The Beginning of the End

It was about two o'clock on a cloudy Thursday afternoon. Tensions were very high and everyone was alert and ready for the unexpected. The battle ground is always a dangerous and nerve racking place to be; one never knows what the future holds, what the enemy is planning, what's around the next corner, or when the time comes to realize this might be the end. Each soldier lives in the moment, in the here and now, the next minute is never promised in war so time is of the essence. Actions must be taken quickly, but at the same time, within a well thought out plan -one thing goes wrong, the whole squad could be blown to the sky. I told each and every one of my men to live by this rule: kill, or be killed. The opposition will not spare your life when they are fighting for their own, there is no reason for you to spare their's. My apologies, I seemed to have digressed. Anyway, tensions were high and everyone was alert and ready for what was to come. We weren't sure when the last and final battle would begin, we just knew as soon as it started that we would have to be the ones to finish it. We lay hidden behind some rocks so that we were not in sight of the other side. It was quiet...too quiet. All I could hear was the water rushing down the stream and the quick, faint breaths from my men as they anxiously panted waiting for something to happen; it was the calm before the storm. I sent one of them around the side of the bank as a look out to check if we could move forward. He slowly and very cautiously crept around looking every which way, trying not to be seen, not make any sharp movements, and not to make a sound. He realized there was nothing to fear, he yelled and signaled to us that the cost was clear (thought it truly wasn't). I was about to sent my troops forward but i noticed something falling from the sky. As it came closer into my focus i realized what it was. It hit the ground about two feet from my lookout and exploded shooting dirt, dust, and rocks into the air. I ordered him to return on the double, but once the bomb fell, guns were fired in his direction. I wasn't sure if that would be the last time I would ever see him, but I'll never forget the startled look on his face during the ambush as he frantically charged back to the safety of the troop. I knew in that instant that the other side had initiated the first blow, final battle had begun...