"Liam! Lay low in trenches you bastard, or else you are getting killed!"
Ethan shouted as he wiped his sweat off his forehead. He was wearing a worn-out army uniform with a rifle slung over his shoulder and ammunition all over his visible pockets, had fair complexion with black hair and eyes. Liam, his only friend who remained alive till now in this godforsaken battlefield, was trying to peek over the trench to get a badass video for his social media followers.
"Chill dude, no one's firing bullets over some stupid ass generals who revoked the ceasefire just because one joked about another's pecker. And the battle will end soon, he can't get away with disobeying his superiors even if he is a old fart." Liam shrugged cleaning his phone screen with his rough hands.
It was exactly as Liam had said, their general had removed the ceasefire to a long, gruelling battle over the enemy general mocking him by saying, 'You must definitely have a small dick'.
"Arghhh...that generals of ours even disregarded the fucking superior saying it doesn't matter", Ethan groaned.
"Don't you know? People start to lose screws as they grow old. He is reaching 60 this year"
"That's what I am saying! He thinks he will die peacefully if he kills the one who dissed him. Did that old fuck forget we are fucking young? And the funny thing? HE IS NOT EVEN IN THIS BATTLEFIELD! MOTHERFCKR!!!!!" Ethan shouted, his voice cracking with fury as he slammed his fist against the dirt.
"Man what's with you? Rather, I should be worried about dying. My wife is pregnant with my second kid."
"Ahh...Just thinking about them elevates my mood"
When Liam was lost in his moment, Ethan started sweating. Wasn't this a fucking red flag?
Liam continued.
"You know my wife even–"
Liam was cut off when Ethan grabbed his shoulders and started shaking him wildly.
"You family man, I am single, and on top of that, a freaking virgin! And what did you say about your wife? STOP GIVING RED FLAGS YOU IDIO—!"
Ethan stopped mid-track as he noticed a mortal shot landing just behind Liam. Ethan eyes widened, and almost reflexively he shielded Lim behind his back as the mortar exploded. The sharpnels exploded and directly pierced Ethan body at multiple places.
When everything had settled, he noticed Liam cradling him with a horrified expression, with tears streaming down his cheeks. He wasn't hearing anything that Liam was saying. He raised his one hand and touched his chest where he could feel something warm flowing out. He looked at Liam again and tried to speak, but no voice came out; only his thoughts.
"Hah! serves you right bastard... well at least you get to meet your wife again..." Ethan stopped.
"Wife... what a dream come true word..." Then automatically his tears started streaming down too.
"Damn it... I didn't even lose my virginity. I swear, if I live again, my top priority will be to get a smoking hot girl... second to getting in a powerful position so I could teach general like...people...a...less... huh?" Ethan vision started blurring.
He looked at Liam blurring figure again, who was hugging him and bawling his eyes out.
"Bastard... you really are the only one that remained alive till the end huh... looks like you won the bet..."
Somehow, he reached into his bloodied chest pocket and held out a note.
Ethan's vision finally blacked out completely.
Liam saw Ethan's vital signs go off and started crying more. Ethan was his last friend who remained alive after all this ordeal. But when it was finally time for them to leave army, his only friend died.
"NOOO! ETHANNNN!!. Why the fuck would you do that?!. Was it because of my wife you bastardddd. Why...why... I only brought it up to lighten the mood you idiot..."
Liam knew Ethan deeply cared for him and their lost friends. You even impersonated me while I took your part of the leave just so I could spend some more time with my wife... and now... now you even give me your life. Liam wiped his tears but new one fell again.
How am I going to live with this burden you fool? I don't even know where your family lives...
Liam finally saw the bloodied note that Ethan took out before dying and reached for it. Reading that he couldn't contain his voice any longer. Some soldiers arrived soon and quickly closed his mouth shut, but didn't say anything, as losing a dear friend was a thing most already knew. They just let him cry as they took away the body to a safe place.
Well, that was the last thing Ethan actually remembered, but now? He stood in a bloodied tunic in some alleyway?
Darkness. This was his first thought after waking up.
"What the fuck?"
Ethan stood up straight and took a proper look at his body and surroundings.
He wore simple trousers and a tunic along with a pair of shoes. It was roughly tailored but still looked decent if not for the blood stains all over his clothing. He could feel that his body was hurt, but not that much that he would require immediate medical attention. This much was bearable for his soldier-trained mind.
His surroundings were more weird, houses made of stone bricks and wood, even the floor was bricks instead of tar or cement or those block tiles. He was trying to make sense of all this when a sudden headache assaulted his mind.
"Arghhhh... Feels like someone knocking from inside of my head."
"Huh? wha—what is this?" He spoke looking at nothing.
"Is this what people call transmigration? And I have already died once?.. no wait, now it's two if I count this one..." He muttered as he seemed to recall things.
Ethan looked around once more and then again at his badly tailored clothing.
"To be honest, now they don't seem that bad if the things are true, the things that I happen to suddenly recall out of nowhere."