Project 43

Captain Smith

The trucks slowly rolled forward through the quiet forests of east France. The whole division was sent to secure passages through mountains close to the German border.

Life in the trenches had been brutal and the 72nd regiment had lost over a hundred of their brothers. Some one Elias' closest friends had called before his very eyes, but he was still there. The last time they had been hauled into battle they were just kids, unaware of the hell that was about to rain down on them. 

Over the previous eight months the men spent in the trenches, Elias had climbed up through the ranks. First, he was made into a Lieutenant after his platoon leader was killed in battle. A few months later he got promoted to a Captain after the previous company leader was injured. Now he had 200 lives weighing on his back.

Once the trucks halted, Elias jumped out and started shouting directions for his company with other officers. The men unloaded like they had been practicing it for years and in the blink of an eye everyone was off and unloading the trucks.

The 44th division was dispersed alongside the mountains and the 72nd regiment had been assigned to a slight hillside with a perfect viewpoint of a passing in between two mountains.

Soon enough all the tents were up and the men were building protection all around the camp. It felt like calm before a storm, but every day had felt like that for the past eight months. The sun was setting, and the cold started creeping up. Elias could feel another cold winter coming as the frigid wind shuffled through the orange leaves. Soon the leaves would fall and the soldiers would be even easier to spot through the branches. The men had barely survived the previous winter. Many of them lost fingers or toes to the cold and one of their friends even died due to hypothermia.

Elias tried not to think about what was to come of them as he tied the last knots to another tent. Suddenly someone placed their hand on Elias' shoulder causing him to jump and quickly turn around with a tight grip on the attacker's wrist.

"Jesus, babyface, why so jumpy?" Charlie asked as Elias slowly let go of his wrist.

"I know, it's not like we're in an active war zone," Elias bit back with a loopy grin. He was trying to cover up for the years worth of trauma slowly bubbling to the surface with just one unexpected gesture. He had learned to dislike sudden noises, gestures, and most importantly contact.

"Yeah, and the Germans are gonna attack by grabbing our shoulders," Marcus chipped in causing Elias to roll his eyes. The two were working side by side. Elias liked Marcus. He didn't talk too much, did his work, and could hold his liquor like a bull.

"I miss Sue," Charlie started once again and the rest of them groaned. Every time the man had an ounce of alcohol in his blood he'd start blabbing on and on about his girlfriend.

"I wish I'd had the time to marry her before I left," he continued as the men around him just rolled their eyes.

"Yeah, yeah," Marcus said patting his friend's back in an attempt to comfort the man.

"I need to take a piss," Charlie said out of the blue and got up, almost falling face-first into the rocky earth.

"Not it!" the men called in sync. All except Elias who was once again deep in his thoughts.

"Come on," he groaned as the others either gave him sorry looks or chuckled at his misery.

"Do you have a girl back home, Babyface?" Charlie asked as Elias tried to keep the man standing up. Elias just rolled his eyes and stopped Charlie from falling over as he stumbled on a loose stone.