The church was surrounded by a pack of people.
Nurses and doctors went around to heal people.
The soldiers carrying the logistics for the needs.
I walked alongside Wesley, Tomas, Amelia, Mara and Lena.
Mara and Lena were having an conversation.
Tomas had a worried expression on his face with Amelia by his side.
And Wesley held a small poppy flower on his hands.
As he looked deeply at it.
Noticing this, I asked.
"Where'd you get that?"
"Hm? Oh, I just found it in the trench. Just um... resting there..."
"I presume you're giving it to Gideon." I observed closer to the Poppy.
"Yes, thought he needed something nice." He smiled warmly.
"It's pretty unlike you. Or at least the side I've never seen before." I scoffed.
"Heh, there's lots of things you don't know about me."
The church door opened with a large creak.
Inside were the injured.
The smell hit me first.
Blood.
Lodine.
Sweat.
And something sweet and rotten that I didn't want to name.
I could almost taste it in my mouth.
Inside were the injured.
Beds neatly arranged in rows, like crops waiting for harvest.
And on each bed, a body. Some still.
Some shifting.
Some groaning
Doctors and nurses and ran around, attending the mangled and wounded.
Stepping inside, we passed by the incapacitated.
One persons face was entirely covered in red bloody bandages with only his mouth exposed.
Gasping through his mouth as if he almost drowned before and was catching for air.
Another one had his arm missing.
Which he was massaging it.
Then he looked straight at me.
With dead eyes filled with envy before he looked away and tended with his arm.
And another one was just laying on his bed peacefully...
To say the least...
"There he is!" Tomas pointed at a nearby bed.
Noticing his call, we came over to and finally saw Gideon.
Laying on his back.
Eyes barely open with dark circles around.
Wesley squatted down next to him.
Placing the poppy flower next to his pillow.
"Have you slept well?"
Gideon stayed silent.
Not because he wanted to but because he barely couldn't.
I could see it in his face.
The exhaustion.
The pain.
I couldn't even began to imagine it.
"N-no..." Words finally came out of his mouth.
"Hey, you don't need to talk. Just rest alright." Wesley comforted.
"F-f-f...." Gideon tried to say something.
Wesley approached closer.
His ears right next to Gideon mouth to hear what he was trying to say.
"Fuck you."
Wesley pulled back with a blank expression.
We all chuckled under our breath.
Gideon chortle before coughing up like a sore throat.
"Hey hey hey. don't laugh, it's gonna make things worse."
Gideon exhaled in exhaustion.
"I can't take it any longer..." Sounding more like a puff of air rather than comprehensible words.
"But do you know what that means? You can go home! Isn't that amazing!" Wesley cheered.
Gideon lightly shook his head.
We downcast our faces from his reply.
Lena then gave a joyful face and said.
"But! We brought you a gift!" She held a something wrapped in paper.
She tried handing it over but didn't know were to put it.
"I'm gonna place it under your bed."
Bending down, she placed the bagged under his bed but saw something that caught her eye.
Picking it up, she realized that these were Gideons clothes.
All fresh and clean like it was brand new.
Excited she asked him.
"Would you mind giving this to me? I mean, what use does this have to you!" She grinned.
Wesley turned around to see Lena with a frowned face.
"Lena!" Mara called out.
"What? I was just asking!"
Soon Mara and Lena had an argument.
But then Gideon yelled.
"Please shut up!" Then Gideon coughed up again.
Amelia walked in between Mara and Lena.
Stopping the escalation.
Wesley suddenly stood up and walked over to us.
"I need you guys to leave." He demanded.
We looked over at him, realizing what we were doing.
I nodded first and left without question as I knew it was better to leave Gideon alone.
Then Amelia followed behind.
Mara and Lena followed as well.
But as Lena just about to leave the church.
She was pinned against the wall by Wesley.
His hands on her collar with a face filled with anger.
"What the fuck is wrong with you! Can't you see he lost his leg and you had the fucking audacity to ask him to spare his clothes!?" He said frustrated.
"Look man, I was just asking! Look at my clothes for god sake!"
"But he's the one whose on his death bed! Whilst you had the luck of having your leg right now!" He pushed her further against the wall.
Then a hand was placed on Wesley's shoulder.
Turning around he saw Mara.
"Let her go, Wesley."
"Your helping her!?" He blurted out.
"People are watching."
His face instantly turned white.
Eyes wide open as he realized he was making a scene.
Looking at the surroundings.
All the people around them were watching them.
Then he left go of Lena and quickly left the scene with a fuss.
Going back to Gideons bed.
Lena touched her neck.
"You okay?" Mara reached her hand out.
"Yeah, I'm alright."
Mara guided her out of the church.
Me and Amelia watched everything outside as we saw Mara and Lena walk out.
And soon enough, left the church.
With only Wesley staying behind with Gideon.
***
"W-what the hell happened...?" Gideon asked.
"Oh, it's nothing." Wesley smiled and knelt down next to him.
"Did you... confront Lena?"
"Of course not! Nothing happened, I promise."
Gideon continuously looked at the ceiling.
"Everything in my body hurts... My hands feels cold and frozen like ice... my head feels like it's about to explode. And... my right leg... I could almost feel each toe of my feet is being pulled out. Even though..."
Wesley looked down to his leg.
