Through The Eyes Of Eliza Bean.
(short story)
The time was ww1, The morning of Christmas.
The air was cold and stiff and the trenches were eerily still this early morning. The mud and muck although half frozen was still wet and squishy enough to get your foot or paw stuck in. It is Christmas but to me it is just another day's hard work. The scent of metal and death was too thick to avoid, even with a gas mask you could still smell that awful scent.
I am Eliza Bean, a ambulance dog for the British Army. I am an Australian Shepard, and I work in these terrible trenches with my master. Every Day is exactly the same going out looking for people, I like the job, I really do but... It's not a job I asked for. I'd rather be at home in London, running through the park with my little Jennifer. Jennifer is the Master's daughter, but i'm not here to tell you of Nostalgia.
"Come on E.B!" My master signaled me forward to another chamber in the trenches. I began to sniff curiously at some churned soil, this probably was where some soldier was struggling to get out of this pathetic trench. I crouched down and jumped the best I could to see over the wall of the trench onto the no man's land. I whined and barked and got my master's attention as he wrapped a bandage around his arm to try and clean a wound from the previous day.
"Found someone have you old girl?" He grabbed me by the collar and hoisted me up to the top of the wall, it was just wide enough to stand on but I still clung on to it for dear life, I'm not a fan of heights. My Master Clambered over on to the top of the wall and sat next to me, peering over the field. I was shocked to see nothing, no fighting at all, no people crying out for help, no bombs slicing the air only to explode like fireworks, no enemy soldiers, nothing!
"Where the bloody hell is everyone?! Did they all die or something E.B?!" He patted my head and looked worrisome over the peaceful yet eerie field.
Then I spotted movement to my right, I snarled and dived off the wall to face whatever was out there. I came face to face with a group of soldiers, I didn't recognize any of them, heck I didn't even know which side they belonged to. But I knew they didn't belong here, I stepped forward, Hackles raised and teeth bared.
" Easy there little fella! " A tall brunette man with a short moustache slowly began to kneel down and reach his hand out when another soldier put his hand on his shoulder.
" Careful Major! It could be rabid or feral! "
The man, apparently Major just laughed and turned to his group with a smile.
"It's just a little lost doggie, dogs have no side in war my good man!"
The other soldier looked warily over Major's shoulder.
" Yeah but they got a mouth fulla teeth and a bad attitude!" he frowned.
Then my master came charging through the trench with his gun raised and eyes fierce.
"Easy! We are British! We are on your side!" Major yelled, pointing to a badge under his coat.
"M-Major Willis?! Where have you been! I've been looking for you every since the Germans bombed the dugout! " My master put his hand on his head and gazed in awe at the group of shaggy and dirty soldiers.
" And I see you've met my little Eliza " he knelt down and rubbed my ears, I wagged my stumpy tail with and was delighted to gain praise.
" So Eliza is her name? Well then you'd better hurry on to the west of no man's land then, we are celebrating!" Major Stood up and and dusted himself off.
"But sir! we are in the middle of a war!" my master protested.
" Ah yes Thomas, but you see it is Christmas! we are in truce with the Germans! Come, let us play football and share stories and have ourselves a merry Christmas! God knows we need it! "
"But...But Sir! They are the enemy!" My master seem absolutely bewildered by such strange news.
"Oh come on lad!" said major as he patted my master's shoulder " It's Christmas! "
The major beckoned us with his hand and merged back into the small group of men. We began to head west to a place in the battlefield trenches I hadn't seen before, in matter of fact the ground seemed to rise and flattened. The stench of metal, death and decay was replaced by the smell of food, strange people and sounds of laughter and song. Germans and British alike stood together happily discussing stories, eating food or drinking, playing football, even exchanging gifts. It was unlike anything I had ever seen even before the war. Many of the men were singing Silent Night and other christmas songs. All of them had laid aside their guns and celebrated together like friends.
I sat down, absolutely puzzled by what I was seeing Tomorrow...Will they try to kill each other again? or become friends and end this nasty war? I thought to myself.
