The Cliff Called Smert

I ran towards the base.As I approached, I saw exhausted soldiers moving around the camp. Their faces were pale, their eyes heavy from days without proper sleep.I stopped in front of one of the officers.“Who is the chief of this unit?”“I am General Aru from the Cry Company,” I said. “You requested backup. We are six men in total.”The man looked at me carefully.“Aru. I am Firgo, Sixth General and the new chief of this unit.”“Understood.”Firgo gestured toward the command tent.“Let's go inside.”Before following him, I turned toward Han.“Han, take care of Maru. Maru, come here. You need to rest and eat properly, okay?”She nodded quietly.“Hmm.”I followed Firgo inside.A messy table stood in the middle of the tent. Maps were spread across it, covered with markings, notes, and circles showing enemy positions.Firgo pointed toward the map.“When we first requested backup, everything was under control. But for the past few days, enemy aircraft have been attacking us constantly. They have bombed our positions several times.”“How many aircraft did you take down?”“Three.”He paused.“But we lost around five hundred soldiers, including our previous commander.”I looked at the map.“What about the army coming for us? Or are they just mocking us?”Firgo's expression changed.“They will arrive in three days.”“You're sure?”“I received the information from our scouts. The pigeons confirmed the message.”“So you requested more soldiers?”“Yes. But they will take at least four days to reach us.”He looked at me.“We're in bad luck.”Then he stepped away from the map.“From now on, you take control of the defence. Do you have any problem with that?”“No, sir. But first, tell me everything. How many soldiers do we have?”Firgo took a breath.“We have around one thousand men. Ten medics, twenty mortar specialists, one hundred rocket-launcher soldiers, fifty flame-gun soldiers, twenty tanks, and seven anti-aircraft guns.”“And the enemy?”“Reports suggest between five and seven thousand soldiers. They have aircraft and around thirty tanks.”I stared at the map.“So they outnumber us.”“By a lot.”I nodded.“Call for roll call.”---The soldiers gathered outside.I stood in front of them and looked across the exhausted faces.They looked like walking corpses.“I am General Aru from the Cry Company. I recently fought in Doa. For the next few days, I will be your temporary chief.”The soldiers stood silently.“You understand?”“Yes, sir!”Their voices echoed through the camp.“The enemy is approaching in three days. Our backup is also coming, but they will arrive later than the enemy. Until then, we defend this post.”I looked at every soldier.“For today, you rest. My soldiers and I will handle the guard duty. Write letters to your families. Eat properly. Clean your weapons.”I paused.“We are going to face death eye to eye.”The soldiers became silent.“So tell death one thing.”I raised my voice.“We are not afraid of you!”“Yes, sir!”“Now leave and rest.”The soldiers dispersed.“Firgo, wait.”He turned around.“We need a defensive plan. We have fewer soldiers than the enemy, so we have to use the terrain and every resource we have.”I pointed toward the map.“Place the tanks in front of the main defensive line. Every ten metres, place a mortar team. Near the mortar positions, place two or three gunmen with full ammunition and a machine gun.”I pointed toward the outskirts of the valley.“Put TNT around the outer slopes. When the enemy approaches, we can detonate it and trigger an avalanche.”Firgo looked at the map.“And after that?”“The flame guns.”He nodded.“We don't have enough ammunition.”“Then use what we have carefully. Every bullet must count.”Firgo sighed.“Understood.”“Take some rest, Firgo. You've been awake too long.”I walked away from the command tent.---I moved from post to post, looking for anything that could give us an advantage.It was difficult.The enemy had numbers.We had the terrain.I called Rick and Nick.“Do either of you know how to use a sniper?”Nick shook his head.“Not very well. Han is better with one.”“Then find Han.”They nodded and left.I continued walking.Then I saw something beautiful.Warm sunlight touched my face.I looked toward the valley.Green grass stretched across the land, covered with small white flowers. On both sides, enormous mountains rose toward the sky, their peaks covered in snow.It looked like heaven.For a moment, I forgot about the war.I didn't want to fight anymore.Because I knew that once the battle began, this place might disappear beneath smoke, fire, blood, and corpses.Why did people go to war?Why couldn't people simply live?Why couldn't they enjoy places like this?I sat near the edge of the cliff.“Am I doing the right thing?”I looked across the valley.“Who gives one man the power to decide the fate of thousands?”I looked down at my rifle.There were marks carved into its surface.I touched them.Lewis.I remembered his face.I remembered his letter.“I'm sorry, Lewis.”I ran my fingers across the marks.“I didn't forget your letter.”I knew the marks wouldn't change anything.They wouldn't bring him back.But it was the only thing I could do for him.Then I opened my knife.I carved six more marks into the rifle.Six people.Six lives.I had killed them.They deserved it.At least, that's what I told myself.But then a question came.Why didn't I feel good about it?Why?I looked toward the valley again.Nature was truly amazing.