A Soldiers' Will

By Afraz Alam

it was a time of war, soldiers were dying, cities were being destroyed, during this time, one lone, starving soldier was sitting in the trenches, shivering, resenting his squadron on leaving him on the frontline alone, he began thinking, thinking about what to do, why he even did this, and why would he even do it ?

Flames were around him, bombs being dropped everywhere, he was still shivering in the war blood soaked battlefield, 'why ? Why did i enroll in the army even ?' he thought repeatedly, cursing his own name for thinking of this seemingly stupid choice, he continued thinking, 

Then he finally seemed to realise why, why he even enrolled in the army... 'to protect the innocent, the children, the families and my own...' he thought, 'it is my duty and god given right to protect my own, people of my own soil and flesh', he suddenly stopped shivering and cowering from fear, almost as if he got revitalized with some unforseen force, he stood up, and charged towards the opposition, enduring bullets, chemical weapons and other godforsaken weapons of destruction, even then he stood, he stood upright against everything, for he still thought it's his god given right to protect his own, his family, along with the countless others, he continued fighting, enduring violence after violence even if he was in critical condition.

Months later, exhausted and barely alive from the strain and injuries, he stands in the army camp of the other side, valiant and victorious as his soldiers ran to him, cheering and hollering in victorious chants and screams, the barely alive soldier smiling proudly. Having eliminated the entire camp along with capturing it on his own, a feat many and almost everyone considered "superhuman" but so is the extent of a soldier if he's willing to go that far.

A while later, he ends up in the capital, in an assembly hall, getting honoured the highest soldier award and medal possible, when he was asked why he did it, he only said 'it was my honour, to protect us, to protect people of my flesh and soul'. The medal of endless honour he had in his hands, the medal of a true soldier in all its glory

By Afraz Alam