The Apparition of War

My first post! :D It is just a short story, so I hope it is alright :)
*This story relates to the First World War.*



　　　　Gliding through the sky, the massive energy collected in the artillery shells erupted in the enemy’s trenches, and tremors shook the Earth. As he sat and assembled his gun, he gazed up at the grey skies above. Dark disheartening clouds floated across the sky, yet small gleams of buoyant sunlight would seep onto No Man’s Land. Rum was being passed around in an old and rusty canteen, and when it was handed to him, the young soldier gulped down as much as he could. His heart raced with excitement since he was about to fight for the prosperity of his country. Nevertheless, he feared what was beyond the barbed wires. A small ray of sun passed over his eyes, and just then, he wondered if he would live to see another day. The thought of death scared him, but he was able to come to terms with this idea because he also believed that his eventual demise would hold a significant meaning. Soon, it was time for the men of his battalion to gather and leave their protective mud barricades. With their teeth gritted as well as their fists clenched, the soldiers lined up uniformly against the exit and were ready for combat.
Step by step he climbed the ladder, and exposed on the other side was an entirely different world. Ashes and corpses were strewn everywhere on the grey cratered ground, and the ghostly trails of smoke rose up slowly to the stormy sky. Terror crept up his body like millions of spiders crawling restlessly, and the courage he mustered had vaporized. However, he was determined; he would rather sacrifice himself for the nobility of his country than to cower and have his own nation shame him. With pluck, he marched forward, and as each bullet passed him by, he prayed for God’s protection.
　　　　One by one, his brothers collapsed, and all of his newfound bravery had dissipated. Falling to the mud ladened ground, soldiers lay there lifelessly. The dead were drenched in blood, and those who were injured screamed in agony, yet no one came to their aid. Despite feeling sick to his stomach, he knew he could never turn back and hide behind the trenches again. From the moment he climbed out of safety, his fate can easily be predicted. The young fighter knew, if he obeys his orders, he could at least keep his dignity while waiting for his inevitable doom. Just like every other soldier, he had nothing left to lose, but he wasn’t ready to go just yet. Nevertheless, the fist of fate decided to throw its’ hardest punch, and just as he took another step, a sharp pain tore through his chest. Gasping for air, he felt his lungs collapsing and while the world spun to a distorted mess, his sight faded.
　　　　Feeling as if hours had gone by, he gently opened his eyes and the blinding light pierced into his vision. Slowly adjusting to his surroundings, he sat up and saw the men of his battalion still fearlessly trudging towards the enemy’s trenches. Realizing the miracle of his livelihood, he reminded himself not to surrender to death. So he once again, picked up his rifle, and followed the rest of the troops. He marched beside the other soldiers, with their heads held high. Turning from side to side, he scanned for his mates’ eye contact, ensuring they would all cover each other. Both men looked in his direction and nodded.
“Charge!”, he screamed, and the other men roared with him. While crossing over the barbed wires, some men were pelted by bullets, and some like him, managed to escape the wrath. Carefully, he crawled along the sandbags, and when he saw an unguarded space, he took the opportunity and jumped into the ditch. Following him was his comrade, and the two of them managed to sneak into the enemy’s base. However, just as they thought safety was granted to them, a man’s voice tore through the atmosphere. “Stop right there!”, shouted the British soldier. As the young warrior turned around to the sound of the voice, the foe pulled his trigger. Twirling through the wind was another bullet and it zipped straight towards his chest. Tightly, he squeezed his eyes shut, and just as he thought his life was over, the bullet pierced into the heart of his comrade behind instead. Shocked, he slumped onto the ground, and stared straight into the eyes of his enemy. However, instead of locking gazes, the soldier turned his back and ran to aid the rest of his quadrant.
That’s when a sudden realization hit him, he was already dead...
　　　　 A bullet could penetrate into the chest of an enemy and seize him from seeing another day, or into the heart of a dear friend who longed to go home to his beloved family. Everything happens in the split of a second, as if life and death have never mattered in this world, and everyone here, friend or foe, were being used. Each soldier that arrived at the battle field were all different individuals; they were people with a past that has never been repeated in history, yet each unique mind was given the same commands to follow. From the day they set foot here, foreseeable futures nor memorable pasts mattered, and each person is expected to live the same nightmare day after day while forgetting the fact that they were all just human. As much as everyone spoke of the honour serving in war, in reality, it was simply a slaughter. A brutal game of chess designed to deem the winner, and worst of all, everyone participating in the warfare were merely pawns. Seemingly endless amount of chess pieces composed of men who were stripped of their beliefs and sacrificed in bloodshed. There was no saviour, no divine power, there was only the merciless truth.
　　　　Without a hurry, the young soldier stumbled back to the frontline and knelt by his already stiffened body. Not even able to recall his last words, misery enveloped him, and he sobbed into his hands. However, when he raised his head once again, shadows materialized. On the grey cratered ground, glimmers of men were kneeling beside their blood soaked corpses, as they wept in No Man’s Land.