“Maria…”My voice became quiet.“Please wait for me. I'll come back.”I closed my eyes.“I want to hug you. I want to kiss your forehead. Please, God… I just want to see her smile again.”Then I opened my eyes.Who was Maria?What was I to her?Why did I remember her?Maybe James was only a memory.I am Aru.I am Aru.No.I am James.Both felt real.Both felt like me.“I don't know…”I placed my hand against my chest.“But I know one thing.”I had to survive.For myself.For Maria.I didn't know why.But thinking about her warmed my heart.Then I heard it.**Thoomp-thoomp.**A distant artillery shell.**Thoomp-thoomp.**Another.**Thoomp-thoomp.**I looked toward the mountains.“Maria…”I lay back on the grass and looked at the blue sky.“Just wait for me.”For a few moments, everything was peaceful.---Back at the camp, Han sat beside Maru.“Maru, did you eat?”“Yes.”“Are you happy?”She looked down.Han's expression softened.“I'm sorry we couldn't save your mother. But I promised you something.”He placed a hand on her shoulder.“I will protect you.”Maru looked at him.“Han, can I ask something?”“Of course.”“Should I call Aru ‘Uncle Sir’?”Han laughed.“Why?”“Because he is higher ranked than us.”Han nodded.“Yes. Our military ranks go from the Tenth General to the First General. Aru is a Fifth General, while I'm a Sixth General.”“Is the First General super powerful?”Han smiled.“Not exactly. Rank doesn't mean one person controls everything. There are other people who hold power too.”Maru looked around.“Where are we?”“We're in Doa.”She became quiet.“Whenever I asked my mother questions about this place, she never answered. Her face always became sad.”Han looked at her.“If you ever want to know something, ask me.”He smiled.“I'm always here for you. Think of me as your big brother. I'll protect you.”Maru nodded.“Okay.”“Now sleep. Have beautiful dreams, my little princess.”Han walked out of the tent.He looked up at the sky.For a moment, his face lit up.It was a beautiful day.---At another part of the camp, Rick and Nick were digging defensive positions.Rick wiped the sweat from his forehead.“Why are we the only ones digging while everyone else is resting?”Nick laughed.“Because apparently we're lucky.”Rick shook his head.Then Nick became quiet.“Rick, can I ask you something?”“Sure.”“What does it feel like to have a home?”Rick stopped digging.“A home?”“Yeah. A loving wife waiting for you. Someone cooking for you.”Rick smiled faintly.“I can't explain it.”He looked toward the mountains.“But it's the thing I miss the most.”His smile slowly disappeared.“My love… wherever you are, be happy and stay safe.”He looked down at his hands.“Being a father is the greatest blessing God has given me.”He took a breath.“If I survive this war, I want to find my family again.”Nick smiled.“You will.”Rick nodded.“I hope so.”Nick looked around.“Wait…”“What?”“Have you seen Umang?”Rick looked around.“No.”“He just vanished.”“After we finish this, let's ask Aru.”Nick picked up his shovel.“I don't like this.”---High above the camp, on the cliff, I heard a voice.“Aru…”I didn't move.“Aru…”I slowly opened my eyes.“Umang?”He was standing beside me.“You're sleeping on a cliff.”He looked down.“You could fall.”I laughed.“Ha-ha… imagine that. I might pee in my pants.”Umang stared at me.“Aru, it isn't funny.”My smile disappeared.“Okay.”I sat up.“If you have something to say, say it.”Umang looked toward the valley.“This war started three hundred years ago.”I remained silent.“In those three hundred years, four major wars have already happened.”He looked at me.“And now we're fighting the fifth.”The wind moved through the grass.“We're fighting for the country, but what has actually changed?”His voice became quieter.“At least one crore soldiers have died.”I looked at him.“They're all forgotten.”He looked toward the battlefield.“What if we die too?”He swallowed.“What if the war never ends?”He looked at the valley.“Will anyone remember us?”I didn't answer.“I studied hard,” he continued. “I never wanted this. I didn't come here because I wanted to fight.”His fists tightened.“I hate war.”He looked toward the distant mountains.“And I hate the king.”I remained silent.“They eat luxurious food. They live comfortable lives while we're here eating maggots.”He laughed bitterly.“If we die, nobody will even know our names.”I looked at him.“Umang…”I paused.“Everything you're saying is true.”I looked toward the sky.“But we weren't lucky enough to be born into a first-class family.”I clenched my hand.“We're puppets.”“Puppets?”“We follow orders. We give our blood. And when we win, the credit goes to the king.”I looked at my rifle.“What did we actually gain?”Umang was silent.Then I looked toward the moon.“Umang…”“Yes?”“Look at the moon.”He looked up.“I don't see it.”I stared at him.“No.”I pointed toward the sky.“It's right in front of your eyes.”Umang looked again.“You just can't see it.”I lowered my hand.“How sad.”I looked across the valley.War.Death.Home.Maria.James.Aru.Everything felt distant.“I don't care anymore.”Umang looked at me.“Why?”I looked toward the valley.“Because I don't belong here.”