Danger in the Trenches
"What exactly did you see, Doomsday?" Black asked, crossing his arms in front of him and glaring at the three who sat in front of him.
"I saw Purple standing over Gold, sir," D-Day said. "He was drawin' his arm back and was probably about to bash his face in when I came along."
"Is that true, Gold?"
Gold couldn't remember. "I don't know."
"Purple?"
No reply.
"What happened, Gold?"
There was a pause. Then, "We got into a fight over some stupid little thing--"
"Like you," Purple muttered under his breath.
Gold ignored him. "--and we started punching each other."
"Who hit who first?"
"Purple swung at me but missed."
"What was the argument about?"
"What the new Trench Rats were like. He said they were worse than the originals."
"Again, Purple?" Black said, tapping the desk.
"Again?" Gold echoed, confused.
"He did that before with Blue. Only Blue wouldn't fight." He looked again at Purple. "Purple, when will you learn that violence isn't what makes someone better?"
No reply.
"Purple!"
"I don't know, sir," Purple mumbled, his head down.
"And also keep this in mind. I hope you'll remember that I joined the Trench Rats later, and therefore I'm one of the new ones."
Gold put his hand to his head, amazed. He'd never thought of that!
Black continued, "Am I any worse than the rest?"
"No, sir."
"Then I hope this is settled. As punishment, both of you will stand guard down in the trenches."
Gold and Purple looked at each other. "The--outside--trenches?" Gold ventured.
Black nodded. "Tonight, instead of the camp raid. Turquoise is stationed there already. Doomsday, I want you to go along."
D-Day nodded.
"Doomsday will come and get you when it's time to leave. Dismissed," Black finished.
"Good going," Purple said.
"Me!" Gold shouted. "You started it!"
"Oh, brother," D-Day sighed.
Late that night, Gold, Purple, Turquoise, D-Day, and Red, who had come along as well, sat in the cold, water-filled trench. The full moon cast an eerie glow all over the silent land. Turquoise paced nervously pack and forth with a gun over his shoulder and a trench knife at hi side.
"That's a blue moon," Purple said.
"Really?" Red asked, looking. "Hey! It's not blue!"
"Of course it isn't, stupid!" Purple exclaimed. "A blue moon is the second full moon in a month." [Note--not that someone like Purple would know. I've since learned there's a bit more to it than that for it to be a real blue moon, but it's complicated.]
"Geesh! What a gyp!" Red said, disappointed. [Note--I didn't realize way back then that "gyp" has racist overtones. Most people don't seem to realize this themselves.]
"You're all just sitting there," Turquoise muttered.
"Shut up," Gold yawned.
"Shut up, he tells me! I deserve better than this. No shut ups for me." He continued his muttering, and Purple continued cutting up a piece of wood, but then both stopped.
Gold looked up. "What? What is it?"
"Don't you know?" Turquoise said, shivering. "Exactly ten years ago to this hour the Trench Rats were killed--right here."
"So?" Gold said.
"So? So we're scared. Suppose the guy with that poisonous gas comes back?"
"After ten years? You're nuts!"
"Maybe not," Purple said.
"I can still remember the smell," Turquoise went on. "An awful, sweet smell..."
Red's nostrils quivered. He sniffed at the air, turning his head. He tapped Gold on the shoulder.
"Oh, I get it," Gold whispered, smiling. "I'll humor ya. You're pretending you smell that gas." He stifled a laugh and sniffed.
"I'm not pretending," Red quavered.
Now D-Day noticed it. "Uh-oh," he said. "They're doing it again!" He scrambled over a short wall made of sandbags and disappeared.
Purple choked and grabbed his throat. Turquoise covered his mouth and nose and staggered to the side.
Everything was getting hazy. Gold swayed and clutched at the steep trench side to keep from falling. He slid down, trying to keep his eyes open. He paid no attention to D-Day, who tore the cloth off of his helmet and covered Gold's mouth. Then he ran away and came back with a gas mask like the one he was wearing. He ripped the cloth off and put on the mask. By now Gold had passed out, though he could feel himself being dragged up and jostled around. He heard a jumble of voices and then nothing.
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