Lt. Farooq Mahmood was running for his life. The cold Ladhaki wind, usually a hindrance to stamina in usual situations, was strangely acting as a much-needed boost.
The eerie silence of the valley was pierced only by the wails of the few-numbered soldiers, surprised by the sudden atack.
"It's a bomb-shell! RUN!"
And he did run. He ran faster than the bullets pouring in numbers amongst his peers. Panic is the best caffeine, his Squadron Leader told him. And how true it was.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, came a black-clothed, masked demon, malice in his eyes, and guns in his hands. He wasn't human. Mahmood was looking at the Shaitan himself.
Seven bullets pierced mercilessly through Farooq's unarmored chest. Machines show no mercy. He was falling.
_________________________________________
Lt.Farooq Mahmood woke up. It was 3 am. Inspite of temperatures reaching the negatives, he was sweating. Profusely. Just another nightmare. Ever since that incident, he never had a moment of peace.
That incident.How he came out alive, still seemed a mystery more confusing than the origin of the universe or the existence of God. The fact he was alive amongst twelve other dead peers had only increased his faith in Allah.
Lost in thoughts, he looked above. His Squadron Leader was gazing at him.
"Don't go to sleep again. We're going to launch a surprise attack on them at 3:47 AM. Get Ready."
"Yes Sir."
Thoughts whirred in his head at an intensity that almost sickened him. He had to do it. Who knows, it might just be his last mission, Alive. Crawling to his bag with some difficulty, he extracted a small piece of paper, and began to pen down those feelings whose existence he had denied for a long time.
_____________________________________________
My dearest Amina,
I miss you. I know you must be doing well. I hope little Sukhaya and Rehman are fine.
-He stopped. Where do I START? Trying to gather his thoughts, he continued.
I am about to continue my mission in a few minutes, and I do not know if I'll come back alive. If I don't, I want you to know, that-
He stopped again. The dam of strict Army discipline he had built over his river of emotions had cracked. He took a deep breath and continued.
that I will always, and I repeat, ALWAYS be with you. You will be unharmed, I will always protect you. Oh, just a small house with you, me and our children seems the sweetest paradise anyone could ever hope to get. I wish, and HOW I wish, that I return back to you! Every day I had ever spent in your presence seems like a second, every month, a year. Those twinkling eyes of yours, that sweet smile was the only thread keeping me from running away from this madness! And oh, our children! How I laugh at the little antics Sukhaya used to do! And I still remember Rehman's mischievousness. Have you found out the watch he hid yet?
It's been a year, Amina. A whole year. The only thought of having to wait for an unknown period to return back is a torture worse than swords and bullets. And I will, I WILL return back alive. Until then, I only hope that I stay sane at this hellhole.
With you always,
Farooq.
Farooq quickly folded the paper and kept it for posting; he didn't want his tears to blotch on the paper.
Just then, a messenger from the base camp came gasping in; breathing air from the highest plateau in the world wasn't easy.
He wispered something into the Squadron Leader's ears, and the latter stood up.
"Jawans, the Indo-Pak war has officially been declared over. Return to base-camp in fifteen minutes."
Emotions played havoc with Farooq's heart.
He was going home.
