Aurora 2024

Madeline Davis

me in a way that will ensure that I shall never forget the horrors that we all faced.

It was December of 1943, which as you know was quite a while ago. A close friend of mine, Jeremy, was gunned down in front of us all, his body left on the lines where we could not and would not dare venture to retrieve him. His body was most likely stripped and burned by the Germans, a thought that still terrifies me to this day. He had such a sparkle in his eye, a gleaming source of hope and perseverance that none of us could shake from our minds after his death. How could we? He was the best of all of us and that light in his soul would never shine again. His shining blue eyes are still enough to keep me awake at night. I am sure that this sounds folly to you, my faceless audience, but Jeremy and all the others torment me like nothing else I have ever encountered. It does not feel real or fair that he was the first to die amongst the soldiers I was closest with. He was the life in the small group of soldiers in which I made a temporary home. I would tell you more, but I don’t really feel like it at the moment.

I promise to write again, Yours, V.C

JOURNAL,

I find our conversations to be enlightening.

26