Chapter Text
As the platoon marched through the forest, dread marched through his gut. Neck hairs rising, eyes sweeping the area wildly, he licked his dry lips. His mind travelled back, back to before. Memories of his lover, his family faintly floated in front of his eyes but were darkly tainted by the carnage that lay around him. The stench of death clogged his nose and filled his head, clouding his vision. His eyes fell shut while he took a few shaky yet clearing breaths. He realised he was alone as he opened his eyes. Sprinting, he broke from the forest only to fall into an empty field.
Suddenly, yells filled the air; birds screamed and fled in fright. Then… Then it was quiet. Deathly quiet. It was as if the world was waiting. Watching. Tensing. That’s when he saw it. Waves of ivy washing and crashing towards him. In horror, he watched as the green sea took everything in its path. It rushed towards him with intent clear in its eyes.
It enveloped him in a tight hug, squeezing the air harshly out of his lungs. Screams penetrated the air. Tears in his eyes, he begged for the screams to stop. He came to a terrifying revelation when his throat began to sting. He whimpered with tears welling up in his eyes as the floodgates opened. Pain slamming into him like a punch to his stomach.
Needles dug deep into his flesh while claws raked down his face, leaving no part untouched. His head swam with pain while his chest howled for the slightest bit of air.The gas crunched down hard on his lungs causing him to cry out in torture. Forcing him to his knees in submission, his eyes watered with tears. The gas hissed at him venomously. Death had no mercy, at least not for him.
And then… Nothing. He gasped for breath. The weight was removed from his back as voices filled the air around him. Giggles from his daughter surrounded him while shouts from his son floated after them. He gazed into nothingness for a while when Havers lay next to him, grinning that foolish grin he loved. He smiled back and that’s when the world faded to black.