Tiny Stories! :D

War

August 11th, 1914
Dear Mary, how are you doing? Is the baby doing okay? I'm sorry I can't be there for you, but this war should be over soon. Hopefully when Christmas comes around, I'll be coming home.

The sun sat high in the sky, but its rays didn't meet the earth below. Dark angry clouds blocked the warm rays and thunder rumbled in the distance, but it was drowned out by the extremely loud booms of the Anti-aircraft guns. They tried to take down the planes that flew over the battlefield, the soldiers from both sides fighting to the death, others were in trenches, trying not to get sniped as they poked their heads out to look for enemies or openings. There were yells and screams from the soldiers, thuds of many bodies hitting the ground, some didn't get back up and others had to crawl or limp back to safety.

I'm alright, shaken up by this war. I don't want to tell you everything that is happening here. But we are winning. America will win this war, and everyone can go home. I didn't know it would be this...scary. Terrifying even. God, I miss you. Your smell, your touch...the way you light up a room with that smile of yours. Even your laugh. I can hear it when I sleep. I have your picture in my pocket and I look at it every day, I am coming home, Mary. I can't wait.

The thunder had become closer and the clouds became heavier until they couldn't hold the gallons of water anymore. The first few drops came down slowly then like a dam, the rain was unleashed onto the battlefield. It was like the heavens were crying, shedding tears for the many men that had fallen. The cold water washed away the blood from the ground but also made the once dry and cracked dirt, wet and muddy. The muddy field was making it hard for the soldiers to run, slippery and extremely wet. Some slipped and others didn't get to stand before they were shot down. The sharp crack of a bullet, a sickening squelch, a gasp filled with pain and a gurgling of blood as a soldier tried to catch his breath. Pained tears streamed down the man's bloodied and dirtied cheeks, making streaks down his face. The bloodied and muddied rifle slipped from his equally muddy hands to the ground. He stumbled back, trying to catch his footing, but he fell into a trench that was now filling with muddy, bloody water. The shouts, screams, bangs, everything was muffled as his shaky hand went to cover the bullet wound that was now oozing with his life's blood. His hand was slippery, with blood and mud, even water but he didn't pay any mind to that. All he cared about was living, going home...but it seemed like luck was not on his side this day.

As the soldier gasped for breath, feeling the dirtied and cold-water lap at his body, he watched his fellow soldiers run past the trench he was laying in. They didn't see him down there and even if he called out to them, what could they do? They would be killed for helping him, standing still for a moment out here was immediate death. He learned that the hard way. His heart began to slow, and he became colder, the cold-water also helped with making him feel more colder than he already was. His brown eyes looked up at the cloudy sky, they became unfocused as he tried to watch the rain. It was oddly peaceful, laying there as his tears washed away with the rain.

Don't worry Mary, I'll be home soon. And I'll take you out dancing like you wanted. I can't wait to see that smile of yours and kiss your belly. If our baby is a girl, I think Ruth would be a good name. Don't you think? I'll see you soon, I love you.

-Edward.