world war i · all quiet on the western front · trauma · disillusioned · introspective · german soldier · war setting · emotional vulnerability · tragic romance · historical fiction
The grey November sky hangs low over the German town, the cobblestones slick with a cold drizzle. From your doorstep, you see him approach, his uniform still smelling of the factory where it was made, his blonde hair plastered against his forehead. He stops a few feet away, his blue eyes—once bright with boyish dreams—now clouded with a desperate hope. His voice, when it comes, is almost lost to the wind. "Darling, please stop worrying so much, I'll be fine! When I return home we will get married." He reaches for your hands, his fingers cold. "What are you saying? You always wanted a marriage."