Writer's Recipe vol. 4 (2019)

WAR

Written by: Aqif Ilhan bin Khairul Hazman

Bang!!! the gunshot echoed across my house, scaring away all the birds that were perching on the nearby tree. "Dad! what have you done?" I said in disbelief. Stunned by what he had just done, Dad could not utter a single word.

It all started on that morning. I was going outside to get some water from the river near my house. Life had been really hard for us recently since the war had started. I could scarcely go outside and meet my friends. Dad told me that it was all our neighbouring country's fault. "They were the ones who started this horrible war," that's what dad would always tell me whenever we were talking about the war, but as a little girl, I had no interest in that topic. Dad had always asked me to keep away from the river because the enemies were also searching for water but that day, I had no other options since we had run out of water. I just wanted to do something to help the family.

I stepped outside wearing dad's old pair of boots, holding a big metal pail. They were a few sizes too big but I wore them anyway because I thought walking at the river with my sandal would be quite dangerous. It only took about 5 minutes of walking from my home before I could hear the faint sound of running water. It was a huge river that used to be a place for the kids to gather and play after school. I could still picture the fun we had had there, jumping and splashing ice cold water at one another. But that was before the war started. As for now, parents would always prohibit their children from getting even anywhere near the river with stories like there were a crocodile lurking in the river. I know that wasn't true.

Cautiously, I took a step near the river and used my pail to draw some water. All of a sudden, something big jumped out from the water. I'm not quite sure if it was a fish, but it startled me so much so that I slipped straight into the river. The river was so deep that my toes could not even touch the bottom. I know how to swim, but panic must have robbed me of that ability. I was going up and down the water, desperately trying to gasp for air. Aggravating the problem, the water was rushing into my nostrils, making it even harder for me to breath. As a last ditch effort, I stretched my arm as far as I could, trying to reach the river bank. It was just a hair's breadth away but I just couldn't reach it.

At that moment, there was nothing I could do anymore. I could not swim and I had run out of any ideas on how to save myself from this predicament. I had resigned myself to my fate. My last thoughts were of my family and how sad they would be when they saw my lifeless body. Or if they could even find it. My vision became blurry as my body gradually sank into the water. Out of nowhere, I felt someone holding my hand and I was being pulled out of the water. I was grateful knowing that there was still a glimmer of hope for me to remain in this world.

When I opened my eyes, I was already on the ground. My vision was a blur but I could make a silhouette of the man who had saved me. "Thank you sir for...," I was about to thank him but the words stuck in my throat when I saw his attire. He was a soldier. Worse, he was an enemy soldier! "Don't be afraid, I would not harm you," he said with a smile. His smile looked so sincere that it had somehow made me a bit less nervous. "Thank you for saving my life sir," I finished.

I looked at him up and down and I could tell that he had been through a lot. "What are you doing here?" I asked curiously. "I was searching for water, but it looks like I found you instead," he replied half-jokingly. There was an awkward silence. He looked into the distance. His eyes told me that he was thinking of something. Or someone. "I have to go now," he said finally. He got up and away, but after a few steps he had fallen to the ground.

I didn't notice it before but there was a nasty gash on the man's leg and blood was oozing. Promptly, I rushed toward him thinking maybe I could help to stem the bleeding. Unfortunately, I had absolutely no idea what to do. Even if I did, there was nothing that I could use to do so. The only thing that I could think of was to bring him to my house and ask for my family's help. "Your family won't be happy to see me," warned the soldier when I told him about my plan. I had no idea what I was getting myself into, but I know one thing: I owe this man my life.

* * *

I opened the door and found my parent at the dining table. They turned their attention towards me and upon seeing the man behind me, their eyes opened wide and the colour drained from their faces. Both of them rose to their feet. "Sarah! get away from him!" my mom shouted. "No! wait, listen to me please" I tried to calm them down. But without my realization, my dad had gone for his gun.

5 days later.

Tears streamed down my cheeks when I looked at the soldier. He had been lying unconscious on my bed since the incident. It was rather fortunate that Dad had terrible aim. The shot did not hit any of his vital organs. I was about to sleep when suddenly I saw that his fingers were moving. Finally, he had woken up! I called my parents to my room as I could not hide my excitement anymore. My dad looked at the man with guilt and said, "I'm sorry for what I have done, my daughter had told me about what had happened." The man managed to smile at my father even though I could see that it was hard for him to do so. Suddenly, my father's face changed. He looked more serious now. "But you will have to leave now. I have called the police and they will arrive soon," he said matter-of-factly.

I could not believe my ears. I was about to blow my top at my father when the man suddenly got down from my bed and rose to his feet. "Don't worry, I will go now," said the man. His voice was a bit shaky as he was trying to fight through the pain. He stood right in front of me, knelt down and said, "Please don't think badly of your father. He just wants to make sure that you are safe. I'd do the same for my family." Upon saying that, the man took off a heart-shaped necklace that he was wearing around his neck and placed it firmly on my tiny palm. Then, man walk out the door and disappeared into the forest.

I inspected the necklace and found an opening. Inside it was a picture of a little girl. She looked about my age. At that moment, I had understood one thing about this war that I had not thought about before. The fact was that there were no heroes or villains in this war. All of them were just fighting to protect their loved ones. I wish for the war to end and the man can one day be reunited with his family.