What is our duty, sir? | Teen Ink

What is our duty, sir?

October 17, 2010
By CanNeverHoldMeBack GOLD, Manhattan, Kansas
CanNeverHoldMeBack GOLD, Manhattan, Kansas
10 articles 0 photos 37 comments

Favorite Quote:
friendships are like glass. sometimes it's better to leave them broken then hurt yourself trying to put them back together again.


“WHY!?!?! WHY MUST LIFE CONTINUE LIKE THIS!?!?! WHY GOD!?” I was crumpled in the middle of a charred circle of grass. Fumes of deadly poison and fire were erupting around her. The sky was an ominous red and distant alarms rand out, telling people to flee and screams burst through the air as people were burned to death or caught by the soldiers. I was holding the charred body of a baby in her arms, frozen in the place that it had been instant it was burned to death. Tears poured down my dirt and ash smeared face. My soldier’s uniform was torn and tattered from the continuous fighting, dirt and ash betrayed no presence of the uniforms original color. Pins above left side of my chest spoke that I was a higher ranking solider. Another solider walked up.
“Come on, your needed in the front.” The colonel spoke. I turned toward him; his face betrayed only slight emotion at the sight of my crying. All of on the field here were emotionally numb. The scared dead bodies around us meant nothing, just another body. Emotion showing was a rare event. We had been taught that emotions on the battle field were a sign of weakness. I spoke
“Why do we have to kill?” I looked out into the distance
“Because that is a soldier’s duty. When we are called into the line of duty, we are expected to follow orders. Just like a doctor; their duty is to heal the sick and wounded. It’s expected of us.” I explained to me.
“But aren’t we supposed to protect the citizens instead of killing them? Isn’t that also our duty too sir? I replied, standing. I looked toward him, the child still in my arms. He gasped and lowered his eyes. Fresh tears sprung to my eyes.
“Isn’t that a question…,” He said turning away and walking away. “Hurry up!” he called back. I stood and watched as he walked away I looked toward the sky. A faint star shone through the clouds. I gasped in wonder.
“Good-bye little one,” I said, setting the child down in the burnt expanse. I pulled up my sleeves to reveal my gauntlets. They were intricately decorated with alchemic symbols that allowed for very precise transmutation. I pulled them off. Under I wore white gloves that, unlike the rest of my uniform, were clean. I quick pulled off the uniform top to show my tank underneath and the necklace the carried the few fine processions I owned. A ring with a sapphire set, a key that unlocked no doors, and a very small red stone. I quickly wrapped the child in the uniform shirt and dug a small hole. I placed the child inside and covered it with the remaining dirt. I sighed and laid back on my knees. “May life had been a burden that you have been freed from in death.” I quickly got up, tucking my necklace into my tank top and running to follow the colonel.



Similar Articles

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 2 comments.


on Oct. 23 2010 at 4:48 pm
CanNeverHoldMeBack GOLD, Manhattan, Kansas
10 articles 0 photos 37 comments

Favorite Quote:
friendships are like glass. sometimes it's better to leave them broken then hurt yourself trying to put them back together again.

thanks you so much!!!

on Oct. 22 2010 at 2:29 pm
bluebird SILVER, Sandy Hook, Connecticut
8 articles 0 photos 45 comments
I really liked that; keep writing and keep that emotion that I love.