This is the story about a fictional character called Rayan. A normal 16 year old kid trying to get pass his exams and find the true meaning of friendship and love. He struggled to cope in a society that rejected him, until one day he was called upon to do something no kid would ever think off. That was when the war broke out.
“Behind these eyes, I’ve seen it all. The hurt, the joy and everything in between. I saw death, I saw life. I saw carnage, I saw peace. I saw hope, I saw destruction. I saw peace, I saw war. “
“Mr. James.” she called my name once. Then twice, then three times. Feeling ignored and disrespected, she threw her book on the floor and screamed out my name. “MR. JAMES!” she yelled out like a siren. I merely lifted my head and stared at her.
“Sup?” after I completed my one word reply, a torrent of anger ensured over me. The words entered from the left and exited from the right. The only words I could hear and could comprehend was “GET THE F OUT OF MY CLASSROOM.” I dragged my chair back, lazily stood up and slumped out of the classroom. Same old same old. I’m sick of these teachers with their boring shit ass lessons. I need to do something more real, more intense. But what could I do, I’m just a social reject. I stood there outside the window not really paying attention to what a word was going on. I felt my eyelids getting heavier and heavier by the minute. The next thing I knew I was in some weird place.
“GET UP! GET UP PRIVATE JAMES! RANGERS LEAD THE WAY!” I was just starting to comprehend with what the f was going on. I stared straight into the old man’s face. Who is he? I was still trying to make sense. Have I seen him before? He shoved me a M1A4 and dragged me to my feet. He took a ACH helmet lying on the ground and passed it to me. All the while I could hear explosions, bullets whizzing past my head. Am I in a warzone? Is this for real? I placed the helmet on and went forward.
“James! Take position of the MG!” someone shouted. I simply don’t understand. Firstly, how do they know my name. Secondly, where the hell am I? And finally how the hell did I get here? I tried to search the answers and focus on the task at hand. I crawled towards the MG lying on the ground. I picked it up and aimed towards where all the shooting was coming from. I felt a pat on my back, and turned around. I saw a black man, well built, Mid twenties, light crystal blue eyes that showed no fear even in the midst of all this chaos.
“Aim across the ravine and take out those enemies trying to cross over! We can’t let them break through. “ He gave his command, patted me on the helmet and moved off to another location. I could feel my adrenaline pumping! My heartbeat was racing with every growing second. I mounted the MG and took up my position. I could see shadowy figures approaching due North and North East of our position. I locked my fingers around the trigger. Never will I experience this feeling again. I squeezed it.
The situation was desperate. We are nearly being over-run! I kept up my intense firing rate. I could feel the gun getting hotter and hotter, telling me to stop. I was now also under severe enemy fire. All the while I have been living the dream. This is intense, this is chaotic and most importantly it is not boring! I shifted my position to get a clearer firing vision down the ravine. I could see tracer bullets even in the midst of daybreak. I rotated my gun 45 degrees and continued firing away.
“Enemies on the bridge! We got to protect goliath! James shift your fire to the bridge! “ I wasn’t too sure where the voice came from. But what was goliath and where was the bridge. It took me awhile to realise that the bride was actually just to the left of my position. I could see this bridge broken in two. On one side an enormous bridge-layer. On the another, shadowy figures that my brain cells have already termed the enemy. Using my quick analytical thinking, I left my position and sprinted back towards the bridge dodging all the fire and bullets in the process. I raced up the stairs and crouched behind a pillar. I peeked to take stock of the enemy positions. Got them zero-ed in on my M1A4 red-scope, and opened fire. I saw those “shadowy” figures just tumble to the ground. DAM IM GOOD! My ego was high and my adrenaline pumping. I felt I was king!
I was rudely brought back to earth when I suddenly felt an immense surge of pain in my right arm. ARGH I dropped my rifle and went back to my hiding position. I grabbed my arm and winced in pain. My arm was literally screaming in pain. I looked down at it and realised the reality of it all. I’ve been hit. This is not a dream. The pain is real I could feel it. I tried my best to endure it and slowly picked my rifle up. I got back into my firing position with one knee on the floor and continued firing.
Soon, the enemy was in retreat. We protected goliath. The bridge has been completed and now we could take the fight to the enemy. A convoy of humvees soon rolled up.
“James you first Humvee.” I walked towards the first vehicle and climbed in. Once inside, another guy. Wait a minute…he looked quite like my classmate. What the hell is he doing here? Before I could even say a word he slapped me. I tried to react, but the sight of him got blurry. All I could hear was my name. It was getting clearer and clearer. Soon, I was wide awake standing outside my classroom with all eyes inside fixed on me.
“We heard noises and shooting and screaming and shouting and all that crap while you were sleeping…Are you alright?” Nicholas asked.
“Wait, you mean I was asleep? “
“Yea..then what the hell were you think you were doing?”
“I was in the middle of an armed combat. It felt so real man! Like it was straight out of some modern warfare shit or something like that! “ I tried to explain.
“Man you are weird. “ he turned back and walked into class.
Was it all just a dream? Really, then how is it possible to see so clearly the facial features of the old man and the other guy? Why did it felt so real when I was shooting my rifle? Most importantly the pain! I looked down and saw a cut on my right arm. It looked fresh as blood still was coming out from it. I clearly remembered it not being there before. So maybe it was real…If it’s real, what is it trying to say?
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