Al Qusayr, Syria; Doctors Without Borders

2

packed a small baton in my bag just in case. I hoped that I wouldn't have to use it. Hurting people made me shudder. I couldn't imagine using it on anyone.

My rest was broken by the loud voice on the soundsystem. "Hello everyone. We will be landing shortly in Beirut, Lebanon. The local time in Beirut is 3:10 in the afternoon." I sighed, once I got into the airport I would have 30 minutes to join my group so that we could take the long car-ride into Al-Qusayr.

Once the wheels of the plane kissed the Lebanese cement I was already unbuckling myself. I was first off the plane and I was quickly in a rickety taxi speeding down the highway at 60 miles per hour. When I arrived at the Islamic decorated hotel the others in my care group were already outside with their bags.

I had missed the tour of the city so I hadn't bonded like the others in the group had but I knew I shouldn't think about it; after all, we were here to help people not make friends.

The long car ride lasted for around three hours. The heat was immense, inside and especially outside of the van. When we stepped out into war-torn Al-Qusayr, the sun immediately started baking my skin. This didn't bother me at the time because I had other things to focus on. All around me there were broken buildings with rubble scattered everywhere. In the distance, lots of gunshots were to be heard. Even a few bombs going off. Icy cold fear immediately entered my bloodstream and I ran to catch up with the rest of the group.

We entered into a large white tent. My doctor mind began to immediately whirl upon first sight. In the tent were maybe 50 or 60 small cots with people of all sizes lying on them. Most were stained with blood. The faces were clenched in pain. From what I saw there was everything