Twenty One

Then came always an occasional riffle shot echoing from some distant place where nervous and hopeless soldiers were residing. No soldier was sure to survive the next moment. They were at fix. These fearful soldiers who were in different camps had reduced in their numbers and at intervals; they shot into the air for self-defense.  There was silent, too deep and strong that only the night insect and wind could travel with a swift noise. Then few slept again. Soon they were awakened again by a challenge sentry in the distance, then a second challenge from Isala the head of General Kofi's body guards and the generalissimo. He never meant harm. Everyone was awake again. It was a period that goes with war. Gun answered gun, bombing answered booming. On the surface, Vador was losing the war to Kandala and the occupation forces were everywhere in the countryside. Since most of the fathers had gone off to fight, there was no one at home to protect the families.

" We have killed without conscience. We have killed those we were not supposed to kill; our friends, comrades and brothers. The losses of the opposing side are many, our fallen comrades. They are big loss and the innocent children we forced them to recruit are gone ". Isala whispered to a fellow soldier in the pitch darkness.

" Will there ever be perfect peace. We have killed many souls. We have killed more than we can count and matched on them" he replied.

" The war has ruined us for everything. Nothing makes peace more desirable than to reflect on the horrors of war. Like many other wars, there had been much bloodshed under the eyes of the sun" another said.

" The best thing to do in time of war is to stop it"

They all understood it. They saw the impact of their many shooting; their many killings. The stupidity and futility of obeying the last order. It was a time for silence and sober reflection to think of these and many years it would take to heal. Then a shot boomed; almost heard in a close range. It was another time to stand up for defense against enemy attack. The best thing to do was to remove the smoking wood and seek for a perfect comfort. From that moment, Isala armed to the teeth that General Kofi must be eliminated.

It was purely a matter of chance that most of these young men were still alive, they might had been hit by anything – straying bullet, intentional firing, booming and physical combat. Army! A hard knock profession. It was no place to chat, complain, parade or ask needless question. It was place to learn order, to know order and to obey order.

Armed to the teeth with all vibrancy of a young soldier, he soldered on for any eventuality. It was a sure truth that he was more wiling to face the future either with a grand prospect or to die, the limit of mans endurance was soon reached. What was the meaning of life after all? He volunteered for this soul-saving mission against his lord, because the continuance of his colleagues in the profession and peace of the entire region affected by the war was more important to him than his own life and that of his master. He now had a change of heart. There is an element of godliness and goodness in every man. He was regretting saying sorry in his heart that he had caused many to die, men like him with flesh, mind and blood. It was time for action. No delay would be necessary. It was time to save the situation to save many who were on the death list.  Many trusted ears had been privately informed on the plan. Many his seniors, but he had upper height in the profession, because he had been called into service by a strong force.

On the next few days, General Kofi was no more. His plane had gone on a reconnaissance mission in the enemy territory on the far East and never returned, and no news of what happened to the plane or the General on board was heard afterward.