April, 11. 1917
Dear Love,
Before I came here you told me to be brave, that I would come to help the soldiers. I had been doing that, in fact, today was traumatic because, before this, the commandant gave us obvious instructions of not curing the enemies soldiers (you know my promise, I can’t let someone die without helping) but an enemy came into my tent, wearing allies clothes, begging for his life, for his wife and kids. I asked him his soldier number and he told me “I don’t have one, but help me please! I have a family back in home!” I felt so identified because I have you and the kids, so I helped him, I cured his injuries of the stomach and leg.
When I finished, my commandant enter into my tent and, angry, asked the soldier his number. The soldier couldn’t tell a number and, in front of me, threw him to the mud and started to kick him for twenty minutes, after that, the commandant, shoot him. He turned over and hit me on the cheek with the gun asking, “Why you cured him! He was an enemy!” I stayed quiet, in the floor. After a few minutes he went into his own tent and abandoned me there, alone. Then I continued my work and at nine o’clock John started his turn, so I went to my tent.
I washed myself, changed clothes and I’m writing to you now, I think that it’s ten o’clock or something like that… maybe eleven. I want to tell you that the necklace and the neckerchief you gave me still have your smell after being 3 days between blood and dead people. All my clothes smell to dead, pain and loneliness. The people in here and out of my tent, in the trenches are sad, full of pain and alone. They have no longer hope in their hearts; they think and miss their wives, girlfriends, fiancés, their children, and their little kids… all like mine. They cannot think that they are doing this to their kids, they feel evil. They started to think in the enemy’s children and they began to felt terrible.
For now I feel fine, I’m not killing people, I’m here doing a good thing. I miss you and the kids a lot; I expect this to end tomorrow.
Tell Jimmy that I’ll return that he has to take care of you and of Gabi when I’m not around.
And tell Gabi that she’s beautiful, she came from you, and you are so amazing. I will love you forever, for all the eternity. Keep my heart safe, I’m here with yours.
Your always secret love,
Jonathan
You wanted to know why your mother and I were always together. This letter is the reason…
- “This was the letter I send your mother twelve years ago kids, and I returned. You were so little, I love you.”
- “We love you too dad.”
THE END