Just to see the bottom half of his right leg was entirely missing.
He gulped with a sorrowful face.
He placed his Gideons head.
Patting him.
"It's going to be alright, Gideon. Just eat and everything will go back to normal." He gave a smile.
Gideon gazed at Wesley with a tired face.
"You're such a liar Wesley... a liar... and you know I don't like lying..."
"Oh... I know, Gideon... I know..." He comforted him.
"They stole my watch, Wesley... my watch..."
"Watch? What do you mean?"
"My watch! The watch my father gave to me!" He cried out.
"My pocket watch! Don't you remember!"
"Of course I remember!" Wesley replied.
Gideon stopped his cry before looking up at the ceiling again.
"You're such a liar Wesley..."
Wesley reached out his hands and wiped away the tears running down Gideons cheek.
And wrapped his arms around Gideon.
Gideon embraced his hug.
His hand grabbing Wesley's arm.
"I... I'm tired, Wesley..."
Wesley quickly pulled away and neatly arranged his bed.
Making him comfortable as possible.
When he finished, Wesley looked at Gideon deeply.
His hand patting Gideons head.
"I... wanna sleep."
"Go ahead... have a nice dream."
But before Gideon drifted off to sleep, he asked Wesley.
"Give my clothes... to Lena... please..." And let out a long exhale.
His eyes closed.
And slept well.
Wesley seeing this couldn't stop but let out a smile.
He placed his head on the bunk bed.
And closed his eyes as well.
***
Wesley slowly opened his eyes.
Raising his head, he yawned.
Stretching his arms, neck and body.
Looking at the window.
He saw it was turning dusk.
He needs to get back to his squad.
He frowned and looked back at Gideon.
Placing his hands around Gideons cheek.
Then felt something.
It felt cold.
too cold...
Wesley's face turned into worry.
Cupping both of his hands on Gideons face.
"Gideon?"
He lightly shook Gideons head.
No response.
"Gideon?"
No response.
Then he brough his head down to Gideons chest.
Ears against his ribs.
And listened.
No response.
Wesley quickly pulled his head back.
And jumped up to his feet and yelled.
"I need a doctor here!"
He quickly turned and ran to the nearest doctor.
He grabbed one of the nurses shoulder nearby.
The nurse turned around in confusion.
"I need you to help Gideon!"
Wesley pointed at Gideons bed.
The nurse immediately reacted and ran over to Gideon.
"What happened?"
"I-I-I don't know! I just woke up and his heart stopped!"
When Wesley said that, the nurses face immediately turned grim.
Wesley noticed her face and asked.
"What?"
The nurse whistled to her colleagues.
Then a group of doctors and nurses came over.
"Step back." One of the nurse asked Wesley.
Stepping back, he saw the doctors took his blanket away.
Then his pillow.
"What are you doing!" Wesley demanded.
"Sparing a bed for another patient." The doctor replied.
"What do you mean! That's a person!"
"A corpse, recruit! Once his dead, he is dead for good! Now leave the morgue now! I will call someone to get you out!"
Then the nurse grabbed Gideons clothes.
Seeing this, Wesley leaped forward and grabbed it from the nurses hand.
"Hey! What the hell are you doing!"
Before they could do anything.
Wesley jolted out of there.
Running from them as fast as possible.
***
In the dugouts of the trenches.
I played with Hermann, Mara, Lena, Amelia and Tobias with a game of cards.
Tomas didn't join but still watched over us.
Whilst Fish just sounded sleepily on her bed if you should call it one because it was just made out of wheat straws.
In my hands were two worn out cards.
Ace of hearts and the king of spades.
Even in this lighting with only the lamps illuminating.
I knew this was a strong card to hold.
Hermann placed down five cigarettes down on the table.
"I open with five ciggs!" He blurted.
Lena silently opened with another five cigars.
Mara raises it by ten of them.
"Damn, Mara! Where'd you get that?" Tobias jokingly said.
Mara kept a prideful face.
Amelia calls.
And Tobias raises it by three.
Now the pot is filled with twenty three ciggs.
Now it was my turn.
Either I
Fold.
Call.
Raise.
Or go all in.
Thud Thud Thud.
footsteps were heard.
Looking over at the entrance of the dugout.
Wesley was coming inside.
"Wesley! Where have you been?" I said.
But Wesley didn't reply.
He just came over to us and dropped the clothes on his to Lena.
"What's this? Is this Gideons clothes! Thank you!"
Lena quickly removed her clothes to change.
Wesley rested against the wall.
His ass slamming on the ground in pure exhaustion.
"Aren't you gonna move, Lukas?" Hermann said.
But I just decided not to play.
I dropped my cards and came over to Wesley.
"Oh come on!" Hermann blurted.
"Is something wrong, Wesley? Did something happen?" I asked.
But Wesley stayed silent.
Tomas noticing this also came over to check on him.
"What happened?"
Then Wesley finally said something.
"He's dead..."
A knife stabbed through my chest.
Hearing those words...
Made me wanna puke...
The others heard it as well and dropped their cards.
The dugout was filled with silence.
No one dared to say anything.
Or even move to begin with.
Only Fish had the guts to even sleep this soundly.
Moving and roughing the straws.
With the only sounds filling up the room was Fish's breathing.
I slowly reached out my hand.
And patted his back to comfort him.
"I am sorry..."