Legend's Pet

Chapter eight: closer to the war

My human friends did not seem too shaken by the bombardment, which turned out to be a one time occurrence, and my life went on, almost normal. Max and I had grown into large puppies by now but we still acted young. We spent our time sharing lunch with the mechanics, running after the planes as they took off, and playing tug-o-war with gloves or scarves. In the late afternoon we headed back to the beach or our room, where we slept on the beds.

We loved our hotel by the sea so much, and I'd shaken off my worry that the war would slip into my life more often. I really believed life would go on the way I wanted forever, until one day, when tents were broken down, planes were hauled up onto flat train cars, and belongings were packed up. The next morning we were woken up early and whisked out of the hotel room. Before the heavy door closed for the last time, I looked back inside. With the lights turned off and all of Manfred and Georg's belongings gone, it looked cold and empty like it was asking why we had to leave it. I wondered too and wished we could turn back. But before I knew it, I was stepping onto a west-bound train, going closer to the war, a strange thing I knew next to nothing about.

It was a cold morning for late summer. The window of the compartment was open a crack letting in the wind. Georg and most of the others sharing the small compartment were half asleep and only Manfred, Max, and I looked out the window. I knew Manfred was too excited to rest since we were going to the front lines.

"Max," I barked suddenly, squinting into the dim twilight, "look at that." Near the horizon, I saw land scarred by a zigzagging labyrinth of trenches. As we got closer, the sound of guns rumbled over the sound of the train. There were so many shell holes on the ground that it looked like the beach covered in footprints before the tide had smoothed them away. It was an eerie scene in the dimness of morning, lit up only by far away explosions. I tucked my tail and lay down on the floor so I didn't have to look out. It was a strange feeling to be brought on the train, a seemingly unstoppable machine, towards the battle. All I really wanted to do was jump from the window and run all the way back to the hotel. I looked at Manfred, the glow of the explosions reflected in his eyes, a faint smile on his face.

As the sun rose higher I could see everything more clearly. We sped by an abandoned farm with cow skeletons, a muddy, crater-filled pasture, and unmaintained fields. What if this happened to the place where I was born? "What do you think it's like there?" I asked Max. "I think it's probably worse than anything."

"Yeah," Max replied, "but it's so different! I guess it's kinda scary, but I think it's--"

"Wait," I said, "I smell something weird." I jumped up again and stuck my nose out the window. I sniffed the air and smelled a sharp fruity, peppery odor. It smelled like what the pain of a bullet must feel like. The sun was high enough now for me to see a cloud of lime green fog drifting lazily towards us. I barked and jumped up on the seat, "Max, get off," Georg mumbled.

"That's Moritz," Manfred said. "Moritz, what is it?"

Then both he and Georg noticed the green cloud.

"It's gas," said Georg, pushing up the windows as quick as he could. "The wind is blowing in from the trenches. I don't want to spoil your fun, Moritz, but I don't want you dead either."