Chains, Part 1

Forty years ago.

Location: Northern countries, the city of Terk.

A young me, newly recruited by the army to serve on the front lines, looked ahead at a scene of utter devastation.

A city completely in ruins, from aerial attacks, artillery, and now to be razed by infantry.

"I... I don't want any of this," I said.

A soldier beside me, with dead eyes, as if he were a killing machine devoid of feelings and humanity stripped away with his uniform, looked at me with disdain.

"What do you think you're doing?" he said.

"I... I don't know what to do."

My eyes were almost welling up with tears, feelings overwhelming me.

"The enemy army razed my city, do you think they showed any mercy to my daughters and wife?" he said.

He grabbed me by the collar, and with tremendous force, delivered a blow that sent me flying.

"Ugh," I groaned as I hit the ground, writhing in pain, rolling almost instinctively, like a worm.

"Damn it, you city folk have no idea what we border people go through in war."

"I don't want... to kill anyone," I said.

He contorted his face like a demon from a classic literature of bygone times.

"Damn you," he said, approaching me, fist clenched.

He seized me by the neck, forcing me to look at the city violently, holding onto my hair.

"Do you think anyone on the other side of the pond would think the same, given the chance to kill you?" he asked.

I remained in helpless silence, saying nothing.

I had perfectly understood what he had tried to tell me.

"Do you think I'm going to pass up the opportunity to avenge my daughters and wife?" he said.

"What did those people we just laid waste to have to do with your family's death? Did you even know them?" i said to him...

"Does that even matter? As long as they bear the same flag, it's enough for me," he said, letting me fall to the ground.

At that moment, I realized there was nothing to do with that guy, you couldn't reason with him.

He moved away from me a little.

Trying to get up, I heard his footsteps approaching me again.

He kicked me, sending me crashing to the ground once more.

I lay there, writhing in pain, trying to breathe.

"If you want to act like a saint, go and look for the wounded, we need people to wash and cook for us."

I spent about ten minutes lying on the ground from the blow.

I could feel his steps moving away, leaving me there.

The unit moved forward, and I lagged behind.

After regaining my strength, I managed to stand up.

My backpack and rifle had fallen far from me, I picked them up and set out to walk towards the city.

I couldn't flee, there were orders for snipers to execute deserters.

I had no choice but to keep advancing, towards the hell that lay ahead of me.

Walking, with some difficulty through the city, I could smell human flesh being roasted by the fire.

Screaming desperately.

"Is anyone alive out there?"

I heard nothing but the sound of human flesh being roasted, buildings finishing collapsing.

I spent around two hours searching for someone alive in the city.

Tears streamed down my eyes, helpless against the smell of death.