War Has Begun

• Molly Russell, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2014

My skin was burnt and blistered from the beating sun up above. Sweat runs down my brow, I feel alive. I have had many adventures in my life but none compare to this. Standing at the front line, hearts beating, fists clenching. You never feel more alive than when you are at the brink of death. Many will forfeit, many will die, but we all know at the end of the day it was worth it. I had lost it all, my family, my kids and my husband, so I had nothing left to lose. The ground begins to tremble, we hear the swords being drawn. The horses charge on the battle front, it was war. We charge at the battle front, our feet pounding the ground. A rush of adrenalin propels me forwards. I was leading the battle. My sword is my only hope. I begin bashing men off their horses, every man I killed just made me feel more alive. I scream at the top of my voice as I slash the last man off his horse. We had won but still I felt something was missing. I think of all the families in horror of what I've done. I was a monster, a killing machine. Anytime someone heard my name they would stand in horror of my gigantic ego and my views that war was the only way to fix things. But it's not, I didn't want to be remembered like this. I want to be the hero not the villain. I think of what my husband and kids are thinking of me now, how could they be proud. This is not right, it is not right for anyone to go through the pain and suffering that I did. War is not an option, it is an act of cruelty. I won't go back, I will never go back.