The World We've Set On Fire ■ Wattys 2016

What War Does

It was time. We wouldn't even have to go anywhere, the war was coming here.

This empty place would be a battle ground. This dry, saline soil would become fertile with the blood spilled on it.

General Naomi was overcome with joy. She gave orders that were strictly obeyed. We were ready: completely ready.

Sunita's murder was a scar in our hearts. It felt as if we had lost a sister. Najwa cried for hours that night. We all became quieter, especially Heidi.

"Girls?" Lara said, softly.

We were filling our guns.

"Yeah?" I replied.

"We need to send one girl. Camp Inferno, Agony Land and Hopeless are going into war. We and End 380 need to send one girl only... the others will go later." She sighed. "The reinforcements have arrived... they're mixed. Men and women from all over the world. This is gonna be massive." She pressed her thumbs into her temples and exhaled. "Who's gonna go?"

"Me."

We all looked at Marigold. The smile on her face made me nauseous and tearful.

"I'll go." She said, serenely. "I'll go and fight. I'll go and join the noise and chaos and I'll come back... slightly different."

And I looked into her eyes and all I could see was the universe being reflected. But then, I looked deeper into them and I found another universe within. Another universe without the noise and the terror and the bombings and gunshots. Another universe where everything was calm and the water rippled and the sun shone warmly upon your slightly tanned skin. Another universe where all you could hear was laughter and the chirping of birds as they hopped onto one branch after another. Another universe where she lived, without any fear of death or something far far worse. Something like this. No, she wasn't here anymore. She resided in the universe of her eyes where there was eternal peace and joy.

And the next day, the battle started. No bombs involved, it was like a thousand year old war you'd read about in history books. But there were no swords, only guns. It was strictly prohibited to use any weapon except for guns.

She went in there with her gun held aloft, dancing to the music of gunshots. She went in there like a soldier, a martyr. She had the passion of a leader and the pain of a victim. Oh, wasn't she a beautiful sight?

And it seemed as if all the odds were in her favour; the best happened to her. Wasn't she lucky? The bullet in her heart took her life but she lived. She was living, even when she was dead while we were all dying when we were alive.

Marigold Stop was an angel sent to the world and now, she had returned to the garden where unicorns frolicked and fairies lived on flowers. She was a wonderful creature, finally free of the world of bloodshed. She belonged to Nirvana; she deserved happiness for all eternity.