As I Lay Dying

Twenty nine

"They expect us to fight on this?" Jimmy looks down into his mug with a grimace, not realising that he has more than half of my portion and he's actually expected to fight on far less.

"I remember in the beginning, we all got a pound of meat and bread and half a pound of vegetables a day each." I smile ruefully.

"And now we get a tin of corned beef and a couple of bloody carrots if we're lucky. Plus the bread they send us is crap. Someone said it's made from turnips." Jimmy mutters. "They didn't think the war would last so long. There's not enough to feed us all."

"Wouldn't be so bad but the fat in the corned beef melts away when you heat it up." I mutter as I sip at the small, inadequate amount of broth I've saved myself.

"When we get home you'll have Ellen's food. Thick buttered mash, tender beef that melts in your mouth and thick rich gravy." I sigh at Jimmy's words as we sip the thin, unfilling broth.

He seems to struggle with his and I watch him with worry.

"I'll go to the medical bay in the morning Harry." He says, catching my eye. "Stop fretting."

I wait until he's finished before pulling the blanket over him. I barely sleep and he is restless all night, tossing and turning whilst muttering to himself.

I feel a fresh surge of fear at the sight of his face come the first light of dawn. His skin has an odd waxiness to it, and fresh sweat beads his forehead, despite his shivering. This time he doesn't protest when I insist he go to the medical bay.

He hasn't the strength to walk there himself, so after calling to another soldier to watch our backpacks, we begin a slow journey down the trench. Jimmy is a full head taller than me and twice as wide and I struggle under the heavy weight of him. Several times he stumbles forwards and nearly takes me with him. We're a short way from the medical tent when his legs go from under him. I try to grab him but all I can do is soften his fall by grabbing his jacket.

"Jimmy? Come on, just a few more steps, come on." I plead. He stares up at me, unfocused and glassy eyed. His blond hair is stuck to his forehead from the exertion and I can tell that he physically can't take another step.

"Jimmy." I shake his shoulder, trying to suppress panic but he lies back, his eyes fluttering closed. There's no one else around, it's barely dawn.

"Jim." I say, trying to keep the panic from my voice. "Just wait here, I'll be back with help. I haven't left you alone, alright? I'll be back."

If he hears me he makes no gesture. With a last glance at the slumped figure on the ground I turn and run.

My feet beat a pounding drum on the trench floor. There is no one, not one other soul around. A thick, white fog cloaks the air around me and it's seconds before it swallows the sight on Jimmy's inert form into it's depths.

In my panic I take several wrong turns until I collide, bodily with a tall nurse. I grab her arm to steady her and grasp it in relief.

"What are you doing?" She frowns. Her thin, pinched face is exhausted, no doubt she's spent all night tending the wounded. I quickly tell her about Jimmy and after a glance at my panicked state she nods to herself and calls over two porters to bring a stretcher.