World War 1 Diary Entry

Diary,
When I was drafted to be a part of World War 1, never did I expect to spend my time
living—actually, it cannot even be called that—surviving, in a hole in the
ground. These trenches that we had to dig ourselves are our homes for the
entire time we have to take part in this horrendous fight. The noise that
surrounds us is deafening, and it would be of no surprise to me if I return
home deaf. That is, if I return home. The conditions of this hole are exactly
what you would expect—filthy, cold, and very uncomfortable. The amount of rats
and repulsive animals are overwhelming. These rats consume the eyes and livers
of human bodies and dash over our faces as we attempted to get some sleep. With
the sickening animals, thunderous noises, and unbearable cold, sleep is very
rare. It is not a life worth living; I’m very close to climbing the towering
walls of this trench and stepping foot on “No Man’s Land” and ending my life. The
only thing stopping me is my hope that I can leave this torturous fight and
return home to my beautiful family. They mean the world to me and leaving them
was the hardest thing a man could have to do. My worst fear is that I will
never see them again—my wife’s gorgeous face, my son’s handsome features, or my
daughter’s sweet cheeks. Well now my hand is growing cold due to the lack of
warmth in this trench, so I must go. Who knows if I shall write again.
- John Gohlke