The German sniper was already in the perfect position and all he had to do was pull the trigger. And that he did.
Belgium 1915, as Michael lay against the butt of his rifle on the brink of sleep he heard John talking to himself. He was praying for the war to end and for him to be alive to see it. John finished his prayer and stood up to have a look over the trench. He was looking to see if any German troops where advancing towards the trench. He had been on watch for nearly 5 hours. John had looked over the trench many times during the night, nothing had happened so far. But this time it felt different, he felt like he was being watched by an invisible enemy. John scanned the area in front with his eyes, searching for any signs of movement. He then stared straight in front of him looking directly towards the German trenches. Finally he saw something that caught his eye, a long barrel of a sniper rifle. That would be John’s last thought. John barely moved a muscle as the bullet hit him straight between the eyes. Then he just flopped off of the ledge he was standing on and landed at Michael’s feet. Michael woke up suddenly from hearing a solid thud on the floor. Then he looked down. He saw John lying in a pool of his own blood and bits and pieces of brain coming out of his shattered skull. Michael screamed, waking up everyone in his trench.
The next day, Michael was still sitting there in the same spot. John’s body had been taking away and put in the ever growing pile of dead, rotting corpses. Michael still couldn’t believe that John was gone. They had known each other all their lives, they were truly the best of friends. Michael had seriously considered blowing his brains out, John was all he had left in these godforsaken trenches. They had both gone to the local recruitment office together to help fight against the Germans. They both had felt very proud of serving there king and country. Michael defiantly didn’t fell that now. He now wished that the war had never started and that John and him had stayed at home were it was safe.
Michael wasn’t the only one who was contemplating suicide. Who knew of around 4 or 5 other corporals who had just about had enough of this hell hole. As the days past and the fighting continued, more and more lost hope. One day, Michael woke up to see two corporals being carried off to be put in the pile of bodies. When he asked what happened, someone just put there hand to there head in a pistol like shape. The corporals had committed suicide. Michael was going insane, if he saw another dead body in his own trench, he would soon be joining it in the pile. Hope was fading fast for Michael, he became very self confined and often had nightmares were he would sometimes shout out load in the night.
As the first rays of dawn approached, Michael sat up and looked up into the sky. Something had caught his eye, a flag. A Union Jack flag. It was the first British flag he had seen since his time in the trenches. Sometimes the most simplest of things give us hope. This flag would be Michaels life saver. He gazed up at it thinking about his life and how he mustn’t waist it. He also thought about John, but this time not in a sad way. He thought about all the good times they had had as kids and how John was now looking down on him telling him to keep going. That is exactly what Michael did. For the rest of his days Michael was always positive even through the hard times. He was also thankful for the life he had and that it wasn’t ended prematurely like John’s. He often thought of John looking down on him and maybe, just maybe John would be feeling proud. The War ended 3 years later and Michael returned to his home in London. Now Michael was free to live the rest of his life in peace.
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