You Can't Escape War.

• Jael Wright, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2016

After a hectic and full on day, we set up our night camp, completed with a barbed wire perimeter and strategically placed landmines, as well as a roster for a night piquet, I was overwhelmed by the sound of silence that had not come for what seemed like days.
My group were all lying awake listening to Vietnams nightlife whilst trying to forget the terrors we had seen that day. 0200 hours came and no one had slept. Hours had past and we were all finally dozing off. BOOM! We were all woken by an exploding landmine along the border of the camp. The sound of the enemy screaming as they started coming over the wire scared us all. As terrified as we were, we all knew what we had to do. We grabbed our bayonets and headed towards the compound, guns at the ready. As the enemy came into viewing distance, we all knew what our destiny was.
BANG! WOOSH! I feel a sudden stinging sensation in my ear lobe. I put my hand up to it and feel a warm liquid running down my arm. Just as I’m about to charge forward, I feel a strong force pulling me back. I turn around to see Arjay staring deeply into my eyes. His weak terrified stare told me exactly what he was thinking. We fled from the front line for a safe place to hide. BANG! They had spotted us running and started lobbing grenades at us. BANG! I tripped over bringing Arjay with me. My ears started ringing loudly. Everything was going in slow motion. We get up and start running again. “James!” screams Arjay. I ignore him and keep running. But I can’t. he was grasping onto my leg with all his strength. Blood was gushing out of his leg. I picked him up and slung his arm over my shoulder and start walking to safety. BANG! My back starts raging with pain. I can’t stop now. I must get us to safety. BANG! My lower back becomes agonisingly painful. I fall to the ground. This is it. Goodbye world.