The World We've Set On Fire ■ Wattys 2016

The Forest

I entered the dark forest with a gun in my belt. There were no animals there. All I could hear was the sound of crows, high up in the trees. After walking for a few kilometers, I reached a clearing. On a tree, there were three tethered horses. Two black ones and one brown horse. Mine, Hammad's and the third one belonged to someone else. I walked over and ran my hands over the velvety black horse's mane.

In the middle of the clearing was black ground, a fire had been lit there. Around the black soil were logs. People used to sit around the campfire. Times had been good... not anymore.

"What're you doing here!?"

I jumped at the noise. It was Hammad, in a uniform identical to mine.

"You're in the camp from the other side!"

"I am... oh Lord, I was worried about you. Thanks to Him, you're safe."

I was an aetheist but still, I said, "Thanks to Him, you're safe."

"Soldier!" I could hear Lara call me and the urgency in her voice alerted me.

"I have to go."

"Stay safe!"

I turned and sped towards camp. Lara was waiting at the edge. She beckoned me to enter the camp.

"Lift your gun at the target! Hurry, the General is coming. She should think that you're training. Don't let her find out your original position in the military or she'll have you killed."

When the General had passed, I chose not to return to the forest till nightfall. Better safe than sorry... I was already sorry over too many things that it didn't even matter anymore.

We returned to camp at sunset. I was hungry and tired.

"Go to the bathrooms and wash yourselves." Ordered Lara. "I will be joining you soon. Then, we'll head to the dinner area and finally have something to eat." We all obeyed her.

Dinner was thin chicken and lentil soup and gingerbread. We had water to drink with it.

"Grab another bottle for yourself and take it back to camp so you'll last the night." Sunita whispered.

When i returned to camp, I saw that everyone had taken more water or bread... except Najwa.

"I don't steal. I'd rather starve."

"Oh but aren't you hungry?"

"Not really. I'm used to it so it doesn't bother me anymore."

"Aren't you from Turkey?"

"I am... but only recently. I am actually from a place that has been bombed off the face of earth."

How could I not feel bad about this when I, similarly, had bombed another place out of existence?