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The Sweetest Moment
The sun is already beginning to start it's sleep. Drowning itself into the horizon, colouring the skies with streaks of bright orange. The clouds floated high above like candyfloss, drifting with the wind. From the window of my two-storey apartment, I watch that evening 'scene' as they take place. Much later, the moon rose at the opposite horizon and smiled brightly down on the city with it's ever beaming glow.
It was a long and rough day at work. Watching this evening 'scene' calms my mind from the hectic training back at camp. Working as a combat engineer in the army is a tough job. Most of our tasks are outdoors under the blaring hot sun: repairing vehicles, disarming bombs, setting up mines, and many other tasks that drain out all those energy in a person. However no matter how hard or harsh it is, I love my career. It is the passion i have for it.
I glanced at the wall clock. It is eight o'clock. Its time for dinner. So i went downstairs to the kitchen with my grumbling stomach to have a nice and scrumptious dinner. From the entrance of the kitchen, the aroma of the food is already there, lingering in the air and lifting my appetite. A woman stood there preparing the food. She was clad in a cooking apron, dirty and simply messy, but her beautiful smile just seems to drown all those messiness. Her long black curly hair was tied neatly in a bun above the head. She saw me coming down. The eyes of which seems to be scanning my entire self. They gleamed under the bright lights of the kitchen lamp. In a glance, they look like they belong to a cat. But no, they belong to my beloved wife, Akasha. She is a responsible and caring wife. I am so lucky to have a life-partner like her. At the other end of the kitchen, a little boy was messing around with his food. He is our son, Viktor. Just like any other ordinary child, playful and cheerful. A sweetheart to me and my wife. The one who bonds Akasha and me closer together.
Dinner was served and all the three of us sat together at the dining table. Of course, Viktor is in the baby seat. All that was important is that he is happy and does not make noise. As we ate, Akasha and I talked about how our day goes by. Every now and then, Akasha would spoon feed Viktor, who usually makes a mess with the food. After dinner, Akasha washed the dishes while I headed to the bathroom to take a shower. Before that, I would put Viktor in his playing area so he would not get bored while both of his parents were busy. I headed upstairs and had a nice cold shower. As i was showering, I heard my cell phone rang. Thinking it might be some important call, I quickly end my wonderful bath and went for the phone. I answered it. My commander-in-chief's voice spoke.
I was both surprised and shocked. My commander-in-chief told me that a rescue mission briefing will take place in the next morning. All that he could describe to me is that the mission could rather be dangerous and will take place somewhere off the border of Israel. This mission will be my first and I felt anticipation in it. I hung up the phone and saw Akasha by the door, carrying Viktor. She must have overheard the whole conversation. From her facial expression, the word 'WORRIED' spells across it. The trouble with having a caring wife like her is that sometimes, she is just TOO caring. She talked about people dying in those areas, how they kidnap soldiers and decapitate them, and how bullets fly free there. I could not help it but calm her down. She is just scaring herself. I took Viktor from her and lay him on the bed. He was fast asleep. I looked back at Akasha.
"Akasha listen to me."
I held her hands in mine, bringing myself close to her.
"A life out there is in need of help. Waiting to be rescued. They need me for that mission. Please understand me Akasha. You will. Will you?"
She barely nodded her head. I kissed her in the forehead and when i withdraw, i could see sparkling tears caught up in the eyelashes. She was afraid that I might get caught up or killed. I felt the same way too because this is the first time I will be entering foreign's soil on a real mission. That night after packing my clothes, gears and equipments, I lay down in bed trying to get some sleep. Somehow tonight was so hard to get my eyes close. The adrenaline in my blood was ready to pump into my veins the next day. Somehow, in someway, i felt afraid.
It was five in the morning and I am already dressing up, ready to report to camp. Akasha was up too. From her facial expression, I knew she was still reluctant to let me go on this mission but I had no choice. I need to fulfil my duty as a soldier. I need to release a soul out of torment. I hung my haversack across my shoulders, went over to Viktor who is still sleeping and kissed him by the cheek. He is so lovely when he cuddled up in his cot. Then I came down to bade my wife farewell. She was at the door.
"I love you, Akasha."
"I love you too, Ramirez", she replied weakly.
"Take care", she added.
I hugged her and give her a kiss. I promised to her that I will come back. I promised that I will return to her and Viktor, at any cost.
The following day, I found myself battling side by side with a group of specialised soldiers on the fields of Israel. We were trying to enter a camp and we need to wipe out a group of infantries in order to do that. There was heavy fire and loud explosives. I never liked the idea of killing. But it seems that that is what is required of every soldier in his duty to defend and protect. A couple of minutes later, the camp sentries fall back. We advanced only to find a steel door before us. This is when my speciality comes in as a combat engineer. I planted explosive charges on the steel door and blasted it open. The explosion was tremendous, sending dusts flying up into the air. There was a path, in fact the only path, behind that wreckage. I led the way in, scanning any possible signs of threat or danger lurking behind every wall and corners. The soldiers followed close behind me with their rifles, held tight infront of their chests on high alert.
