“You ready Royce?” asked Tommy with visible trepidation, he was clearly rattled by the thunderous barrage of artillery that pounded everything ahead of the trench. The sheer sound of the explosion was enough to make anyone’s bones rattle. Especially when the shells landed close enough to spend a spray of dirt into the trench.

“We’ve done this twice before. I’m not worried,” Royce responded with an outward facade of confidence. On the inside he was not so confident, in truth he was terrified of going over the top again. But he knew if he broke then Tommy would not be far behind.

We have to do this or they’ll shoot us for cowardice, Royce thought in an attempt to steady himself. It was one of the few things he could do to find the courage to go over the top. Anything that gave him even the slightest bit of courage was something he hung onto dearly, the letter for his family was tucked away safely in his pocket and his rifle was held tight to his chest. With every explosion, he pushed himself closer to the trench wall.

It was dirty, grimy and blood-soaked but after so many months in the trenches, that didn’t bother him anymore. His once pristine uniform was covered in mud, his helmet had more dents than a crashed car and his nerves were more frayed than a wire.

“It won't be long now and then well mop up what’s left of the Fritz,” Royce said as he shuffled closer to his friend and did what he could to try and reassure him. It was all a farce, Royce knew their chances were slim, as did the thousands of men that filled the trenches around him. But what choice did they have, they were all part of the 7th battalion here reinforcing the battle for Bazentin Ridge.

We’ve lost thousands already, what chance do we have. It was a gruesome realisation but one he could do nothing about. If he ran he’d be tried for cowardice and he couldn’t leave Tommy by himself, they’d been through too many battles together for that.

“Eyes on me, once we go over stick with me,” Royce spoke once again. If Tommy kept staring at the three dead soldiers that had been tossed to the back wall of the trench it would not likely shatter his morale and Royce couldn’t allow that.

Not that I’d blame him. The three soldiers had been caught by a German shell and whatever bits remained off them had been in a terrible condition. They were only recognisable from the dog tags around their neck.

The bodies made a gruesome sight as they sat decaying in the wet muddy floor of the trench and it wouldn’t be long until the rats started to feast whatever was left off them.

I’d bury them myself if I could. He’d find no shortage of volunteers from the men around him, all of which were waiting to go over the top, their uneasiness and fear about doing so was clear for all to see. But if they moved the officer behind him would waste no time in disciplining them. Officer Tisk had mane no friends among the common men and once his whistle blew, they would all be going over the top.

Any moment now. The artillery bombardment has stopped and a few moments later the whistle blew.

Royce had to go first, to give his friend courage. With a gut-wrenching feeling burning through his stomach, Royce crested the top of the trench and half a heartbeat later, the retreat whistle blew and the attack was called off.

Any men about to crest the trench collapsed to their feet in relief yet Royce didn’t move. He was frozen as he stared at the sight before him.

No man's land was covered in a faint red mist, it enveloped everything he could see from the artillery holes to the shattered pieces of barbed wire. Its source however was equally as horrifying, the vapour was coming from the countless bodies that littered the ground, from their blood. It was as if the very blood that had filled their veins and drenched the very earth was evaporating before him.

What is going on? Royce questioned as he ignored the shouts and calls of the men behind him.

And as he stared at the mist, the very sky around him began to dim as the light of the sun went out and an eclipse filled the sky.

Despite the sun’s sudden disappearance, Royce could still see the devastation that filled no man’s land clearly as the haze of the red mist provided its own faint unearthly light.

A moment later the entranced Royce felt a pair of arms wrap around him as he was yanked back into the trench.