Damp

The sound of gunfire flew above our heads as we hunkered down. The not so lucky screamed in agony, but others just slumped down. No mans face looked normal like they did back home. There faces looked as if they lost all faith in life, sunken eyes a dreadful expression no man thought they were going to get out of here alive. Our Company commanders face was a bit different a man of a different social class saw what we were seeing differently. My brothers and I saw fellow hopeless men die for a cause not worth fighting for. The commander only saw promotion and glory out of it. A Whistle rang out what we were training for finally began we hopped out of the dirty rat infested pig stein we called our home and charged into gun fire on realms we've never seen before. Posted positions with new weapons reigned out fire without stopping gunning down countless men. We screamed as we charged thinking this was it but it was all drowned out after the machine guns stopped and a counter charge began our lines crumbled as our foes screamed louder and louder stabbing and slaughtering us. Our own lines began reigning machine gun fire into our backs.

Awoken to blinding whiteness. My eyes open to the sun glaring at me through the curtains of a hospital bed. The clattering noise of nurses and fellow injured shocked me. It was a lot different from the muddy and rat infested trench line I've seen for the last couple of months. My excitement is over shadowed by the realization I can not feel my left leg. My face drops as a nurse approaches and examines my leg. Your a lucky fellow boy the bullet went cleaning through your left but caused infection leading to amputation. The doctor has sent your paperwork to the regional military quarters and discharge papers will be deployed as you are not longer fit to serve in a combat role. You can head over to the regional quarters to see if non-combat roles are available but this war is coming to its conclusion and its best for you to head back to your home town as no one needs a cripple draining up resources.

Weeks past by and I aboard a train heading to my hometown. Nothing about this trip is enjoyable as I am forced to come to the realization I am no longer suitable for much work in the country. No town or village has much use for me as I can not labor away in the fields for harvesting. No city has need for a member of the lower-class who has no formal education. My life is turning out to be more dreadful then ever imagined. I wandered up the train to the bar carriage as I begin ordering alcohol. It is dreadfully cheap as the production is limited to factories under the control of the state lowering competition setting an exact price. The carriage got rowdier and rowdier as an influx of younger noble officers entered the carriage and begin ordering drinks in mass. The more they drank the more violent they got, the older gentlemen left back for there carts as they found these officers to rambunctious for there upper class taste. A Lieutenant Colonel sat down next to me his face flushed red rudely and abruptly pointed at my missing leg and asked how did that injury there cause someone of your class to be allowed on this train. I brushed off the insult and explained the situation, being cut off by him rambling on about how I an untrained peasant should of been left to tend the fields as members of the Nobility exercised there right to battle. I left it as it was and returned back to my cart.

The train rolled into station. A cold and wet town. Only thousand or so lived here but it was home to me. I exited off the platform and headed towards my home. The lack of proper streets made it difficult for me to use my crutches as they slipped in the mud. I past by memorable places to me. A small school house where I spent the majority of my time when was I elven to fourteen. I how to read and write as well as simple addition. It lays in ruins today after a State crackdown on education to those of the lower classes. The bar I passed by was a bit more rambunctious even before the war as a man stood on top of a table shouting and cursing the Emperor and his government if you can call it one has he reigned absolute with the authority of the church declaring his reign divine. Though there was a lot of cheer and enthusiasm two men in the back observing though they dressed as if they were commoners, they acted if they were better than us. They were clearly members of the Secret Police tasked with beaten those who spoke out against the Emperor. The drunken man on the table would being having one hell of an after party.

The lights within my home were off, no smoke out of the chimney. I cam upon the front door nailed into was a letter from the town hall. "To those it may concern, the occupants of this house have died from disease. Relatives who wish to claim the estates final wealth are to present themselves to the town hall with identification promptly"

I opened the door to its shuttering creek and begin prepping to start a fire to warm the house from the elements. My mentality already suffered from the war could not understand the concept of watching so many men being killed only to return home to have the innocent removed from me.

The wind shook the small house at night. Sleep came briefly and short as the fire would eventually die out and I would be awoken shaking from the chill.