Sometimes I still think it's my fault my best friend is dead. It all started in 1917. The first Great War was

almost over, and I had been called to battle yet again, this time in France. I was only 18 at the time... and yet still a

seasoned veteran. I had seen many men come and go. Come and die. But this time, something would be different.

Something would change the way I looked at life forever...

I stepped off the ship with Billy. The sunrise was beautiful that day.

"Come on!" William Reid called, already on the ground. "Haven't you had enough of that god-forsaken pile of

lumber?" I rolled my eyes, wondering how Billy could only focus on movement. I strolled down the plank.

"Finally!" cried Billy, exasperated. "I thought you'd never get here, Roy!" I ruffled his hair, laughing.

"Well, we do have a couple of days left. We have to be there by April 9th!" Still laughing, I walked with him

to join the growing group of fellow soldiers standing by a platform, our squadron leader standing on it.

"Listen up, men! You have until 1300 hours to explore this city! Meet at the Eastern road prepared for

travel! Soldiers, mooove out!" With his rough voice still grating in my head, I let Billy steer me into Le Havre.

"Isn't this the life, Roy?" asked Billy, draped over a chair with a bottle of cheap wine. Also drinking, I

agreed. Replacing my hand on the table of the cafe, I caught a glimpse of my watch. I choked, and sat up straight.

"Shit! Billy, we have to be on the other side of the city in less than an hour!" He sat up spluttering.

"Wha... Ack! We do!" he replied. "Waiter!"

"Oui, monsieur?" the waiter asked. "Avoir besoin quelque chose?"

Unable to tell what he was saying, I tossed a large sum of money at him, grabbed my kit and ran, Billy right behind

me. We ran into a streetcar headed East, and flopped into a seat. Twenty or so blocks later, we got off at the end of

the line.

"Dammit!" Billy swore. "We have to walk the rest of the way!" Sighing, I trudged East. I smiled, hearing

one of my favorite sounds, the droning of planes. As the planes got closer, I looked up. Wait a minute... they were

Huns!

"Down!" I yelled,diving as lines of tracer threw up clouds of dust. A searing pain shot through me and I

screamed, as a pencil-thick line went through my right leg. I was hit! I rolled to my side, narrowly missing another

set of bullets, my injured leg buckling under me. The planes swooped overhead, dropping bombs of destruction into

the beautiful city. As they continued on, leaving destruction in their wake, I looked for Billy, gritting my teeth

through the pain of my leg.

"Billy?" I called, unsure where he was. I heard a faint sound. "Billy?"

"Over here..." I heard a faint voice call to my left. I crawled behind the pile of rubble as quick as I could, my

leg unable to support weight. I saw his boots.

"Billy!" As he came into my view, I silently gasped. Oh. My. God. "Oh shit, Billy, why'd you have to go and

get hit?" I called softly, coming around and cradling his blood-stained head in my arms. His clothes had so many

holes in them...

"Roy?" he coughed. "Roy, it hurts so bad..."

"Shh," I said, wiping sweat from his brow. "You're gonna be all right..." but in my heart, I knew it wasn't

true. If only I had thrown him down... But he was speaking again.

"Roy, I..." he paused. "Promise me... promise me you'll send me back. Back to my wife... and my kids... tell

them what happened..."

"I promise," I said, choking back tears. "I promise."

**************************************

I walked through the city, limping heavily. My cheeks were still wet from my constant tears. Behind me, in a

make-shift stretcher, my best friend's body hung limply. Planes still flew overhead, the last scrimmishes of the air

raid ending. I no longer felt joy in their sound. I had been heading East for two hours, and was about 5 miles away.

At least I could fulfill my promise to Billy. Oh Billy... Why you? Why not me instead? Why did I have to be the one

to stay and suffer? A voice brought me out of my thoughts.

"Ich hoffe keiner sieht uns..." A German voice! I knew a small bit of German, and that meant 'I hope they

don't see us'! I quickly turned around, ignoring my leg and searching for a hiding place. Where... yes! There! A

convenient cubby hole into darkness winked at me. I dragged Billy into it, intent on survival. I didn't have a gun; I

lost it in the air raid. A pair of black boots swept into sight.

"Reg sich nicht auf! Wenn niemand habe uns, wir werden erschießen ihnen." 'Don't worry! If anyone saw us.

we'll just kill them.' Oh great. There goes my begging option... They were getting closer to my hole.

"Sollte wir kontrolle es dorte?" asked one of them. 'Should we check in there?' They pointed at my hiding spot. Shit.

I turned around, looking for an exit. I saw light at the back. Scrammbling, I checked it out. Big enough to fit my

slight frame... but not Billy's heavily muscled body. I made a promise... but what good was a promise if you didn't

live to finish it? I knew that if I stayed I would be a dead man. But if I didn't... Life wasn't fair.

"Goodbye, Billy..." I whispered as I slipped through the hole. "I'll come back for you..." With a heavy heart,

I ran for my life.

"Uber da!" I heard voices call, spotting me. I ran still harder, the pain in my leg non-existant. As bullets

whizzed by my head I dived behind a pile of bricks, and came up, still heading East. The bullets stopped after

awhile.

********************************

I patted Billy's coffin, paying my last respects. Along with... my friend... I had sent a letter saying what had

happened.

Avoiding the moving Germans, I looped back, creeping slowly back to my cubby hole. The Huns hadn't noticed

Billy since I ran. I lovingly picked up his mangled body and slung it over my shoulder. I would fulfill my promise.

I would. I headed back West... towards the docks. And a ship that would take Billy home.

I turned away, burying the memories. There was something else that needed my attention. It was time to

prepare for the Battle of Vimy Ridge. And maybe it was just my imagination, but I could've sworn I heard Billy's

voice;

"I thought you'd never get here, Roy..."