A Soldier Story – The Comeback
(Note: Image does not illustrate or has any resemblance with characters depicted in the story)
Photo credit: keeshu from morguefile.com
Rohan Verma was standing upright and still, his eyes were swollen and red due to lack of sleep. The temperature had gone so low that he could feel the chills along his spine as the wind blew. Each breath he exhaled gave him warm sensation of being alive. Among the few people in his squad he was the one who took over the night watch of the guard post near Siachen glacier at temperatures sometimes soaring below 0.
Standing at 6ft 2in Rohan had deep brown eyes, black hair and an athletic build that every girl would dream of. He was very charismatic, intelligent and always had a way with the words. People around him adored him, but Meera was the only person whom he had greatest regard and a very special place in his heart, because he could always be the person he is and never choose his words to be impressive around her and yet be loved for being himself. Though he had a great academic record it was always his childhood dream to serve the country by joining the Indian Army. Meera always feared this; she wouldn’t want the only person in her life staying hundreds of kilometers away. After all, how on earth can she be happy when the person she loved is involved in the risk of warfare.
He still remembered the day when he boarded the train from his little town being happy and terrified at the same time; anxious to reach his goal and finally do what he wanted from the day he made up his mind to join the army. The only thing that bothered him was the fact that he won’t be seeing her every day, being unable to hear her soothing voice. Even though she was not happy with him leaving, she never uttered a word to him regarding this and always said “Whatever makes you happy”. That day her heart was beating so loudly that she could hear them as she watched the train moving slowly and him waving at her. She kept on watching as the train disappeared at a distance while she sunk down to her knees.
His troop was stationed 20 miles downstream of Siachen Glacier and about 2 miles north of a little village called Warshi. That night was like every other, just pitch darkness and the cold wind buzzing. Sipping the rum now and then from the metal flask really did help him to beat the cold; but that wouldn’t help keeping him awake. In weather conditions like that one can fall asleep and die of hypothermia. Amidst the haunting silence, there was a loud explosion. He could see a pillar of smoke rising to south of his post, he was sure that it was from Warshi.
He started running towards the village while gasping for breath as it is really hard for anyone to run while their legs are covered in 2ft of snow and inhaling the cold air. Few more explosions followed, after running for 15 mins the village was visible at distance. All of the sudden he saw a shell hit just 10-11ft in front of him, before he could react the damn shell exploded, sweeping him of his feet. Though landing was soft due to the snow, a huge chunk of hot shrapnel from the shell hit his face scaring and scorching. The pain was unbearable; another piece of shrapnel had pierced his right thigh and left him immobilized.
Rohan wanted to scream like he had never done before but he couldn’t even make a small sound. He was just lying there in agonizing pain just like a dead animal, unable to move, unable to scream. His heart started to slow down and his brain started to shut off due to the pain. He could see a bright light and from the sky and Meera slowly walking towards him. He saw Meera sitting beside him, She took his head on her lap running her hands through his hair. Tears rolled through his eyes, for what is a better way to die than in the arms of the loved ones. He slowly closed his eyes while watching her smile and stroking his hair.
He woke up screaming due to the pain, shivering uncontrollably. He felt people restraining him and a cold needle pierce his arm before he blacked out. A week later he woke up with a heavy head and unable to feel his body, dazed and no sense of his own whereabouts. He could make out the small room, white sheets covering him and smelt anesthetics; he was in hospital for god sake. He felt his bandage covered face but he was unable to move his right leg. Few weeks later the bandages were removed he went to check his face in the mirror and it was a horror. Most of his face burnt due to the hot metal which clung on to his face from the explosion. He couldn’t recognize the person in the mirror, he was in disbelief and horrified at the image that formed in it; his mind just went blank.
He looked at the letters which he had got when he was unconscious for a week. What would Meera say? Rohan knew she would cry her eyes out looking at him. What if she won’t be able to even identify the same old person behind this horrific face? What would he do and where would he go without her? With all these questions haunting him, he wrote a letter saying “He would be returning home after a week.”
He boarded the first train he could find once the army relived him so that he can recover faster. After a long journey, he reached his hometown. He got down onto the platform with his languages in his left hand and a clutch under his right arm searching for her, hoping that she would have come to receive him.
Few minutes later he felt a hand on his shoulder right shoulder, letting go of his baggage he put his hand on top. He was sure it was hands of the same woman of whom he was searching for past three to four minutes. Turning slowly a tear rolled down on to his cheek running up and down the ridges formed from the burns. Seeing her it was like people around him paused for a moment, he was waiting for her to speak something. Meera hugged him tightly and he could hear her soft voice “I love you, Son”.
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