The Sound of Silence

Ryan woke up slowly, distorientated. Still dressed in his uniform, weapon loaded, the young man tried to get his bearings as the first rays of light began to filter through the cracks in the wall that served as his windows to the world. He coughed and exhaled a mouthful of brick dust, wiping tears from his eyes that trailed down his cheeks in ochre-coloured rivulets. A sudden, sharp pain ripped through him and reaching down to his left side, he felt the metal projectile that protruded from his lower stomach. Despite his youth and this being his first deployment, he knew better than to try to remove it. He pressed gently around the edges of the wound, gasping in pain.

Slowly sitting up, he tried to put his thoughts and memories into some semblance of order. He recalled jumping down from the helicopter with his unit, one of many, on the outskirts of a city famous for its mosques and minarets; marching through the deserted streets and wondering how terrified the local civilians must be as they hunkered down in their houses and apartments, praying for a swift end to a conflict they neither wanted nor condoned. They were just people, getting through one day to the next, spending time with their families, mourning the losses they had already endured.

The squadron of six units, eight men apiece, came to a halt as they approached a large, tree-lined square. It should have been teeming with life, residents enjoying the cool breeze of the early evening after the relentless daytime heat, catching up with friends and family, playing cards, eating and drinking at one of the many pavement cafes and restaurants. The silence said it all. In the blink of an eye, the world had changed.

Captain Harris gave silent orders for the squad to split, staying close to the buildings as they crossed the square. Ryan and three of his fellow soldiers moved to the left, ahead of the others going in the same direction. Hearing a sudden noise, Ryan put up a hand, bringing everyone to a standstill. He listened carefully, then turned towards a narrow alleyway. Walking slowly forwards, Ryan realised the sound he was hearing was a gentle whimper. He approached the direction it had come from and found, huddled on an ancient staircase leading up to a narrow building, a small girl, her huge brown eyes full of terror as she looked up at him. It didn't feel good, but nothing about this mission did. Ryan noticed that the door behind the girl was slightly ajar, and as he set foot on the bottom step, the girl shuffled back and up. Reaching into his pocket, Ryan withdrew a lolly and handed it to her. Suddenly, her demeanour changed, and she smiled. The universal language of candy always worked, he thought. Ryan indicated to his team to hold fast and climbed the remaining four steps, pushing the door open cautiously. The blast was almost instantaneous, and the last thing he remembered was falling, crashing through floorboards, blacking out as he hit the ground. Then silence.

Blinking more dust from his eyes as they became accustomed to the shades of dark and light, Ryan looked around the space. His eyes came to rest on a small sandal and, putting his head into his hands, Ryan began to weep.