short story archives

comrades in arms

    

       We were facing the inevitable that day. My best friend, my comrade, we knew that day would be our last as soon as we saw them. I sat on top of the hill with him as we watched the enemy tanks coming closer. They were small dots on the horizon, but now, you could vaguely see the forms of the death machines. I don't know how I felt so calm then. Guess I knew I would die on the field. I couldn't say the same for my friend. He was as white as a sheet as he stared at our doom.

     I placed my hand on his shoulder and said," I'll stay with you."

     He jumped and stared at me as if I was crazy. The tanks were closer, and the rest of our troop was even more on edge. They were busily trying to get their guns ready to use against the enemy.

     "How are you so calm? Aren't you scared," my friend asked.

      I shrugged," I guess I've always known that I would die here."

      "Still, how can you be... At peace right now?"

        I smiled at him, "Maybe it's because I am with my best friend."

        He seemed a bit more relaxed now. The tanks were closer now. Soon, they would fire at us. I have a feeling that the commander of the troop will be the only one to live today. He will be taken prisoner. Of course, they won't care about the lowly soldiers that he commands.

         "... Together then?" He asked.

         "'Scuse me?"

         " Together. We go down together. Just like we came here."

         I stared at him for a moment, then laughed.

         " I guess we are both insane, aren't we?"

         My comrade laughed, "Yeah, I guess we are."

        We both stood up and stood at attention. The tanks were beginning to fire now. In the end we looked at each other.

         We said," It was a pleasure serving alongside you."

        Then, the end came for us, and we embraced it with open arms.