" Easy there E.B" my master patted my head " We don't know if we can trust these Germans, they aren't killing us now but what's to stop them from doing it tomorrow" Just then my attention turned to a lean man eating what looked bratwurst. I had forgotten how hungry I was, It's been a day or two since I've eaten and the food looked so good...Maybe if I beg He'd let me have a little. I slunk past my master and sat next to the man eating the bratwurst I wagged my stumpy tail and let out a playful yip in an attempt to get his attention.
" Hallo little doggy, where did you come from eh? " he bent down and petted my head. Please give me your food human, I am hungry and you should give me your food...like... right now I licked his hand and continued to playfully bounce around and yip. I absolutely hate begging but it works most of the time, humans will fall for anything adorable like me.
" Eliza Bean! Are you begging!?" my master walked over and gave me a stern look and scolded me.
" No begging! How many times must I tell you? Really sorry sir, she's a little silly sometimes" But the man just smiled and shook his head.
" Nein, is okay. Little doggy must be hungry from vorking so hard that's all"
From his accent I could tell he was German, at the moment I really didn't care I just wanted food.
" You English ja?" The German asked. My master gave him a cautious look but responded with little hesitation.
"Uh, yes. Yes indeed. I am Thomas Bean, and you may be?"
" Sven Abel" Sven extended his hand out to my master and smiled " Pleasure to meet you"
The two talked for a while and I sat patiently at their feet I am still hungry...when will you feed me!
I gave my master's hand a sharp nip and he jumped in surprise.
" HEY! bad E.B bad! You-" before he could finish Sven cut him off.
" Little doggy is probably just hungry. I vas too, here you go " He bent down and cut the bratwurst in half and gave a piece to me. OH MY GOD THANK YOU I ate the food slowly, the meat had an assortment of spices that made it taste like a work of art. I jumped up and nuzzled Sven in thanks and he laughed loudly drawing a few looks from the crowd of soldiers.
" Is so nice we get along like this " he stood up and dusted himself off.
" I must say, I am not looking forward to tomorrow, This bloody war has gone far enough" My master groaned and wiped his head with a handkerchief.
" Ja, I must agree, I hope that we don't have to shoot tomorrow. Ve all get along so vell"
My master gave a faint smile and to Sven and looked back at his fellow troops.
" I think I must be going, to be honest I hope I don't see you tomorrow, You see it's my job to clean up the dead and wounded. It's not fun, poor Eliza helps me out everyday, she works as hard as any soldier out here." Master looked at me and smiled, he looked kind of sad almost as if he wanted to just go home and hide from the world kind of sad.
" Ja, I hope you don't have to see me either. I vish we could just go home, I don't like it here." Then a man waved his hand and shouted something in German, and Sven gave us a pitiful look.
" I must be going now... Merry Christmas, and... See you never" His shoulders drooped a little and the expression on his face looked of that like grief and regret more than anything else.
I watched him slink over to his side of the field and jump into a trench with a grunt along with other Germans.
" You too..." My master mumbled. He gave me a worried look and signaled me to follow him back to our side of the field. I walked behind my master, head low and stumpy tail down. Tomorrow would be hell, I can just feel it. As we approached the sandbag barrier I felt my shoulders and legs aching. I gave a small whine to my master who ignored me and jumped down into the trench landing with a grunt. I followed close behind as he walked into a dug out. Inside was medical supplies and I assuming this would be our temporary station until we regrouped and walked off again. I'm hoping we don't get left behind like the last time, there was an aerial strike from enemy planes and all the men scattered, I'm pretty sure we weren't the only ones left behind but it was still pretty scary. I found a corner with some hay and curled up inside of the little pile, I glanced over to my master who was cleaning some tools with alcohol. I then looked at the shabby wooden door that couldn't even protect winter winds from seeping into the room making my fur chilled. I slowly felt my eyes close and drifted off to sleep.
The next morning there was about 35 minutes of silence...Then it was broke by one gunshot, and the screams and howls of weapons and injured men begun to swarm the haunting fields of misery and death once again.