Glimpses Of War

Martyred (Male POV)

I was tensed.

It had been more than a week and I didn't know when she'd be getting back; or IF she'd be getting back, though it made a pain in my chest rise every time I thought that way. It usually took her about a week or two so I kept trying to reassure myself that she'd be getting back safe and soon.

One time she'd come home with half her body covered in bandages and we'd been informed that she'd taken 5 bullets to her body and that she was lucky to still be alive. I didn't let her go back to on-field duties for quite a while after that and I guess having her parents on my side helped for sure.

I was a famous sportsperson by then and the whole country knew of me. Maya made me promise not to reveal that she was my fiancé or that she was working in the army. She wanted to fight without any special attention.                   

As always.

She had her phone and I'd check up on her as much as possible but it'd been three days since she didn't text back. That made me worry even more.

One week one day.

Nothing. I'd go and check for any news about her every day.

One week two days.

Nothing still. The media started noticing my frequent visits to the army cantonment.

One week three days. 

Silence from everyone still.

One week four days.

I was worried out of my mind and started pressurizing her colleagues to find out what happened.

One week five days.

I'd get chills down my spine and goosebumps would randomly pop out on my body. On the other hand, people started making theories about why I was going to the army cantonment.

One week six days.

That's when the jeeps showed up at her parent's house. I got the first call after they found out. Atleast after they were able to calm themselves down.

Maya and her troop were missing since they'd been ambushed amidst action and all families of the soldiers were informed that they are to be presumed dead. It was tense news and her family was all alone in this.

I booked my private jet to her parent's house praying that she'd live. In about 30 minutes, I was on board and halfway there.

My arrival at her parent's house was quiet and heart-wrenching. There was a kind of tension in our body language for none of us believed that she was gone. Though the clouds were blocking our minds with thoughts of her death, we weren't letting that one ray of hope out of our hands. 

The next few days after that were depressing and pointless. We weren't told any date that they would be able to find Maya and her troop. We didn't know if they'd find her or her dead body. We didn't know if they'd find her at all.

The entire neighborhood looked at us with sympathy wherever we went and sent us condolences as if she were already dead. Each night, I'd break down secretly and beg god to send her back to us. Each night, my heart would be torn into a hundred shreds.

On the night of 28th November, I couldn't sleep at all. It was like my heart knew something was going wrong. The AC was off and I was huddled under blankets but I just couldn't stop shivering. And even when I finally went to sleep, I woke up screaming out her name and terrified of what I'd seen.

I'd seen that her troop was ambushed but they sought safety and hid under the sand. They were caught and Maya was shot in the shoulder. My blood went cold as I saw her scream in pain. But she was so brave, she shot at the enemy fearlessly and the others followed her lead. Even with a bullet in her shoulder; that was a typical Maya thing to do. That's when I woke up. I was so convinced this was true that I couldn't control myself, even when her parents tried their best to calm me down.