whispering words that the latter cannot hear, Death already snapping his remaining force. Von stared at his dear friend lifeless on his arms, the shock of the artillery shelling still reverberating in his head.
They went straight to the hospital to treat their wounds. Von limped his way to the hospital morgue, the nurse quite perplexed to see him inside the morbid room. "Excuse me sir, you're not allowed here," the nurse began to explain but the soldier just walked to Ronnie's corpse, his angelic face beautiful even in death, just like sleeping. He heard the orderly's footsteps fading away, not bothering to reprimand him.
"I'm sorry pal," came the man's preamble. "You took the shot for me. You're not supposed to be here lying dead, you fucking idiot..."
Tears fell from his eyes, grief and guilt emulsified. The corporal held the dead man's corpse, slightly stiff hours after death. Von is not a stranger to death, he met it many times in the battlefield, but it felt so different when someone dear to him fell before his eyes.
Heaving a sob, Von leaned closer to kiss Ronnie's purplish lips which used to be rosy. He never thought that yesterday was the last day they would make love with each other. Many things can happen within the past twenty-four hours.
He lost the man he loves, doing their sworn duty to the Land.
