Chapter Text
What moved me towards the chaos was not patriotism, nor the gut-wrenching craving for adventure. University was over, pockets still empty. That’s when I saw, the military offering everything I needed: A salary, a uniform, and a place to belong.
I signed the papers and in a moment I belonged to Her Majesty’s Army. No, the papers did not mention how the battlefield would be, there were no small letters saying anything – and even if there were, I would not have read them anyway.
The journey was long and seemed endless. Hot and tight, left and right, up and down – the ship was filled with men, none of us knew where exactly we were going. I kept my eyes on my medical books and only on my medical books, I wouldn’t let my mind drift anywhere, I mustn’t think about what I just signed myself into.
The water hit the sides of the boat, my stomach turned with each wave. When we finally hit mainland, there was nothing but sun, scorching sun, burning all the layers of our skin as we kicked the sand under our feet.
On the first day on my medical tent, I was able to save a man, ego high on the sky, confidence exploding out of my body.
All of that didn’t last a month.
Turns out that what I’ve signed myself into, was nothing more than the naked, raw experience of hell.