The last day in the trench

It was the last day of war. The last day,when more than two nations would be fighting. The last day,when there would be a massacre. My men and I were crouching under our trenches. It was five in the morning, we would be commanded to open fire on our enemies in about an hour's time, just when the sun would light up the battle field. I woke up early as i was an early riser, drank some cool water and applied fresh bandages to my right leg where i had been shot. Luckily, the bullet hit just above my knee on my thigh. The pain was excruciating but it wasn't critical. I had managed to crawl back to my trench. It was eleventh November, 1919. We Germans were close to losing the war. After five years of sweat and blood, more of the latter. We were losing. The men who died all died in vain. There was no changing the fact the Germans were about to lose. Our whole trench went to sleep last night with hopeless faces, many wondered would they be alive the next day. Nothing was certain, anything could happen.

I decided to take a peek out and see how our soon to be victorious rivals were doing. I was cautious. I slowly put my head up hoping nobody from the other trench would see me. I peeked and any hope which might have been inside me shattered. The Americans and the French tanks had already covered half of the ''no man's land'' the barren land on which both the armies collided and the massacres took place. The American and French tanks had occupied half of that barren land. The area where the Germans would be able to fight had been reduced. The rival army made sure we would not have much space to move around or take cover. They made sure killing us would be easier. We were all bound to die, they had made sure each and every one of us would die. The tanks would run us down and destroy our trench. Each and every soldier in our trench would be mercilessly killed all because our Kaiser wanted to be as powerful as the countries we were facing against. I looked at all the soldiers in our trench, sleeping soundly hoping they would get some rest after so much torment. I knew losing the war was inevitable but if i tried, could i atleast save all these men sleeping soundly? Could i save them from their deaths? 

I made up my mind, even though we'd lose i would not let these brave and valiant soldiers to die unnecessarily. There was still some time till sunlight. My men were still asleep. I wore the darkest clothes we had to camouflage in the darkness. I covered my face with mud. I reload my gun, attached grenades to my waist, wore my helmet and took a deep breath. Probabely the last deep breath i would take and i waited. Waited for it to be six, so if i attacked it would not be against war rules. It wouldn't matter if the sun hadn't risen and lit up the battle field, that was secondary. The timing, six, was primary. That was when the firing would begin. No one really followed that though, they would wait for the sun to light up the battlefield. I wouldn't wait for it, i'd follow the time, i'd do my solo , probabely suicidal act on six.

It was six, i instantly hoped out of the trench and made a run for the enemy lines. Thankfully, the sun hadn't lit up brightly enough to light up the battle field. As i ran i crossed many bodies, bodies of warriors. Bodies of champions. Champions of the battle field. They lose or win, they die or live all these soldiers name shall be etched across the sky and they shall look down upon this same battle field where they had a bloodbath and remember the day they died was the same day they became champions. Glorious valiant French, American and German soldiers lay dead on the battle field and one of those champions lying on the battle field was my best friend. He fought on the side of the French as his father was French. His mother however was a German who died while giving birth. It was two fortnights back when we faced each other. We fought for hours straight. There came a time when we ran out of bullets and charged at each other and had a fist fight. It was the most memorable and regretful fight of my life. We both had to kill each other all because one country wanted power and the others didn't like that. That was how inhuman humanity was. After five hours of battle with my bestfriend i finally beat him but i didn't kill. Ofcourse i would never. He smiled at me and said this is how it should end and he knew i could not kill him. His last words were ''farwell, i'll be watching you, fight bravely'' and then he slit his own neck with a knife. I howled and cried, my cry was so loud for a moment everyone stopped to see what happened. After realising they all wept, each and every soldier ; and then carried on firing at each other. 

I reached the tanks , no one was on guard duty so it didn't take me long i put a grenade inside the tank from the top, it was too late till the enemies realised. BOOM! one tank, BOOM! two tanks, BOOM! three tanks and so on. the men from both trenches woke up with a start. I had the advantage as the enemy troops were still dazed with sleep and confusion as what was going on. I chucked a grenade inside the enemy trench. BOOM! there were cries of pain. I shut my guilt inside me and carried on with my solo act. When i ran out of grenades i started firing i took down many men. There were few men who just stood there glaring at me in schock, a single soldier, not representing his country but his fellow soldiers decided to take on a whole army by himself. I just thought of one thing in my head, i thought of my lover, she must be sleeping now, but the thought of her kept me going. Soon the other soldiers came to there senses and it didn't take them long to gain the advantage. They outnumbered me a one thousand to one. I was facing death in the face. I remembered something my father had told me when i first got into the German army '' Son, you are now a part of the army, i have never been this proud in my life yet this sad. I will be able to sleep in peace, i shall always worry about you. Son, just remember one thing, there will come a time when you will have to face death in the face, when you do, go show death that you're going down in your own will. '' I charged. I charged laughing, even though i was out of bullets i charged, i charged for my friends, for my best friend, for my father, for my lover, for my country and for my fellow soldiers. The Americans and French didn't shoot they just stood there shocked thinking how crazy i was. I took down a few men with my bare hands and then i was finally shot on my chest. I faltered and fell. I could feel the cold, sticky blood on my chest. I looked at the men on my side and saw them running towards me with the white flag. The Germans had surrendered, i had one the battle against fate and saved my fellow soldiers. Then every thing blacked out. 

The next day i woke up at the infirmary.