The rain freezes my blood,

The chill rifle scalds my palm,

The silence rings of subdued terror,

The scene seems to be painted a nightmarish hue.

There’s a premature smell of death in the air:

The stench of bodies yet to fall.

The freezing air seems to hold its breath:

pregnant with the impending wails of loved ones.

There’s no turning back now,

Too many people are depending on me.

My brothers and sisters of my motherland

trust me to keep them safe,

So that our children will live to see another day.

My brothers in arms are counting on me,

To stand beside them in combat,

Reassuring our faith in our shared cause.

It’s my honor to defend my country.

It’s not the pain or death that frightens me,

It’s the unknown beyond death.

My Life flashes in front of my eyes:

Images of friends and family,

Sounds of shared laughter and tears.

So much yet to do,

So much yet to feel,

But it might all end tonight.

In a few moments,

The war cries will tear my eardrums,

Shouted warnings will be lost in all the noise,

And death may choose my comrade beside me,

Or it might decide upon me today.

I guess it’s a good thing we promised each other,

To drag back the remains of the one who didn’t make it.

The first shot is fired,

The journey to the end has begun.