- HubPages»
- Books, Literature, and Writing»
- Commercial & Creative Writing»
- Creative Writing
My one and only hero
There was violence and we needed to keep peace.
This is part of my story...
The battle was a fierce one and enemy combat was hitting us, there was only the nine of us facing over 50 enemies. They fired everything on us but like the saying goes, "Victory is not for the multitudes". They tried to over power us but we had sophisticated weapons and dazzled them more than words could say. By the time it was over, 39 were dead, 7 injured and the rest fled.
That was my first encounter with the devil.
2002.
My unit was deployed in Afghanistan, it was a war to be won. The country was in a total mess and the battle was 24/7.
We fought the Taliba and never lost to them, the Americans, Brits, brave soldiers from every part of the world were doing their very best,even the local soldiers made them the outcast in the country. It was during one of our battles that i came across Imran. He was a translator and was always at the fore front of every battle. Anyway, we became friends.
Two years passed so quick and although i saw action and also moved action,little did i know that what will change my life was coming ahead, a battle, an action which changed my perspective about life.
Another part of my story...
Four Foreign Journalists were kidnapped and taken hostage and we got a credible information where they were held, a rescue operation became eminent. The plan was to rescue all the hostages alive and kill the bad guys no matter how many they are.
We got to the location and circled it,there was one hundred of us including the Americans,everything was going on well then somehow the guards spotted members of my unit and opened fire on them,they responded and the battle began, they fired mortar and rockets but knowing very well that the hostages might be injured or killed if we respond with rockets and bombs sidelined our response.
However, we overpowered and out numbered them then got into the house and began searching the whole place,we marched room to room and floor to floor then discovered the basement. It was a modern building and according to source, Osama bin Laden once used it as his commanding office and evidence of that was still visible inside some of the rooms.
An explosion hit us while trying to get down the basement, it was a time bomb and few of us got minor injuries but there was no serious casualty. The mission must be accomplished. Anyway, we made it to the basement but found it scanty and empty. Now four hours and we have not traced the hostages, although we have captured thirty three enemy fighters but the job is not yet done.
Some of us were outside combing the area and fighting fleeing enemies who kept firing as the flee, they were chased anyway.
We discovered an underground building existing in the same house and from indication,there was life inside it but we were welcomed with mortar attack as we tried to gain entrance into the building. Anyway to cut this whole dilemma short, we gained entrance and overpowered the enemies inside the building,we caught almost all of them alive except for few casualties but the hostages were not there.
There were conflicting statement and confession by the insurgents and also helpful hints, you see, we embarked on that mission based on credible intelligence report so we were sure that the hostages were there. Anyway it took us six hours to get to the dead zone.
There was resistance and to make it clear that we either back off, the head of one of the journalists was catapulted from no where and it landed right on the front line, we got the message but we have a mission to accomplish, there was a lot at stake, we needed to bring this guys home alive and now one head is off.
'WE WILL BEHEAD ALL OF THEM IF YOU DON'T BACK OFF' was the message from the loud speaker but we knew that the truth is that we all will die together with the hostages or take them home alive so there was no backing off, no negotiation and no time to waste.
We needed to figure out what to do and a captain from the US Marine crafted out the most dangerous plan,so an air back up was called into the action.However, with clues and information gotten from the captured insurgents,we discovered a way to get into the building and we did not withstanding the resistance but the hostages had been moved from that part of the house to another place and we discovered an underground tunnel and bravely followed the path.
It led us to a town near the boarder between Afghanistan and Turkmenistan and that was where the final battle erupted. After two hours of fierce battle,we got into the old building and saw two hostages then rescued them and the search for one began.
That search was what brought my life changing moment.
We discovered where they tied and hid the hostage in a cage then while untying him, i noticed drops of blood from the broken roof top and we needed to check it out.
Oh God!
I ran out from the building vomiting, another soldier from my unit followed me and i ended up by the corner of the house screaming. You see, i have been a Soldier all my life, i shoot enemies according to what the Bible say, i fight until the last man fall and i had no tears in me but the sight on Imran hanged with both hands and legs chopped off generated uncontrolled tears in me.
How can this happen? The man that actually broke the walls of my heart, the only thing bright in my life,we were planning to leave Afghanistan together after my service and marry each other, why me, why him, why us?
He was captured that morning by the Taliban and was taken hostage with one Philippine soldier, both were kept in different locations and our discovery of the house forced them to kill Imran, although he wouldn't have been spared because to them, he was a Traitor.
I left Afghanistan in 2010 and it is now three years yet his memories is still alive in me perhaps sharing this story will bring a closure to this pain and help me find peace because my heart is still broken and i don't think that there is any one to fill the gap his death created in my life.
The only thing i have to remember this great man is the picture above,you can see his charming look as he work with the Colonel.
I will always love you, my one and only Hero Imran
Author's remark
This story is entirely a work of fiction,any similarity to any one dead or alive is purely co-incidental and unintentional
(c) All Right of this publication is reserved