A 1944's Soldier's Perspective

The trench.

A place filled with emotions of sorrow and dread, yet, still filled with a tinge of hope.

The bloodcurdling screams of agony belonging to my fellow brothers...

Slowly, but surely, my vision blur. I felt numb...

I noticed that I started to lose my sense of hearing and touch, the only thing I felt was an excruciating pain in my lower abdomen. It was painful. EXTREMELY painful. I couldn't feely legs... It was as if they were gone. Maybe they are...

Sunset colours painted my hazy vision along with smoky brown.

And I lay on the sooty soil, completely numb. Surrounded by decaying, mutilated, unrecognizable corpses. I started to feel a sense of hopelessness. 'Just end me....' 'Why did I even join...?' 'No... even if I didn't in the beginning, I'd still be forced to anyways...' I mused silently begging for someone or something to end it all. If it weren't for the fact that this war happened, I could've been happy...

Surprisingly, my wish was heard in the shape of a missile...

My eyes were opened, as the destructive monstrosity comes closer, I began to see images of what have been, what could have been and what should have been. I must be delirious by now, because I've started to pick up a scent only found from my mother's house... A lovely mixture of lavender and herbs. I could just vaguely imagine her blurry appearance as she cooks whil my father and I work on the fields, herding the sheep. I could just feel the soft breeze brushing against my sweaty body with a bright sun beaming over us.

I knew I've started to hallucinate because deep down, I know... I will never see my parents again... I know that the sky I'm seeing is not bright blue but is a sunset shade that brings dread upon those who see it.

I've unconsciously formed a small smile on my face thinking back to what have been and what could have still been.

Unhurriedly, I closed my eyes as the missile collides with my body, accepting the lifeless arms of death...