The sun is already beginning to start it's sleep. Drowning itself into the horizon, colouring the skies with streaks of bright orange. The clouds floated high above like candyfloss, drifting with the wind. From the window of my two-storey apartment, I watch that evening 'scene' as they take place. Much later, the moon rose at the opposite horizon and smiled brightly down on the city with it's ever beaming glow.
It was a long and rough day at work. Watching this evening 'scene' calms my mind from the hectic training back at camp. Working as a combat engineer in the army is a tough job. Most of our tasks are outdoors under the blaring hot sun: repairing vehicles, disarming bombs, setting up mines, and many other tasks that drain out all those energy in a person. However no matter how hard or harsh it is, I love my career. It is the passion i have for it.
I glanced at the wall clock. It is eight o'clock. Its time for dinner. So i went downstairs to the kitchen with my grumbling stomach to have a nice and scrumptious dinner. From the entrance of the kitchen, the aroma of the food is already there, lingering in the air and lifting my appetite. A woman stood there preparing the food. She was clad in a cooking apron, dirty and simply messy, but her beautiful smile just seems to drown all those messiness. Her long black curly hair was tied neatly in a bun above the head. She saw me coming down. The eyes of which seems to be scanning my entire self. They gleamed under the bright lights of the kitchen lamp. In a glance, they look like they belong to a cat. But no, they belong to my beloved wife, Akasha. She is a responsible and caring wife. I am so lucky to have a life-partner like her. At the other end of the kitchen, a little boy was messing around with his food. He is our son, Viktor. Just like any other ordinary child, playful and cheerful. A sweetheart to me and my wife. The one who bonds Akasha and me closer together.
Dinner was served and all the three of us sat together at the dining table. Of course, Viktor is in the baby seat. All that was important is that he is happy and does not make noise. As we ate, Akasha and I talked about how our day goes by. Every now and then, Akasha would spoon feed Viktor, who usually makes a mess with the food. After dinner, Akasha washed the dishes while I headed to the bathroom to take a shower. Before that, I would put Viktor in his playing area so he would not get bored while both of his parents were busy. I headed upstairs and had a nice cold shower. As i was showering, I heard my cell phone rang. Thinking it might be some important call, I quickly end my wonderful bath and went for the phone. I answered it. My commander-in-chief's voice spoke.
I was both surprised and shocked. My commander-in-chief told me that a rescue mission briefing will take place in the next morning. All that he could describe to me is that the mission could rather be dangerous and will take place somewhere off the border of Israel. This mission will be my first and I felt anticipation in it. I hung up the phone and saw Akasha by the door, carrying Viktor. She must have overheard the whole conversation. From her facial expression, the word 'WORRIED' spells across it. The trouble with having a caring wife like her is that sometimes, she is just TOO caring. She talked about people dying in those areas, how they kidnap soldiers and decapitate them, and how bullets fly free there. I could not help it but calm her down. She is just scaring herself. I took Viktor from her and lay him on the bed. He was fast asleep. I looked back at Akasha.
"Akasha listen to me."
I held her hands in mine, bringing myself close to her.
"A life out there is in need of help. Waiting to be rescued. They need me for that mission. Please understand me Akasha. You will. Will you?"
She barely nodded her head. I kissed her in the forehead and when i withdraw, i could see sparkling tears caught up in the eyelashes. She was afraid that I might get caught up or killed. I felt the same way too because this is the first time I will be entering foreign's soil on a real mission. That night after packing my clothes, gears and equipments, I lay down in bed trying to get some sleep. Somehow tonight was so hard to get my eyes close. The adrenaline in my blood was ready to pump into my veins the next day. Somehow, in someway, i felt afraid.
It was five in the morning and I am already dressing up, ready to report to camp. Akasha was up too. From her facial expression, I knew she was still reluctant to let me go on this mission but I had no choice. I need to fulfil my duty as a soldier. I need to release a soul out of torment. I hung my haversack across my shoulders, went over to Viktor who is still sleeping and kissed him by the cheek. He is so lovely when he cuddled up in his cot. Then I came down to bade my wife farewell. She was at the door.
"I love you, Akasha."
"I love you too, Ramirez", she replied weakly.
"Take care", she added.
I hugged her and give her a kiss. I promised to her that I will come back. I promised that I will return to her and Viktor, at any cost.
