Work Text:
I had a comrade once, he was the best comrade you could ever wish for. loving, caring, snarky and the perfect description of “a good friend”. He was the only one I had, the only boy who’d accept me mediocrity and see me as a human being- another boy, and as a friend. He always respected me, my good comrade, my good Fritz.
And then our country called; the war needed soldiers, the people of the country ought to stand up and do their duty as men! And so, me and my comrade wrote down our names as many others, similar to us, did as well. As enthusiastically as the next person, “The lieutenant and the sergeant.” we could never be separable, for we will and always were by each other's sides.
Then, a bullet came flying by, was it meant for me or for you? And in a second, it swept away his life, faster than I could remember. And I saw the blood run down his mouth as he looked at me with his hooded eyelids, my good comrade spoke to me “remember me as I have remembered you, dear friend, and I will never leave by your side!” Now he lies in my arms, the life gone from his eyes and body, like he was a part of me, like he was a good part of me.
And now, I stand alone by his grave, mud covered cross and on patchy and rough ground. I placed a single poppy in front of the cross, coupled with a few of my tears that had escaped my eyes, now resting on the ground. “Remember me as I have remembered you, and I will never leave by your side!” his words circled in my head as I wanted to believe them, he was my comrade, my good comrade.