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“The unwanted draft” Cristina Castany i Fàbregas / 1r de Batxillerat LLENGUA ANGLESA_3RPREMI Here, she reaches for my hand. Stares me right in the eye, kisses my cheek, and promises everything will be okay. I nod in false agreement. Deep down I feel this sinking feeling, a strong compression against my chest, the lack of air keeping me from thinking straight. I take a moment to think about what to do or say next. I hug her. She replies by hugging me back, I can feel her tears slipping down my uniform, she tries hiding her struggle by deliberately rubbing her eyes against my shoulder. I pretend not to notice, for her sake and mine. We hear a loud steady knock, not two, not three, one. Seconds later it repeats itself. We cannot seem to accept that my time to go has arrived. I slowly push her away avoiding eye contact, I can sense it pains her, but I know she is not ready to stand watching me go. She approaches the door and lets them in. I properly salute them. Reality strikes as lighting does a tree. I look back at her and the kids, with a sight I bear. I grab the door, preparing myself for whatever is awaiting. A couple of months in, I do not have any more strength to spare nor hope to go off. Only God knows the only thing keeping me sane is the memories of those who once loved me. A flashing light distracts me from my thoughts. I quickly realize what that light symbolizes. Careful! I scream, I watch the barricade fall onto their heads, I lose it. The last bit of hope holding me together dissipates while I watch the men who I owe my life to get buried under piles of dust. Despair invades every inch of my being, I abruptly hit the ground. Once I gather the strength to stand back up I try running towards the fallen barricade seeking to find some of my fellow men alive. A sudden pull at my arm keeps me from doing so. I look back to see one of my comrades, I can barely recognize him, mud, blood, and tears cover his fearful expression. Promptly, the astonishing sound of an explosion takes us both to the ground, the rest, I can’t remember.