The following day, I found myself battling side by side with a group of specialised soldiers on the fields of Israel. We were trying to enter a camp and we need to wipe out a group of infantries in order to do that. There was heavy fire and loud explosives. I never liked the idea of killing. But it seems that that is what is required of every soldier in his duty to defend and protect. A couple of minutes later, the camp sentries fall back. We advanced only to find a steel door before us. This is when my speciality comes in as a combat engineer. I planted explosive charges on the steel door and blasted it open. The explosion was tremendous, sending dusts flying up into the air. There was a path, in fact the only path, behind that wreckage. I led the way in, scanning any possible signs of threat or danger lurking behind every wall and corners. The soldiers followed close behind me with their rifles, held tight infront of their chests on high alert.
We discovered a building at the end of the path we were taking. It was a small building with half of itself gone down into rubbles. I was about to take a step forward when the team sniper pulls me back. Without even having to ask him the question why, I soon realised what is happening. Through my binoculars, i saw a couple of guys talking to each other in a room. And by the side I saw a soldier in a different uniform from them. He was clad in OUR uniform and blindfolded. That guy is our subject to be rescued and extracted to safety. The team sniper then take out his sniper rifle and take his aim through the scope. Just a few seconds and then came a loud thundering sound. The sniper's bullet found its way right into the heart of the first target. He dropped to the floor. The second was sent into a state of shock and panic. He tried to reach for a phone on the table when the second shot was made. The bullet hit his neck hard and parts of its flesh can be seen splattered onto the wall. He too then dropped. My whole team charged in.
The subject to be rescued was so happy to see us. He almost cried talking about the bad treatment he received from his kidnappers. The brusies and cuts on his body and face explained it all. Without wasting time, we exited quickly and rushed out to the extraction zone whereby a Black Hawk helicopter will be waiting for us. We were lucky that there was no resistance in our process of evacuating. When the last soldier come aboard, the helicopter took off. We flew out of the urban zone and into the plains.
"RPG!"
I glanced over the door just in time to see a Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) launching at us from a distance.
Wham. It hit the helicopter on the tail. We begun to spun around madly.
"MAYDAY! MAYDAY!"
"HOLD ON TIGHT!"
"HOLD ON!!!"
The pain in my back was unbearable. I shifted just to come to my senses that I am on a bed. I was heavily bandaged. I am on a hospital bed, and I guessed it right. There were nurses walking by. One of them spotted me waking up and came quickly to ask me to rest. I looked around and saw only a few soldiers on the beds down the corridor. The pilots were nowhere to be seen. Later I learnt from the nurse that The two pilots did not survive the helicopter crash and so does a few soldiers. I felt sorry for them, and in a way, I felt lucky to have survived. I thanked God for letting me a chance to live. The nurse added on that a group of United Nations peacekeepers found our crash site and sent us to this hospital in Palestine. The Russian embassy already received the news of his fallen countrymen. We were lucky to be discovered by UN peacekeepers and not terrorist groups or guerillas.
As I was checking on my hands, I noticed my marriage ring. Then the images of Akasha struck my mind like a bullet. And then Viktor's. I suddenly remembered them. I asked for a phone and made a call back home. At first there was no answer and then, a sweet lady's voice answered. Its Akasha! I really missed her so much. She told me the Russian Embassy had just let her know a while ago and then she was very worried with my condition. I calmed her down and told her that I am fine. Her panicky tone suddenly changed to what it seems to be a tone of huge relief. She also report to me what was going on at home and how was Viktor and so on. We talked on the phone for hours till night.
It has been three days now in the hospital and I am beginning to feel energy surging back into me - the energy to go back home. As i was deep in thoughts one evening, staring at the ceiling, a voice called out my name. I thought it was just my imagination and so I did not really take it seriously. But then the voice called out my name again and again. I started to realise that someone was really calling out to me. I spun my head to the door and saw what I have not expected to see. Clad in a pink dress with eyes gleaming by the side, Akasha was there. I quickly got up and she rushed to me. She hugged me with tears in the eyes. I forgot all about the pain I am experiencing now. Her presence was like an immediate cure to a prolong disease. I was on the verge of tears. It was the sweetest moment in my life. Akasha told me that she had come to fetch me home. She had left Viktor under the care of her parents. I was so touched that evening. The whole scene was overwhelming.
A week later i found myself back at home, after going through a military funeral for my fallen comrades. I will always remember them in my heart. And so does the other two souls I love - Akasha and Viktor. The moment I stepped into my house, I felt great as I had kept my promise of coming back home no matter what. Now, I would never leave my family alone again. Never at all cost. I do not want to lose them, and I, do not want them to lose me.
//
okae guys so thats my narration. how? okay? of cos there is FOREVER a room for improvement. haha. so bear in mind again. its my secondary school essay. not some big thing. :) til then, cya!!
inBlack&Red,
` samarra .
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