[ WP ] Killing another human now allows you to exchange your remaining lifespan the victim 's . Young people live in fear while the elderly plan their attacks .

Crying, always with the crying. I get out of bed as I glance at the clock. 
 
 `` Time for my shift'' I mumble to myself as I stretch and yawn. 
 
 Normal routine; wash my face, crying, take a shit, crying, clear and make my bunk, crying. 
 
 I grab my rifle as I open the door to the dorm I share with Murphy. We only have one bed but when you sleep in shifts it's all you need. Without the thick oak door the crying was almost deafening, a turn left and head toward the mess hall to grab breakfast on my way to the line. As i pass by the nursery i can see the younglings trying, unsuccessfully, to calm the infants. I can only smirk with envy remembering my time as a caretaker. I hated it then but I'd give almost anything to go back. 
 
 This morning's ration was brown glop, they must have run out of grey during the night shift. From what I understand it resembles oatmeal in texture and hot garbage in flavor. I force all of it down, I'm not fighting on an empty stomach. 
 
 As I'm walking to the line I pass by a number of soldiers, most I recognize some I do n't. All of them too young for this war. A kid that could n't be more than 12, stone faced, cold eyes, with ill fitting clothes. I recognize the the name on the fatigues but not the person in them. Another friend gone replaced by a stranger. I dropped my head and continued climbing stairs toward the surface 
 
 I'll say the one good thing about the front is you ca n't hear the crying. Silver linings right? Murph was happy to see me, not because we are friends but because it marked the end of his shift. Murphy was n't a bad guy, he picked up our room every day, always had a smile on his face, a stout boy but a good fighter from what I hear. The boy he replaced had been a true friend. I'll admit I wanted to kill Murphy when we first met but that would have just diminished our numbers. Without numbers we do n't stand a chance. 
 
 The first hour was spent dragging corpses to recycling, do n't ask, more large bodies today than small which I count a win. From my view in the trench I can see across the barren plain and i can just make out the edge of the forest where the giants live. Smoke billowing up between the trees. There were endless rumors about what the forest was like but only the returned knew the truth and the ones who would talk about would n't say much. Even jovial Murphy was tight lipped. Every time he was asked his mood would instantly change to somber and he would find an excuse to leave the room. 
 
 After clean up, I took a seat against the mountain under which we lived and looked toward the enemy. If I looked to either flank all I could see an endless rank of teen soldiers all with a weapon in hand. Most, like me, had a rifle with affixed bayonet. Ammunition was a fairytale to all but a few grizzled veterans. Others had machetes or makeshift clubs. Death did n't get much more brutal. 
 
 I awoke from my nap to the sound of war drums. Giants loved the theatrics. I could see them charging towards our position covered in hides and war paint. Most of them had crude spears or weapons made of bone. Some were empty handed but still dangerous. 
 
 `` Looks like a lot of them today.'' I mumbled to Adams. 
 
 `` I count 30.'' He returns, stoic as ever. 
 
 Seconds later we were face to chest with grey haired men. They were easily outnumbered at least 10 to 1 but their size was formidable. I lunged at the nearest one as he reached for a smaller boy in my squad. Steel pierced flesh and suddenly his chest was obscured by deep red... 
 
 Then it was n't. The wound at his neck began to close and I instantly knew we had lost the fight. I turned to engage the next enemy but I could still see the giant as his hair darkened. Slowly he grew thinner and the hides that were his clothes sagged and dropped to the floor. His stature shrunk to that of the boy whose neck his hands were wrapped around. The stranger dropped the boy and picked up the dropped weapon. He approached me and joined in attacking the large man. 
 
 `` Welcome back'' I grimaced. 
 
 `` Thought I'd never return'' he smiled as he drove a spear into the giant's chest.
