SIGN OF LIFE
"Appear weak when you are strong but strong when you are weak" SUN TZU
.....................
In a village north of Egypt, a bandit watched with glee as his leader dragged the old village head by the hair to the centre of the village.
"The time we gave you have elapsed old man" his leader boomed
"Where is the food we are owed?"
A young woman who was obviously his daughter ran to the old man who was choking on his breath, and cried
"The tax collectors took everything last month. We don't have anything left "
The rest of their group who had been searching the village returned with empty buckets and barrels.
"She speaks the truth leader" one of the searchers said
"The village is empty"
"Empty?" The bandit cried in false horror
"It can't be empty we need food"
Already most bandits knew what happens to a village that is empty and all of them were looking forward to it.
The leader approached the old man, gripped his collar and placed a dagger on his neck. The woman tried to break his grip but a strong blow from him ended her efforts.
"This is your last chance to save your village old man" he cried
"Do you have anything hidden?"
The old man simply looked at him the way a mouse would look at a lion
"Then you have made your choice" the leader said as he stood up
The bandit's heart was filled with joy at the order he knew was coming
"Sack the village" he cried
"but leave that one for me"
As soon as the order was given, the bandit and his friends rushed into the village with the intention of looting and rapeing. However when they entered the village they found that all the young men and women had already left, leaving only the ill, old and grievously injured.
In their annoyance they began to burn the various houses they could find and kill those unlucky enough to be left behind.
In one of the houses the bandit found a seven years old girl who was sitting on a mat with a confused expression on her face. From the amount of blood on the mat ,It was clear the girl was injured but she did not look like she was in pain.
If she was in pains why did she not go with the others?
The bandit tossed that thought to the back of his mind as he prepared to mount her. Usually the bandit did not like riding children but he was so heavy that this skinny girl with deep blue eyes would do it for him.
If only he had paid more attention he would noticed the defiance in her eyes.
If only he had paid more attention he would have noticed the dagger in her hand...
before she drove it into his throat.
.......................
When I finally opened my eyes the first thing I noticed was the distinct smell of blood around me. The room I was in was scattered and it was crystal clear its occupants had left in a hurry.
As for the reason why, I did not have to guess long as I could hear the sounds of struggle outside.
I don't know if it was my military intuition but the struggle outside confirmed two important things to me. First, that wherever I was was under attack and second that I needed a way to defend myself.
If you think placing me in a conquered city is the worst thing I have ever seen then you have no idea who I am devil.
I quickly armed myself with a small dagger that I picked up from the room and laid down on a mat in order to appear injured or ill. I had not looked in a mirror yet but from what I could tell of my arms and legs, my body was not very strong so my best chance against an armed opponent was ambush.
Just like I thought one of the invaders entered the room and I found myself sorely disappointed at the state of his equipment.
Even though he was armed with a sword and a dagger there was nothing else separating him from a common civilian. He had no armour, his sword was poorly maintained and he lacked the discipline of even the newest recruits.
It was then I realised that this was not a soldier but rather this was a bandit and I must be in an isolated village as bandits never attacked cities.
From the leering look in his eyes I knew what he wanted to do to me but I did not survive the hellfire of Afghanistan to be raped here so when I saw that he was not paying me much attention, (why should he really) I waited until he was close enough and drove my dagger deep into his neck. The poor fool could not even utter a last word as he choked on his own blood.
With that one dead I took hold of his sword and rushed outside fully ready to fight. However what I saw on the battlefield made it clear that any hope of winning this fight was futile.
The bandits were having a field day, the villagers were being butchered and because they knew that the villagers could not defend themselves the bandits were not even trying to hit their vital spots.
All the young men and women whom I could have rallied to defend the village were gone and the oldies seemed content to sacrifice themselves rather than fight.
Seeing how hopeless the situation was I decided to do the most reasonable thing. I knew I was not some powerful immortal hero who could take down armies by myself so I did what I've always done when confronted with impossible odds
I ran back into the house and hid until the conflict passed.