German Requiem

German Requiem

I look around, frightened and disturbed. My friend’s brains, all over my fatigues. We are bunkered down, north-west of Argonne. I don’t know what to think, or what to do. I finally think about my beautiful wife and two kids back at home, and it motivates me to get back up and re-enter this hellish forest. Our ambush on the Americans worked to some extent, but now we are slowly losing this battle. The green forest now coloured red.

    I reload my Hellriegel 1915, and put on whatever armour I have left. I may die today, and who am I kidding, it’d be dubious to think I wouldn’t. I must continue to serve Germany, but more importantly, I must continue to serve my family until my last breath.

“Wie freund? The Americans are pushing past us, I don’t believe they think we survived,” a young soldier stated as he made his way out of the bunker with me.

“Looks like it’s me und du, Fischer,” I take a deep breath as Fischer and I look for a way to ambush the Americans from behind. Failure is probably imminent.

“Was is your name?” Fischer asked as we came closer to meeting our end.

“Krause, but it won’t matter soon.”

    I didn’t really know Fischer that well, he seemed like a good kid. Probably only eighteen or nineteen. He’s fearless, and wants to risk his life with me just to take down a few Americans. We didn’t think the Americans would put up such a fight, our commanding officers ensured us the ambush would work. I suppose anything’s possible in these dark days.

“Up ahead, Krause!” Fischer yelled as I quickly pull the trigger and kill the American scout. The scout’s gun slowly fell down the steep hill he was poached upon. “Dies is bad.”

“Come on, Fischer, I think we both know we’re not going to survive another day. We might as well be of some use,” I blinked rapidly as we progressed forward.

    We finally reached the Americans. Currently, it seems everyone is reloading and preparing for the next assault. This is where Fischer and I may die. I ask if he’s ready, and he slowly nods. We deploy our bipods and start firing upon the Americans. The screaming of the dying Americans get louder as blood is slowly filling up the trenches. Eins, zwei, ein dutzend.

 

“Behind us! Two enemies spotted, they have to be almost out of ammo,” a commanding officer of the United States yelled as pull a dying soldier out of harm’s way. We have now killed about twenty of their men…

“Fischer, get the hell out of here. Go back to Germany!”

“Krause, you’re coming with me,” Fischer pulled me up and wanted me to retreat with him, and go back… zuhause. Fischer was faster than me at his age, but as soon as I started to catch up. A bayonet pierced my stomach, I fell to my knees in extreme agony.

“Krause!”

“F*****g… run… go sei glücklich,” blood erupted from my mouth as memories of my family and I played back in my mind. I missed them so much, and now I will never be able to tell them… Ich liebe dich.