Niemand Zurückgelassen

[1] In Der Nacht

I watched the sky as the bright, whirling shells passed by before slamming into the ground and throwing the earth everywhere. I turned my attention back to the stars. It was hard to believe that this was the same sky that I had laid under just two years ago. Those same stars had hung there as the world fell apart that summer. I sighed and turned to look back into the trench. My comrades were lined up along the sides sleeping peacefully. Another burst of light shot up into the air before it came crashing down. I couldn't help but feel as though I was being watched. I turned abruptly and saw my friend, Karl Krümel, looking up at me.
"You okay?" I asked him.
He nodded.
"Just thinking."
"Of what?" I inquired.
He looked into the sky and took a deep breath. His eyes met with mine.
"Home. I mean.. what will become of us when we return? Will we go back to the way we were? Will we be seen as heroes? How do we forget all that we've seen? All that we've heard?"
His words cut through me like a knife. I knew he was right. In fact, these questions were the same I asked myself. I glanced at the sky and back to Karl.
"I ask myself the same things. I suppose we'll cross that bridge when we come to it." I said, sitting down.
Karl nodded and reached into his coat pocket. He grabbed a pack of cigarettes and a lighter his mother had sent him for Christmas. He lit one and leaned back on the rotted wood that lined the trenches. I let out a sigh and leaned my head back. I thought of the little farm I had grown up on. I thought of the green fields that went on for miles. The tree that I sat under after a hard days work. I missed it. I knew I couldn't return home the same young boy I once was. I was distant from my family. I was distant from myself.
"You lot alright?" Said a familiar voice, snapping me out of my thoughts. I sat up and saw my other friend, Albert Krüller, hovering over me.
"We're alright. Why don't you join us?" Said Karl.
Albert took a seat next to me. He was a rather scrawny kid. Which was ironic given his ruthlessness in the field. He had a kind complexion and looked as though he was a very approachable young chap. Albert had auburn hair and wild brown eyes. He was short, but had a lot of anger suppressed inside him. He often got into arguments with the men, resulting in a lot of trouble, as expected.
I had made lots of close friends in the trenches the closest being 5 wild, troublemakers. There's Karl Krümel, 20, Albert Krüller, 20, Daniel Metzger, 19, Leon Amberg, 20, and then there was me, Peter Von Trapp, 19. There were originally 7 of us, but 2 had been killed back in The Somme: Fritz and Jacob. They were twin brothers, both from catholic families in Bavaria.
"Wish those damn English would stop the shelling already," mumbled Albert.
Karl looked up at him and laughed a bit.
"We all know they'll never stop. How long have they been at this? 2? 3 days?"
Albert shrugged and looked down at his feet.
"Maybe we should just shell the hell outta them. Maybe the bastards will stop." I suggested with a joking tone. Albert and Karl chuckled.
"If only, if only," said Albert, shaking his head.
The sun was now starting to rise, creating a light blue ambience that danced around the trenches. I stood back up and stretched out my arms and legs. Albert let out a loud yawn.
"I think the enemy was able to hear that," remarked Karl.
"Your farts are louder," Albert snapped back.
"Not as smelly as yours..." Karl jokingly rolled his eyes.
"Do I get a medal?" Albert asked, smacking Karl on the back of his head.
I stood there and laughed as the two bantered back and forth. Karl was always the funny one. His dry humor always had the best timing. Albert yawned again before looking at me and asking,
"Hey, Peter, got any cigarettes?"
I nodded and gave him my pack and lighter. He handed them back after lighting one and nodded as a thanks. I nodded back at him and turned around. I hopped up on one of the parapets and stuck my head over the trench. I knew what I was doing wasn't very smart, but I had done it before, and had never been harmed. Just as I was about to reach over the edge of the trench, a shell went hurling over head and smacked into the ground just behind our trench. I lost my balance and was sent flying backwards. I hit my head on the ground so hard I thought I broke something. Luckily, though, my helmet proved to be sturdy.
I sat up and looked at my buddies.
"German engineering," I said, knocking on the top of my helmet with a goofy grin. We all gave a chuckle before they helped me off the ground.
"You okay?" Asked Albert.
"I'll be alright, Al."
We all searched the trench for any damage that may have been done. I knew that a dugout somewhere beyond must have been taken out. I looked at Albert, who was perked up and listening to something.
"What's the ma-"
"Shh" Albert's hand shot up in front of me, shutting me up instantly. Karl and I glanced at each other. I perked up and listened to the still air of the surrounding landscape. I could make out the sound of a whistle off in the distance. It grew louder every second.
The roar of the whistle suddenly rang throughout the land. It bounced around in the wind of No Mans Land and made its way into our trench, and so did the English.