A Polar Bear in the Dust

Chapter 2

"GAS! GAS ATTACK FROM THE GERMANS!"
"THE GERMANS ARE ATTACKING!"
"WHERE THE HELL ARE THE MASKS!"

"Piss on the clothes!" I screamed to my companion, the only form of communication to Matthew that could be coherent in this hellish medley of gunfire,explosions and shouting of men.

My rifle was propped through the makeshift hole in the structure of sandbags,hands were quaking slightly at the trigger as I released and loaded the rifle again and again. The gas. When will it arrive? I didn't dare to lift my head to look in case of being a direct target to to German fire.

Matthew scrambled to my side,pinching  two damp clothes with his thumb and fingers. I took one and tied it around my head, biting my mouth close to prevent the urine from entering. The smell assaulted my nostrils but it was a small price to pay if it was going to neutralise the gas. Matthew repeated my actions and took his place next to me and started firing.

The earth around us rumbled and threw stones that pinged off my helmet. I dug my fingers deep in the earth to try to get a hold. I was breathing heavily and I had to blink off sweat that fell in my eyes every few seconds., my heart was throwing itself at my chest, as if it was trying to escape, but there's no escape, how could I run away now? There was nowhere to run, as the world was limited to the gun at my fingers and the never ending chorus of screaming and explosions.

Then,with a deathly whistle, my world was wrenched away in a flash of light and a loud BOOM!

I threw a chorus of curse words as I was thrown to the ground, my backside erupting in pain. Suddenly my ears was filled with a persistent ringing that drilled into my skull.I slapped my hand on an arm beside me as I sat up.

"You oh-" I cut off mid sentence as I stated in horror at the arm in my hands. It was only an arm, cut off at the shoulder, the sleeve darkened with sticky blood. I shakily raised my head and found parts of its owner strewn around the trench among with the rest of the corpses and men that were just alive and struggling to their feet .

"MATTHEW!" I shouted, but all I got back was silence. It was only then I registered the dead,eerie silence that detached me from the battlefield . I attempted to stand up,but my legs had the consistency of jelly and gave way. I collapsed on the damp earth, spewing curses I couldn't hear. Dammit! Where the hell is Matthew?

And then, like Death himself, the gas loomed over me, the yellow green cloud. It seemed to pause in its tracks,  as if it was sizing me up. Yes, you are the one I was sent to kill.

I've survived German bullets, shell bombs, a trench raid and all the disease and horrors of trench life. I've fought for my life with every muscle and soul I possessed and won against them all, but now, when I faced not man, but gas,my muscle and soul betrayed and gave up. Because no man can ever out run death.

I closed my eyes, ready to make peace before the Angel of Death swooped down and everything started to burn away into darkness.

***
A/N:It was a practise to urinate on cloths and use them as a mask when gas arrived. at your trench. It was thought it would neutralise the chlorine gas that was used.

If anyone is unsure of any historical details in this story, I would be happy to oblige. Just comment.