A Soldier's Survival in the Trenches

Reddit, what was it really like in the trenches during World War One?

The first thing you noticed wasn't the noise, it was the smell.

Rotting mud, cordite, and the metallic tang of fear hanging in the

air. Suddenly, the whistle blows. Your heart hammers against your ribs

like a trapped bird. Artillery shells scream overhead, turning the earth

into a fountain of black soil. You look at Thomas. He's terrified,

but he gives you a sharp, determined nod. Survival isn't a choice; it's a

frantic reflex. You grip your rifle until your knuckles white. In that chaos,