Estelle - In the Trenches

Embarrassed by the weakness of my body, painfully, I perch on the side of the cardboard seat alongside my other fellow friends (squashed like a ton of sardines). Surrounded by the protective barbed wire, I hear deafening bombs in the nearby distance. Why am I here? Dreaming, up in the menacing night sky, flakes of pure white snow elegantly drifts through the suffocating black blanket. Situated by the bleeding bodies, screams of irritation creates echoes through the bleak trenches. Beneath the crumbly soil, my predators: the rats scurry beneath my feet, feeding on my thick blood. Alarmed about whether I would return home, I carefully think about my past friends who suddenly died in vain. Why didn't I? Why did they leave me behind? Thoughts of death fill my head, tears of fear run down my cheeks and my slender hands start to tremble. I suddenly notice the deep snow suffocating the fresh green grass.

Bravely, I apprehensively climb the never-ending trench ladder, briskly remembering that it is Christmas Day and no need to dispute. Gingerly, I raise my hands and gradually parade towards the enemies. Out of the blue, the gleaming sun beams through the thick clouds and the depressing clouds depart, showing the vast blue sky. I use my ripped football to play a game. Hope and love fill the atmosphere and hatred disappears into thin air. A wave of hours of playing and smiles until the cannon goes off and the worthless war begins again. BANG! BANG!