In War

A Story by writerofshadows

The earth shakes as another volley of shells buries itself in the adjacent hillside, vaporizing another row of advancing tanks. The planes that released them streak across the sky and make a wide angled return to search for more targets. I can barely see them through the haze of smoke rising from the town below. Standing at the edge of the cliff, I look down at the town I have known as home all my life. but today... today it is a stranger to me. The orange glow that resides over everything... I cant tell if it from the fires or the setting sun, retreating behind the ships along the coast. As my eyes scan over them again I see small plumes as more screaming shells approach the town to burn down more buildings.
    The whole scene is so terrifying, so entrancing I almost forget the face burrowing into my chest. The hands gripping tightly at my jacket. My arms squeeze tightly, partially to reasure her, partially to reasure me. Of what I am not entirely sure. The one thing I know for certain is that I will save her.
She looks up at me, aware I am looking down at her. I wipe a tear from her beautiful face and try to come up with words of assurance. None come to mind. I grab her shaking hand and lead her on. Through the forest of stone, inscribed with the names of those who fell before us, we run away from the devastation. So pointless.
    To the nation who owns this town, it is a critical defense point. To the attackers it is a strategic staging area, a port where they can land more troops for more fighting. To neither is it the small shipping village of a small community of friends and families that we call home. Neither side feels the devastation of having your home burned to the ground in seconds as another random shell rains from the sky. If the defenders push back the invaders they have kept the enemy at bay for another day. If the attackers push through, they will have an effect base of operations to move onto key instillations. This is what the history books will say. what they wont say is that no matter what side wins, the people of the small village will still be homeless, battered, broken, and scattered. Stripped of all they own. They loved ones who werent so lucky. Or maybe they are the lucky ones, those who recieved a quick death rather than struggle on and slowly die inside while your body fades away in the aftermath.
    I stop and look around and she again pushes close. I try to get my bearings in this laberynth of memories. A sound reaches my ears through the pandemonium of the distant battle. This sound closer than the others. And above...
    Spinning around I see the lone fighter approaching quickly. Moving in fast on a strafing run. I dive down pushing her against a cool slab pushing down over her. I can hear the world rip apart and feel the debris as metal rains from the sky. But the pain I'm feeling on my back is not the sting of bullets. In slow motion I see the broken stone of nearby tombstones falling around me, and on me. I stare straight down into her frightened eyes. I see the words above her read "my love will not die" and somehow...smile.
    A smile that says that dispite everything, having lost everything, everyone, all that existed in our lives, somehow it will work out. A strange smile that I somehow mean. I don't know how, but I will make it work. For her. I keep this smile strong through the stone shower. It doesn't even slip as a peice of burning steel rips downward through my left shoulder and it falls useless to my side. With my right hand I wipe the spray from her face but just end up smearing it, and kiss her gently on the forehead. And as the plane passes I pull her up with my good hand pull her past the burning church. Such a holy place now burning with the fires of war. The fires of hatred. The fires of Hell. How could this happen? We duck into a burnt out orchard as columns of troops march by. I don't know how the time passes as we lie in the charred remains of what was to be a successful harvest. I can't see, but smell rather, the remains of livestock in the smoky air. It smells like death.
    Finally we get up to run as they fade away in the glowing horizon. Fear roots us to the earth as a deep throated shout calls us to halt. I look at her and see she is so close to running, the panic in her eyes. I shake my head slowly, my eyes pleading with her not to do it. The world vanishes in flash, my ears ringing loudly. It takes a couple seconds from my brain to register that a mortar round just hit nearby. I dig myself from the thin blanket of earth and stand. I look around trying to orient myself. The man is gone...no, there's his foot. And his hand over there... I stop looking for the rest of him... I try to concentrate on what my mind is trying to scream at me through the confusion. Where is she!? My eyes search around frantically. I call out clawing desperately at the earth. I see her shirt and rush over. I roll her over and shout to her shaking her. She doesnt move... God please move. Her body convulses with a heavy cough and I hold her close, overwhelmed with emotion. I feel her arms squeezing tightly back.
    She winces as we try to stand and falls back to the ground. Her ankle is almost at a right angle. It is amazing she could even attempt to stand. I kneel down and ignore her protests as i pull her onto my back. Her trying to get me to go on with out her. That she'll only get me killed. Why won't I just leave her. I turn back and smile again before starting to walk on. "I love you."