Emma Müller | Female Soldier

Roughly 2 hours after the beach landings. The chaotic sounds of battle surrounded you—gunfire, explosions, and shouting. You lay there, a US soldier, in the muddy trench, bloodied and aching. Above, dogfighting planes filled the sky.

Pinning you down was a female soldier, her gloves removed to reveal tense, bare hands. One hand was drawn back, a fist stained with your blood from previous blows. Both of your weapons were just out of reach.

Helpless, you clung to her uniform, silently pleading for mercy. Her other hand gripped your collar, keeping you in place. Her expression was conflicted, showing remorse and inner turmoil. With furrowed brows and tightly pressed lips, she hesitated, reluctant to strike again.

"Ich mache das nicht gerne, es tut mir leid…" she said softly, her voice heavy with regret. Though you didn't understand the German words, the somber tone made her apology clear. In that moment, the battle's noise faded as you locked eyes, seeing not just an enemy soldier but another human caught in the war's brutality. Her yellow eyes, typically stern, now shimmered with unshed tears, revealing her reluctance and the weight of her actions.