ONE SHOT

 

                                                         

                                                                 

                                                                       One shot

It was the foggy winters of Great Britain; we were on a patrol mostly a lookout at the French borders. The wind was on a high, Alan went to find something to eat as the food we bought with us ended a week before and news of supplies haven’t reached our ear. I took my rotten cigarette and lit and started taking a nap on the bare ground. The smoke calmed down my stress and the ground started giving the vibes of a neatly set bed with pillow. I started making myself comfortable. I could feel no more disturbances from the flies or whatever godly creature that were born on this planet to do. I was in my own heaven. The fields, the crops and the cattle. My son running to me, hugging….

 Something shook me up, its Alan. “I have something here, look at it….” Alan shouted waving his hands. “Put your god damn hands down kid, I can see you. We are a watch party not some fucking cheerleaders. Enemies from miles can see you. Hope it’s not a dead body” I shouted running to him.

“Oh god! When does this happen. We were looking at them all the time. Sure, they are ours?” I questioned in the silence. “Yes, they are our horses.” Alan replied softly. “We were ambushed, son. Someone is watching us. We better keep moving and inform the house that we are compromised.” I told looking at the direction we were to go.  We kept ourselves moving. Our hearts are pounding, we could hear it clearly. The silence is growing increasing the sense of violence. I heard the battle cry but now I could feel it. We looked at each other. We were walking. We told ourselves “We die today, but not now”. Alan, I looked at him. he was in his early twenties. He is son of my who served with me in battle field long ago. I was like a godfather to him and he was here because of his father’s trust on me. But we barely had any conversation. We are about to enter the forest and it was a mile from there to our posts.

Yes, I was right, someone watching us. We entered the forest. The shots fired at us. We have no option but running while the bullets were chasing our backs.  We hid back of tree and started backfire. What can two riffles can do Infront of a company. We couldn’t hold them.  Our best option is to get back to our positions. Our feet sensed no pain as we are running, the only thing we were saying is “not today”. A shot pierced the wood and hit Alan; he was falling all I could hold is his badge. He fell. I left with two options. One to stay and die with him and the other is to go back to the post as it was in reach. I took the call. The soldiers were in their positions for backfire as they heard the shots. I was taken in by our soldiers. I gave them the badge of our fallen soldier. We fought back that day and overturn them. It was victory night and then there was the funeral day.

The soldiers paid their respects to the fallen once. They appreciated my bravery. Alan was given a star for his service. His father was there. He looked at me and hugged, thanking me for getting his son’s memory. I Shaked my hand. I looked in his eyes, I see how proud his son was. Now the guilt started building in me. Looking at him how can I say, I took the call and the bullet in his head was from my gun…

By: -

KSVK