Page 23 of Salute, To Bravery

C old.

How is it possible to feel this chilled in the driest, hottest part of the world? My mind wars against the shivers wrecking my body and the sweat from the desert heat.

I try to move my muscles, but I’m so dehydrated that they stopped responding to my commands days ago. I’ve lost count of how many since being captured and thrown in this cage. It’s been long enough to be forced to witness the callous murders of most of my platoon.

We’ve been taken from our prisons and placed in chairs, given a script to read for the camera set up in a corner of this dirt-filled cave, one by one. Over and over, we hear the same words from different voices before a loud gunshot ends the speech.

I’ve given up hope of ever seeing the sun or stars again. My family will never see me again. I’m going to die in this hellhole over politics that I hardly know anything about.

Seems trivial to me now.

Long gone is the pride I felt for serving for my country. To protect the freedom of my loved ones. They beat that out of me. Stripped me of my pride with every day I’ve spent in this cage.

What did it feel like to have hope?

I close my eyes and try to imagine being anywhere else but here. It’s the only safe place I have left now. My eyes flutter open as I hear footsteps and shouting, and I watch to see if it’s finally my turn in the chair.

Small popping sounds make my ears perk up.

Terror returns my movement, and I shrink as far back into the corner as I can. Circle up as small as possible at the new noises. I never liked surprises, and I’m sure this one will not prove different.

The ground shakes from some type of explosion, and the cave is illuminated with unnatural light.

I scream out of habit as the space outside the cage fills with shouting.

I try to understand through the ringing, and I think I hear whoever they are speaking English.

I shake my head at the cruelty of my own mind.

“Lieutenant Blake!” I hear my name being called, and still, my brain denies what’s happening.

“Get the medics. We have four still alive.”

I move my head. Thirty-five soldiers and only four left?

No.