ch.3 : Trench life

October 1914

Near Ypres, Belgium

Jim's unit settled into the trenches, a labyrinthine network of mud, wire, and sandbags. The stench of decay and human waste hung heavy.

"Get used to it, lad," Tom Bradley said, offering Jim a cigarette. "This is our new home."

Jim nodded, taking a drag. The nicotine helped calm his nerves.

As night fell, the trenches transformed into a surreal landscape. Flares cast eerie shadows, and the sound of artillery fire echoed through the darkness.