The Mouth of Hell
Gas...
The front line had always been notorious, not just for snipers and bombs, but for the most feared of them all: gas. It's cunning and crafty, sly and slick. It slithers across the ground from the canisters, like a cobra, ready to slaughter. You don't see it coming, till it's much too late.
"GAS! Masks on, masks on!" The captain barked.
The men fumbled and shuffled around for their masks, crawling on the ground, often just snatching another man's mask. They scrambled around the trench, hoping to run from the poisonous air. Some men had managed to get their masks on in time, watching the mayhem through a discoloured screen.
Writhing in agony, one man leaped to the other side of the trench, grabbing a cloth and clutched it to his face. He was foaming at the mouth and clasping a small, folded piece of paper. The captain dashed over to him, trying to help him get his mask on. It was too late, he had taken in so much gas he was seconds from death.
"I... must, survive." The man spluttered.
He slapped the bit of paper into the captain's hand before taking one last breath. The captain gasped, looking down at the piece of paper. He opened it to find a piece of cloth wrapped up along with the paper. The captain unwrapped the cloth to find a gold ring. Carefully unfolding with paper, it read;
"Dear Lottie..."
"GAS! Masks on, masks on!" The captain barked.
The men fumbled and shuffled around for their masks, crawling on the ground, often just snatching another man's mask. They scrambled around the trench, hoping to run from the poisonous air. Some men had managed to get their masks on in time, watching the mayhem through a discoloured screen.
Writhing in agony, one man leaped to the other side of the trench, grabbing a cloth and clutched it to his face. He was foaming at the mouth and clasping a small, folded piece of paper. The captain dashed over to him, trying to help him get his mask on. It was too late, he had taken in so much gas he was seconds from death.
"I... must, survive." The man spluttered.
He slapped the bit of paper into the captain's hand before taking one last breath. The captain gasped, looking down at the piece of paper. He opened it to find a piece of cloth wrapped up along with the paper. The captain unwrapped the cloth to find a gold ring. Carefully unfolding with paper, it read;
"Dear Lottie..."