Short Stories Volume 1

The Coward

A coward.

The definition is very simple to understand. It is a person who lacks the courage to do or endure dangerous or unpleasant things. When the going gets tough, they cut and run.

So if you were called a coward, then not only was it an insult but everyone looked down on the one called so. Then things had changed. We're not sure if it was the weapons or if it was just humanity that was getting more dangerous. Yes we were centuries past the dark ages, however you'd be a fool to think that our brutality, violence and cruelty have disappeared. They just manifested themselves in other ways.

We no longer fought in arenas against each like gladiators or against raging lions. No, we evolved to fighting and trampling over one another when the stores open the doors to get the best presents and gifts. Instead of lions, it was dogs or even chickens who were forced to battle. Placing bets on their little lives instead of our own. We replaced swords and arrows with cruel tweets, posts and lies.

Of course, that doesn't mean we stopped using actual weapons. Wars were still being waged, won and lost. The oldest recorded war in history was Scorpion 1's in 3400-3200 BCE. Yes, the language it was written in was Egyptian hieroglyphs but many scholars have studied the artifacts and dated them. Most likely there many other wars before but writing hadn't been invented yet. Since then, there has been countless conflicts. Then there's the ones that history for some reason never mentioned.

Either way, back then, in every war and every fight the coward is always looked down on and shamed. It was supposed to be an honor to die in battle. They even created afterlives such as Valhalla, where you were welcomed into great halls with huge banquets for dying such a warriors death.

Now it was different. The viciousness of the wars were so bloodied that they rarely left any survivors. So many were dying because there wasn't enough intel to give back to their sides. Hence, the changing of the title and meaning of a coward. Someone had to be left alive to tell everything that they had seen and what they needed to do.

Before the start of every battle, one soldier was to be the designated coward. Once labelled, they had to make sure he or she didn't take any unnecessary risks that endangered them. If the fight wasn't in their favor, then the coward had to make sure it they got out alive. That way they can report everything back to their base and superiors.

Ignoring the looks and mumbling coming from others, it was a burden to hold the title of the coward. You had to hold back, stand there and watch your friends die before your eyes without being able to do anything. It went against your duty. You weren't even allowed out in the battlefield. You were in the last line, surveying everything you could, writing down all but also keeping alert. At any moments notice you had to be able to pack up everything and run for your life.

There were some who reverted back to the original definition of a coward though. When they were given the title and went to war, they would flee beforehand. Many times leading to mistaken information being given. Or leading to terrible awkwardness and punishment when the men would return and revealed that he had run ahead of schedule. The third option was rare but not unheard of. Cowards' identity were being uncovered and the opposing side were converting them. Using them as double agents.

These were the three drawbacks of the coward. In the end though, only time will tell if this title or burden can change wars forever.