A/N: ok so, in English we're reading All Quiet in the Western Front and for a project we had to make up our own ending to the story and write an outline and a story board (my artistic skills are not so great) The catch is, we've only read up to chapter nine. And since I didn't do so great on the test we had for the first half of this book, I got an extra credit opportunity to actually write out my ending in at least two pages. I wrote mine in three. :) Anyway so, I just decided to post it on here just for fun
The End
Two months. It has been two full months since our return from our temporary military leave. It was currently quiet on the two fronts, but most of us still stood guard waiting for any sign of attack. 'Most of us' didn't include the new recruits that Katczinsky was now currently trying to give them tips on how to fight in battle. It wasn't too much help for them though, they barely listened. They were either too exhausted or were easily distracted by any movement or sound and Kat eventually walked away after a quiet 'Humph'.
On most days, Kat would have taken a deep breath and continued on teaching the new recruits what they needed to know with a lot of patience, but this day was not one of those days. We were all feeling exhausted and impatient. We were waiting for something to happen. We were waiting for anything to happen. We knew the French would soon attack, we just weren't sure when.
I turned my head to the right to see Tjaden with his arms crossed angrily over his chest and Leer doubled over in laughter. I could not conjure up a thought on why he would be laughing at a time like this; then I caught part of their conversation:
"You're such an easy drunk, Tjaden! Only you would end up drunk before going to meet up with three French girls!" Leer said in between laughs.
Ah, now I knew what they were talking about. Tjaden never was happy with us for getting him drunk before Leer, Kropp, and I ran off to meet the French women. I guess I would be a bit upset as well, but it's been several months, he should be over it by now, but, like I said, it has been an off day and most of us are feeling irritable and are easily angered. Anger was really the only emotion we could feel; except for Leer at the moment.
I could still hear Leer laughing and picking fun at Tjaden and I attempted to smile, to laugh, but I couldn't find any strength to do so. I never can. I can't recall the last time I smiled or laughed or just enjoyed any body's company. And watching Leer, laughing and somehow having a good time like a young child on Christmas, had me asking myself; 'How is he doing it?'
We were stuck in these trenches. We were stuck here and we have all watched people we once knew die. We watched old classmates die. Leer continues on laughing while I stand here and feel nothing. Absolutely nothing. No happiness. No sadness. There was occasional anger, but it was rare. I was emotionally numb. Sometimes I just wish-
Before I could finish that thought, the deafening sound of falling shells broke though the silence. All around me I could hear people in a panic. I could see new recruits, running around like mad men, trying to climb out of the trenches, only to be stopped and told that it was still safer in the trenches.
Shells were coming and falling from all directions. While some lucky soldiers barely dodged shells coming their way, others were unpropitious and encountered a worse and more terrible fate. One of those suffering an irreversible fate was Kropp.
I had been running and tripped over something quite large. I already knew what it was. It was a body. I didn't know whose body it was until I made the mistake of looking. It's was Kropp's mangled body. The sight of him was just as unnerving as Kimmerick's dying body had been.
When I stood up, I didn't have time to register any more thoughts or react to my dead friend lying on the ground, for I had put my hand over my stomach and doubled over in pain. I had been hit; and not just once, but twice. I stumbled around, not able to stand up straight or walk normally. The pain was unbearable.
The next thing I knew, I had fallen over, so I painfully rolled over onto my back. The pain seemed to have stopped but I started to feel cold; Colder then the already frigid February air. The pain had not subsided, just numbed, along with the rest of my body. I couldn't feel anything; mentally or physically. My vision soon started to blur and the world around me became quiet.
In a very short time after being hit, it seemed to become all quiet on the Western front.
A/N: So there you go. :)
And don't worry! I'm am working on chapter 3 of "I Don't Want to Want You" right now! It should be up in at least 2 weeks. I know I suck but I'm leaving for New Orleans on Saturday and then going to Florida. Don't hate me!