The flashing, the noise, the light. The banging of guns ringing in my ears. Bennett grabbed me by my right arm and dragged me back. Everything hurt, I couldn't tell if I was sobbing or if it was blood. I closed my eyes and everything went dark.
I violently shook awake. I sat up and looked around. My arm, throbbing. I looked over at my left arm to see just a little stub, spewing blood everywhere. I screamed, a blood-curdling scream. The doctor heard my scream and burst into the medical tent. "What happened?!" The doctor yelled as I turned to him. I held up the little stub that was spewing blood everywhere. The doctor stared at me for a few seconds before nodding like he understood how much pain I was in. "I ordered your prosthetic, once it's here-" The Doctor paused and walked over to me. He grabbed what I presumed was a cloth and started to put it on my arm. I screamed in pain and he applied more pressure. "- Once it is here, you will return back to America, back to your Mother, Levi." I looked the doctor dead in the eyes. "I can't go home". The doctor stopped applying pressure and looked up at me. "You have to, without your arm you are no use to us, Levi." I sighed at the thought of having to face my Mother and what her reaction will be when I tell her where I was.
I was sitting in the trench, next to Bennett. He was shuffling cards in his hand. He slowly dealt out 7 cards. "What are you going to do once we get out of this place?" He asked me as I picked up my cards. An ace, 7 of spades, king and queen of hearts, 4 of clubs, Jack of diamonds, and a joker. "I actually don't know, probably go back to America and get a job," I replied. He nodded before asking "Do you have an 8?" I shook my head "Go fi-" I was interrupted by shouting. "THE GERMANS ARE COMING, THE GERMANS ARE COMING!"
My prosthetic came a few days later. I have yet to get an infection and bleeding has slowed. I'm hoping that the doctor used clean utilities. When I tried on the prosthetic is was the most uncomfortable thing in the world. It was stiff, chunky, and aggressively swung by my side with each step I took. With a few changes made, I was able to get the swinging under control and got used to the stiffness and chunkiness (Sort of).
Bennet and I poked our heads over the trench walls to see Germans marching towards our trench. "Oh, shoot," Bennett exclaimed before climbing down and grabbing his and mines guns. He climbed back up and pointed his rifle at the Germans feet. He pulled the trigger and it went off with a bang. I followed in pursuit. We managed to knock off most of them but we heard the blast of a grenade go off in the distance. Bennett grabbed my wrist and dragged me down the zig-zag trenches. Bennett and I went on for miles and miles until we reached the end. A couple minutes later a few more troops came sprinting towards us.
I lie awake, pondering random things when I looked at the end of my bed. I saw a girl and screamed. "Shh!" The voice called out before trotting to the side of the bed. She placed a hand over my mouth and guided me to my feet. Her hand smelt like ginger and cinnamon. She removed her hand and helped me put my prosthetic on. After helping me she left. I sat there in confusion about what the heck just happened. I shrugged it off and laid back down. The prosthetic was uncomfortable as I laid down but I got used to it. I rolled over and went back to sleep.
Our General instructed us to get out of the trenches and move onto the next ones. They were in France. There was a Trench line in Ypres, Belgium that needed troops. That was where I lost my arm. Bennett and I started a new game of Go Fish with me, and I was starting to win. "Haha! I'm winning." I called out as I picked up a card, ace of hearts. Bennett rolled his eyes. "Do you have an Ace of Hearts?" I laughed as I handed Bennett the card "I guess I do."
Back and forth I went to the doctors for the past 3 weeks. "You need to do this" and "You need to do that". It was all getting so annoying. I learned to lift my arm with the prosthetic on and I still don't want to go home. I have yet to see the girl I saw the other night, the one that smells like ginger and cinnamon. Today is the day I will be forced onto a bus and forced onto a ship and forced to go home. I choose a seat in the back of the bus and sat closest to the window. This trip is stupid. I look up to see the bus doors still open. I could run, book it, and never go home. I could go to Paris, and find love and live my life without having to go home. I stood up and stepped out of my seat. I took a step down the bus isle but the girl that smelled ginger and cinnamon pushed me back into my seat! "What the heck, lady," I called out. She looked at me and smiled. Oh my gosh. I rolled my eyes and turned back to face the window. I shut my eyes and fell asleep.
![Jiu Qiansui - Nine Thousand Years [Completed] by CeritanyaNyai](https://img.wattpad.com/cover/386337880-80-k881208.jpg)
The Grenade. It went off. It went off while I was playing Go Fish with Bennett. Bennett was shielded by the blast by the bunk wall, I, however, was not. It all went hazy, the blast, the screaming, Bennett. I felt Bennett's cold hands grasp my wrist. I felt the cold ground as I was dragged down a Trench. I felt people pick me up and sling me over their shoulder. I felt the warm blood running down over my face and arms and body. This is it, I thought. This is how I die.
I screamed on the bus. I was violently shaking, and everything felt violently cold. It all came back to me, hitting me quickly but leaving so soon. It left an empty feeling in the pit of my stomach. I feel the girl put her hand on my back. She felt warm and everything seemed to stop. The world was calm and stopped. "Levi?" She called. I opened my mouth to speak but all that left my lips was air. Everyone was quiet, silent even. "Levi?" She tries again. "Levi!?" She calls louder and then it all comes back to me. Reality hits me, it hits me hard.
I stare blankly at the girl standing next to me. I take in her face, her eyes, her hair. I open my mouth to speak again but then comes out. Oh gosh, I probably look like an idiot to her. "S-ss-sorry" I managed to spit the words out. "It's okay, Levi". When I hear my name leave her lips it sounds warm, like a friendly face in a world of strangers. She removes her hand from my back and pushes me into the bus seat. I feel my body just melt into the seat. I close my eyes and feel the girl remove my prosthetic and put it on the floor beside my seat. I sigh and hear her walk back to her seat. I curl up into a ball and face the window. Gosh, I made myself look so stupid.
