BANG!

I fall back.

 

BOOM!

I cower.

 

BAM!

I see Henry fall into the trench. Like a dead horse in a grave.

 

BUZZ!

I see a bullet fly by my head.

 

I turn.

 

I run.

 

I run until I can’t see thousands of men dying.

I run until I can’t hear grown men crying.

I run until the blazing bullets can’t reach me.

I run until a field comes into view.

 

In fields like this, we would play good guys and bad guys.

In fields like this, I was a general.

In fields like this, I was unstoppable.

In fields like this, I could go to my ma when I got hurt.

In fields like this, I didn’t get hurt. Not really.

In fields like this, I was a boy.

 

I know I must go back.

Back to help gather bodies.

Back to help the ones that didn’t die.

Back to not being a boy.