The Light At The Very End Of The Tunnel

There And Back Again

Firas
We rested at our take off point before our aircraft came to pick us up. I sat close to the fire feeling as exhausted as a horse at the end of a cattle drive.

'Man, you look terrible' Khalid said taking off his combat helmet and sitting next to me. The rest of the platoon came to where we were. Huddling around the camp fire we made earlier.

'Look who's taking' I replied. He looked just like I felt. Tired. Exhausted beyond reason. It was a rescue mission. And finally it was over. We had managed to complete our mission. Quietly and efficiently. I had a feeling father made sure I was given an easy a task as possible. But it felt good saving all those people. To make a difference no matter how little.

'I miss Atika.' Khalid said out of the blue

'What? ' I asked confused

' My wife, man. I can't stop thinking about her. I feel like I'm dying. I mean the feel of her...'

'Whoa man hold it right there' I cut him off.

'What are we, having a heart to heart? 'I said disgusted. What was wrong with him. He had this glazed look.

'I'm telling you man, I just wanna... '

'I swear man if you don't shut up, I'm gonna shoot your ass' I said. Two of the guys stood up and tackled him to the ground. Pinning him down.

'I love her man. Her eyes are the most beautiful jewels I've ever seen. Her skin... '
But the rest of his sentences were muffled as one of them stuffed his mouth with a cloth. Stupid idiot I thought. Was this what falling in love was. Making you act like you were breathing helium instead of oxygen.

'Attention! ' The commander ordered. We all stood up. Heels together and in line. Feet turned out to form an angle of 30 degrees, body weight distributed evenly on both feet. Shoulders level, square to the front; arms hanging as straight as their natural bend will allow, with elbows and wrists touching the body we all obeyed instantly.

'At ease! ' He bellowed
Heels  25 centimeters apart, arms behind the back, stretched to their full extent, and placing the back of the right hand in the palm of the left, with thumbs crossed right over left, the fingers together, we stood at ease in uniform.

'How dare you mock the power of love!' He shouted. Some of the guys sniggered. Unbelievable.

'I frigging miss my wife too. And my babies.' He said a bit more quietly

'Thank you sir. Thank you so much. Someone hug me please. I feel so vulnerable right now.' Khalid said in a rasp. Faking emotion. I was going to puke. He turned to me. And I gave him the dirtiest look I could muster. And then the whole platoon burst out laughing.
There was a buzzing sound. Our ride was here.

'Yes!' Khalid said punching the air
'Here I come baby'

Suddenly the commander was screaming 'take cover!' We were being ambushed. It was pandemonium. Bullets flew everywhere. The air craft had landed and was waiting for us. As we maneuvered our way towards it, we covered each other shooting back at the source of the ambush. I felt a bullet hit me in the back as I tried to climb in. I fell face down and the commander dragged me in as he'd already got it himself. Just as I found a spot to sit, I realized two of the guys were helping Khalid onto the plane. His head was covered it blood and brain matter. He didn't wear his helmet. He got hit. I didn't know if it was the pain of the bullet. Or the pain of loosing someone again. Her face was the last thing I saw and then everything went black.

I woke up disoriented. My head was bursting with pain. My right shoulder felt stiff and sore. But more than that, my heart hurt. I felt it constrict, threatening to explode. Khalid was gone. It was so surreal. One moment he was there and the next he wasn't.

'Firas' Someone said. I didn't realize anyone was even there . it was the commander. We must have gotten back to Cairo.

'Sir'I said trying to get up

'Lie down son, it's only a scratch. But we don't want it becoming something more' He said

'Yes sir' I croacked

'The kidnappers followed us to our take off point. We never saw it coming. They must have regrouped somewhere and gotten more men and ammunition.' He said
The rest of the team came in filling the whole room. They were all in civilian attires.

'We wanted to make sure you were okay man.' One of them said

'Thanks guys' I said

'Well' Said the commander 'We are off' All of them seemed mellow. Khalid was the goofy one. And without him, everything felt too serious.

Mother and Menna arrived to take me home against the doctors wish. He seemed to think I needed to spend more time in the hospital. But I promised I'd take my therapy seriously. Mother kept crying. I know I looked like a mess. My face was scratched and my whole body was battered. Menna on the other hand looked like a shadow covered her face. Grim. Like she was too shocked to cry. After an argument with mother, I agreed to sit on a wheelchair to go out of the hospital.

We arrived home at sunset. I still couldn't shake off the fact that Khalid was dead. And his wife Atika. If she was drawn to him as he was to her, she was in a whirlpool of heart aching feelings right now. Mother only left me alone around midnight. And she only agreed because I said I would sleep in our room. While I lay in bed, Menna brought me my medicine and a glass of water. I took the pills first and threw them in my mouth at once. Then she gave me the glass and I drank it down. She then sat on the stool beside the bed.

'How do you feel she asked' her voice was hoarse. As though she hadn't used it in a while.

'I'll be fine' I said studying her. She looked like I had died already

'But it hurts like mad' She said looking at her fingers. I found myself hoping she'd look up.

'Thats what the pills are for' I said gently. Silent tears were pouring in rivers down her cheeks. I felt my heart tighten. I had absolutely no idea what to say. She kept crying until her silent tears became sobs.

'Want to hear a story' I said without thinking. She wiped her tears with the back of her hands like a child and looked up. Her eyes were red rimmed and puffy. But still she looked pretty. Tears clung to her long lashes. Her eyes held so much vulnerability it was agony to watch.

'Once upon a time' I began. And her face split into a grin. It was infectious. I smiled too, and continued.