Short Stories

Corporal John Matthews

The people in this story are fictional; if the names match anyone in real life, that is pure coincidence. 

This story is dedicated to the Veterans who served and those who gave their lives for their country and loved ones.

During World War I, there were two soldiers, Private David Thompson, and Corporal John Matthews. These two childhood friends had grown up together in a small village, sharing dreams of adventure and camaraderie. They had enlisted in the army together, excited to serve their country side by side.

As the war raged, David and John found themselves on the frontlines, enduring the brutality of trench warfare. They faced the constant threat of enemy fire, surviving through sheer determination and their unshakable brotherhood bond. No matter how dire the situation, they remained each other's pillar of strength, providing support and courage in their darkest moments, and the middle of the war, there were a lot of dark moments.

One fateful night, their regiment was ordered to attack the enemy lines. The sky was filled with the relentless roar of gunfire, smoke filling the night air, and the ground beneath them shaking with explosions. David and John charged forward, their hearts pounding in their chests, fueled by a sense of duty and the need to protect their families. As they fought, it started to rain on them.

Amidst the chaos, a sudden burst of gunfire erupted around them. Bullets whizzed through the air, tearing into the ranks of soldiers. In that horrifying moment, David found himself separated from John, lost in the din of battle. Panic gripped his heart as he desperately scanned the chaos, searching for his brother at arms, but he was nowhere to be found.

The loud noises subsided after the skirmish was won and the smoke cleared. David's fears became a devastating reality.

He saw his friend, John, lying motionless on the ground; his leg was twisted at an odd angle, and a pool of blood was beneath him. A deep sorrow washed over David, and he sank to his knees beside his fallen comrade. Tears mixed with rain as he mourned the loss of his dear friend; knowing he couldn't stay there for long, he picked up his fallen friend and retreated to the base with the rest of the soldiers.

In the following days, David felt an emptiness that gnawed at his soul. The trenches, which had always been cold and horrible, were now unbearable to him; he found it difficult to carry on without John at his side, their journey in life forever shattered by the cruelty and death of war.

But amidst his grief, David found solace in memories of their friendship. He would sit in the areas where John and he hung out, recalling their laughter, the dreams they nurtured, and the unbreakable bond they forged over the years. He held onto those memories, cherishing them as precious treasures.

David fought with renewed determination as the war continued, carrying John's memory in his heart. He vowed to honor his friend's sacrifice by living a life of meaning and purpose. Through the darkness of war, he would find strength, drawing upon the memories of their friendship to guide him.

Years later, when the war finally ended, David returned home a changed man. The scars of war were etched upon his body and soul, but he carried the lessons learned, the bonds forged, and the memory of his fallen friend. He honored John's legacy by advocating for the soldier's past and present, for the ones who had given their lives and those who came home with the survivor's guilt and the haunting question of 'Why them? Why did they make it home and not the others?'

David's journey after the war was a testament to the enduring impact of friendship.

Though John was no longer by his side, his spirit lived on, inspiring David to seek a world where the sacrifices made during the war would never be forgotten. David would never forget their friendship. He went on to get married to a wonderful girl, and they had a little son a few years later, Walter John Thompson, after the man who gave his life for his country.