I wonder what happened to Bennett. The bus ride to the docks was long. It gave me plenty of time to think about everything that happened. Maybe too much time. It first started off with what I did to deserve this. Then it went to how many different brands of prosthetics there were, then to different brands of apples, then to why the sky was blue, then to peanut butter balls, and then to why ww1 started. I started to think about the girl and what her name was. She knew mine but I didn't know hers. I dared myself to ask. I turned to face her, opened my mouth, and... Nothing came out. Oh geez. I tried again. But once again, nothing happened. Once she noticed me, she stared at me. She looked confused. "W-w-what is-ss your n-n-name" Oh gosh, She probably thinks I'm a stuttering freak or something. She smiled and simply replied "My name is Grace," and she stuck out her hand. I blinked at her. Doesn't she realize I don't have the right arm to shake?! It took her a moment but she realized her mistake. She laughed and stuck out her other hand. "Sorry" she laughed once more. I took her hand in mine. Grace's hand felt soft in mine, warm too. I gave it a shake before letting go. I nodded in accomplishment before curling back into a ball on the bus seat. At least I got something done.
The trip to the docks was a 5-day trip. It was way too long, especially for going back to America. But once it was over and we reached the docks, I was finally able to leave that stupid bus. Once off, Grace helped me put my prosthetic back on and she leads me onto the boat. I picked a spot on the back of the boat. It was a small room with a bed and a couch. It worked for me. I dropped my bag into a corner of the room and lied on the bed. I heard the other people shuffling in the hall. I heard the Nurses yelling at people and I heard the Doctor telling the Nurses to calm down. A few seconds later Grace appeared in the doorway of my room. "You picked the best room... Or the cleanest actually..." She laughed before walking over to my bed and sitting next to me. I nodded, not knowing what to say. "So, how are you feeling," She asked, trying to make conversation, so I thought. I shrugged "Everything still h-hurts," She nodded "But not as mm-much." I ended my sentence with that. Gosh, I kinda wish she would leave. I just want to be alone for now. "How have your nightmares been? Have they been getting better or worse?". I shrugged "They haven't changed, so maybe the same, I guess." Grace nodded once again then stood up. "I will be seeing you tomorrow to go over some things." I nodded in understanding. When she finally left I sighed in disbelief. I hated the doctor back in France but now I have to see one going to America?! Sheesh.
I was supposed to go see Dr. Honeycut today but I skipped. I spent most of my day sleeping, because, I mean, it was the only place I could get some shut-eye. But out of the middle of nowhere, Grace decided to disturb my beauty sleep. "Levi... Wake up," She called as she shook me. I want to be left alone. "What!?" She says I HAVE to go see the doctor. When I refuse to go, she grabs me by the shirt collar and drags me to the medical bay. What the actual heck, has this girl lost her mind?! Dr. Honeycut tells me to go and take a seat on the table. I reluctantly take a seat and Dr. Honeycut removes the prosthetic. He starts washing my stub with a cloth. "I have your new prosthetic. This one is made of fake aluminum and it is sleeker. It weighs just about the same as your old one." I moan in disagreement. "I'm good with the old one I have." I go to grab it but Dr. Honeycut slaps my hand out of the way. "WHAT THE HECK" I scream before hopping off the table, I should I have done this a while ago. I take off out of the medical bay. I hear Dr. Honeycut scream at some other nurses to get me. I sprint past multiple rooms full of bunks. I hear the nurses yelling at me but that doesn't stop me. I reach the dining hall and shoot my way past all the table and chairs. I push open the door to the deck and run towards the edge. "I SHALL JUMP, I KNOW HOW TO SWIM," I scream as the nurses stop. They all stare at me like I'm some kind of monster. It makes me feel cold, violently cold.
Dr. Honeycut sprints at me and I quickly dodge under his arms. He falls over the deck and hits the water with a loud splash. I scream in terror. Am I a murderer?! Everyone rushes over to see The Doctor. I hear the nurses screaming "SAVE HIM, SAVE HIM!". When I think I made my escape, GRACE COMES OUT OF NOWHERE AND TACKLES ME TO THE GROUND. She screams "ARE YOU AN IDIOT!? WHY WOULD YOU TRY TO JUMP?". My response is to scream back at her. "GET OFF OF ME YOU WENCH. GET OFF"
"And let you try again?! HELL NO!" She screams again. I smack her across the face and she releases me. Before she reacts I run, run so so fast. Like I'm running from a bear or even a German. I reach my room before anyone can catch me. I slam the door shut and move the couch in front of it. I'll just wait till the trip is over and then I finally get to see my Mum.
After 3 days pass and multiple people trying to get in, I finally decide to move the couch. I am starving. I slowly sulk my way to the dining hall. I pick up a biscuit and sink my teeth into it. This trip has been too long and it was wearing out my patients. I turn and see Grace standing across the dining hall. She staring at me like I'm some kind of alien she has never seen. She stares for a few more seconds then turns on her heal and walks away. I shrug and go back to eat my stale biscuit.
Things don't improve between me and Grace. She keeps avoiding me. I got my new prosthetic and it looks better. Dr. Honeycut was right. It was so sleek. I meet a few of the passengers. Most of them have prosthetics like me. This one person, his name was Joe, he had a prosthetic for his face. We finally reach America. I finally got to touch American soil after multiple months. I watch Grace one last time. She was helping people, getting them off the ship. I smiled and she looked at me. Her gaze meeting mine. I quickly averted my gaze and headed up to the bus that will take me home. "Goodbye, Grace," I whispered as the bus I was on drove away.
