[ RF ] In the heat of a battle , a soldier stops to save a young child that wandered onto the baddlefield .

# # # The Soldier 
 
 It ’ s so bright. Everything ’ s just white... 
 
 Hails of bullets fly overhead as I dive into no-man ’ s land. My platoon had tried their best to hold me back, but it was in vain. The moment I saw him standing there so helplessly, I knew I could not wait for the inevitable. 
 
 “ Come back Aaron! ” called my General, his usually stern demeanour shattered by the gravity of the situation. I ’ m sweating, nearing the rock he ’ s sitting at as the constant flurry of ammunition refuses to let up. I unholster my side arm and let off a few rounds in the direction of the enemy. Accuracy was never my strong suit, and with the heat on my back and vast amounts of adrenaline pumping through me, the attempt is laughable. Still, it seems to have put the attackers at bay. 
 
 I ’ m beside him now; I slide on the rough sand to the rock the kid is cowering behind and throw him into my arms. 
 
 “ Are you okay?! Are you hurt?! ” I scream to his horror, clearly he doesn ’ t understand me. 
 
 Before I get an answer I feel something. The hot bite of a bullet that passes cleanly through my right arm. How… how did they get on top of us so fast? I whirl around and fire a few shots at the insurgents. Miss. Miss. So close… Fuck it; it ’ s at least enough to make them cover. 
 
 Even more adrenaline now, my heart is pumping blood out of the wound in at an extraordinary speed. I look to my rear. 
 
 My comrades are doing their best to stave off the enemy from our makeshift trench but the way I came in is far too perilous now. 
 
 I look around this arid battlefield and see another set of rocks further down the hill. We run. The boy follows close behind me with tears streaming from his eyes. Each one takes an eternity to fall as I hear the accelerating thump of my heart, now slow in my ears. 
 
 Another qucik sprint, and another, and another. It ’ s so damn bright. Why does everything look white? Fucking sun is taunting my retina… 
 
 The distance is sufficient now, I can loop back around if I turn right here but just because those behind have lost me under fire, doesn ’ t mean I ’ m safe. There ’ s still their camp to my left, who knows how many are left— 
 
 That ’ s when I see him, too far to use my pistol. I drop it and take out my— a bang. I ’ m too late. I manage to get a few shots off before I fall. I clip him in the side. 
 
 Aiming with my left; something I should have definitely practised more thoroughly. 
 
 I ’ m starting to feel cold; nothing else is important anymore, I ’ m not ready to die! I don ’ t care if I ’ m called a coward but I want to live. Please God, let me live! 
 
 No answer. 
 
 Bargaining ’ s over, this is happening. At least I finally did something good in the end. At least this kid will be safe— wait. That man is unarmed... his look of shock… he ’ s… he ’ s a civilian. I turn to see the source of my fatal wound. 
 
 A small boy with tears in his eyes, apologising in his native tongue as he runs left with my smoking pistol. 
 
 It ’ s so dark. Everything ’ s black. 

