Last Letters

• Rebecca Donaldson, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2014

‘My dearest wife,

How horribly I miss you and how anxious I am to find out if I will ever get the chance to see you for one last time. The conditions of me doing that are unlikely and we are being shot down, one painful death after another painful death. The war is depressing and unhygienic. Blood splatters looks like they are painted over my uniform and the dry, earthy ground. The weather is scorching and there is no sign of rain or a cold front. Here, we eat in rations. At night, I feel lonely, cold and angry. All because of the pain, depression and corruption. Dead corpses are pecked at by birds and the remains are left to rot and be eaten by maggots.

Both the men I shared my corner of the trench with are dead, but I swear I still feel them near, their spirits unrested, unhappy, unsettled. During the nights, if I do get the chance to sleep, I cannot. There is to much banging and clanging, shooting and tooting. Screams of terror and pain are let rip and there is not a moment of silence.’

My hands shake in shock and anxiety. The war has been tearing lives apart for as long as I can remember and Jimmy hadn’t written to me for ages. His letter had me depressed and I couldn’t bear it. Tears streamed down my cheeks and I began to weep. Jimmy had given his all in saving his country. There were so many shortages. Shortages of food, water, shelter, weapons and love. WHY? Why did Jimmy and those others have to go out there and fight? Why does no one care? I’ll say it’s because they take the world and all of its properties for granted. WHY?

‘ I had recently found myself unable to assist due to a rather unpleasant disease called Dysentery. As we had a shortage of items, we had to share many of our belongings. Another fellow was ill and I borrowed his towel so we know the cause. I felt feverish, had abdominal pain, vomited and lost a lot of weight. The nurses forbade me to participate in the war and that had it’s pro’s and cons. Mostly pro’s, but I still wanted to help fight. My self esteem lowered and the war seemed an endless battle of disturbing diseases, deaths and depressing disasters.

Here I will stay, lonely, perturbed and afraid. Afraid of the future. Wherever it finds me, I must travel.This letter must travel to you. I give you all my love and all my best wishes that we will meet and never have to face any more hardships.
Good Bye,
Jimmy.’

The letter ended abruptly. I had nothing to do but cry. Jimmy was not happy and neither was I. How much I longed to do something about it, I longed to see his face for one last time. I was terrified for him. Good bye Jimmy, I love you.