June 7th, Wisdain, 1317. 3 Years has passed.
I am now 16 years old. Birthday is in 3 days.
I worked at the munitions factory since an last year, loading and unloading boxes of ammunitions for the frontline.
Packaging 7.92×57mm Mauser ammo into wooden boxes and sending them into a truck.
Every time I load them, I could smell the gunpowder like a burned meat or metallic.
The ground constantly rubbles and shakes with steel machinery making artillery shells and bullets.
Every shell cases being neatly placed down in rows around the factory.
Most factory workers consisting of teenagers composed of both boys and girls.
RIIIIIINNNG!
The factory bell rang out across the entire place.
Signaling that it was break time.
"Finally, I was just getting to give up."
My fingers and stiff as a rock as my lungs burned in exhaustion.
I looked around my surroundings seeing all the workers leaving their stations temporarily.
Soon I saw a hand wave back and forth.
"Over here Lukas!" The person yelled out.
It was non other than Amelia drenched in sweat.
Behind her, I could see Tomas and Wesley.
I scoffed before I headed over to them.
***
I sat down on the concrete ground as I held wrapped sandwich.
Amelia, Tomas and Wesley sat next to me and took a bite out of their own food.
"Have you heard the news about the recent progress in the southern front?" Wesley said.
"I did, another victory taking over hundreds of km there." Tomas replied.
"And it's still quiet on the eastern front." I took a bite out of my sandwich. "You know, how long has it been saying that? An year?"
"Yeah, it has been saying that for over an year, despite the another mass of steam paladins that has probably increased the already fucked up price of goods by two times.
The Claudor are really fucking us right now." Amelia said.
"Speaking of Claudor, hasn't the ferrumite church supplying them?" As I chewed on my food.
"That's a rumor...I think." Tomas replied.
We continued our conversation until a sudden sharp sound appeared.
RIIIIIIINNNNGGG!
"Its already over?" I said to myself.
"I haven't even finished my lunch." Tomas said frustrated.
But Wesley suddenly inserted the whole sandwich into his mouth.
"JuSt eAT it FaSt." He gurgled as bread crumbs came out.
"Your disgusting." Amelia said.
Wesley then gulped the entire sandwich.
"Ah, not your problem."
"Come on guys, we need to work before the supervisors scold us again." I left them to return to my station and continued my work.
***
We walked down the streets as we passed through pedestrians.
As many horse carriages passed by with no cars in sight.
It's like every year, I've been seeing less and less of them.
I guess, they need to find a way to fund the production of war machineries.
They certainly do use a lot of metal. Especially with the fact that the ferrumite church stopped trading in high quality steel.
"Please...will someone spare me a small dime?"
"I need help."
"Sir, would you mind giving me a space change."
The streets were filled with a brim of homeless people.
Previously workers who had lost their jobs due to the war destroying businesses.
A bowl with a few cent appeared right in front of me, blocking my way.
"You look like a nice kid. Could you mine giving me a single dime?" The homeless man asked.
He was wearing a black and brown clothes that has been damaged and ragged with full of dirt and smudges on them.
His facial hair covered his entire face that was smelly and tattered that hasn't been neither groomed or shaven for years.
Eyes flittered with light and tiredness as he looked at me.
"Oh, I-" Suddenly my hand gets pulled from the side.
"What the hell are you doing mate? You shouldn't be interacting with them." It was Wesley who pulled me aside.
Sharp eyes pierced through mine.
Determination and worry.
His hand tightly grabbed my wrist.
"Hey, I wasn't the one who started it." I said.
"I know but that shouldn't mean you should reply back. Just ignore them." He gestured his hand to go back with Tomas and Amelia who were having a conversation together.
"...Could you at least let go of me? It's starting to hurt."
Wesley looked at my wrist to see it redden.
He quickly takes his hand away.
"Sorry, I overreacted." He said.
I touched my slightly bruised hands before I said.
"Its alright."
I looked back at the homeless man.
He had returned to his point still begging.
Gulp
Without looking back, I turned around and followed Wesley.
***
RIIIIIIIIINNNGGG!
The school rang out sharply as we stood outside the yard.
The school iron fences have completely disappeared.
Taking by the government for war effort.
Now it was just the bricks that once laid the foundation for them.
Only the iron gate that led to the school building was intact.
As the students started to pour out, I looked closely for someone in particular.
Coming from the crowd, I saw a figure that looked eerily familiar until I realized.
"Gideon! Over here!" I yelled out, waving my hand.
He noticed my call and started running towards us.
"Hey guys! How's the work going in the district?" He asked.
"Awful. Absolutely terrible." Said Wesley.
"What's more important is how is your grade going?" Asked Tomas.
"Its been going pretty well." He said smiling.
His smiled brightly that it felt like the stars aligned as he flashed with holy light
HOLY LORD MY EYES. I CAN'T HANDLE THIS INNOCANCE.
From then on, we walked together as we continued our conversation.