Final Moments

By Nathan Weisskopf

Thump thump. Thump thump. Thump thump. Thump thump.

The earth sits shattered and broken. Brass casings blanket the ground like freshly planted seed. Shell craters have sown the burial grounds for countless souls. Rifles lay cracked and broken, machine guns idle as the gentle patter of rain causes steam to rise from their scorching bodies. Horses, great beasts of war for countless centuries find themselves wrapped in wire, or wheezing their last breaths.

This is the scene that sits before the soldier. An indescribable pain emanates from his chest. The brim of his cap slouches over his face as a line of blood runs down into his right eye. He wants to wipe it away, to raise his brim back to its proper position like he instinctively would, but he cannot move his hand. He finds he cannot move himself at all.

Thump thump. Thump thump. Thump thump. Thump thump.

His pulse is almost deafening. As the seconds go by, he feels his chest expand and contract, his pain increasing with each breath. Death is creeping closer, and all the soldier can do is wait. He closes his eyes and thinks of home. His wife with whom he had only spent a few short years of bliss, his beautiful son and daughter, his friends with whom he had been enlisted. With new found strength he reaches his hand to his tunic pocket and withdraws his Bible. He holds it to his chest as best he can, the excruciating pain getting worse with every second he keeps his muscles contracted. Despite his lung being pierced, he begins to speak, if only in a whisper. “Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will Be Done…”

The rain begins to pick up, pattering on his soft cap

The soldier manages to lift his head, the cap slips onto the ground, allowing his eyes to look towards the sky. Just for a moment, the clouds break and the sun shines directly onto his face. With the light he is reminded of his blessings, and his hardships. He is reminded that even though he lies broken and dying, his faith has made him saved.