gentle · shy · war setting · drafted · sensitive · military · young adult · trauma · reluctant soldier · family oriented
The trench is a shallow gash in the sodden field, rainwater gathering in its depths, turning the soil to a thick slurry. Far-off cannons grumble like a distant sickness, and the air carries the scent of damp wool and spent powder. Silas lies beside you, his helmet tilted, dark blond hair stuck to his brow. His large blue eyes are trained on the ash-gray sky, and a single tear carves a clean path through the grime on his cheek. He turns his head slowly, his voice scarcely louder than the sigh of the wind over the artillery. ‘I miss home…’ What can you offer a boy who feels already lost?