27.2.06

Toy Soldier - a Monologue


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The Night is cold, freezin cold. It’s some goddamn cathedral. All tht is left of it were the pillars and the obliterated walls. Some one had smoked the holy lord right outta his cross. I’m sitting near where the altar was before and I looked up. I could see the stars. Such scenery! I have always loved gazin at the stars back home with Irene. She was the one who would always guess the correct constellations. Truly I never acted being wiser with her. She knew every bit bout me. My past, my ambition to join the force, my dream to have a hood of my own…she knew it all. Surprisingly it was hers as well. With her backing me up, I never had the problem to convince my hommies when I got posted to Iraq. Being a shrink; she knew exactly how to convince them. She promised me tht she will be there to take care of them. She was always stronger and more levelheaded. Pity why she chose me!

The air was warm and smoky and all I could breathe were gun powders and petro-canisters. I am tired. My ankle is swollen for good. Walkin our way through the plateaus for the roundabout I must have been badly wounded. They were expecting us alright! It was the longest evening of my life. Everyone I came to know of in these few months fell to their knees one after the other. Even Charlie! Or tht’s how I used to call him. He was pretty messed up when I found him in the bunkers holdin tight to his gewehr 33/40 breathing hard. Blood oozin through is vocal. He was in pain. Or at least tht’s what the scream meant. When I reached for him, he must’ve been half dead or was getting there. I eased out his helmet. He wanna speak but tht shell in his chord was only making things worse. He searched his pockets and handed me his wallet. I opened it to find a photo of a dame and a nine month old. Charlie probably wanted me to let his lady know tht he wasn’t coming home. Or may be he wanted me to see how his baby boy was looking. All innocent and cuddly on his momma’s lap seeing straight into my eyes. I wouldn’t know for sure. I held Charlie close till he was gone.

I lay right next him exhausted and sleepy. I couldn’t take it no more. I wished it all end. I wished I could go back! Back to Irene! I looked around and nothing seems to make sense. How did I get my self into this? I wasn’t too sure. I checked my cartridge and had almost exhausted my pack. I was thirsty. I checked for the cognac. It was empty. I remember! I hadta give it to Marv when the infantries found him in the gutter. He must’ve gotten ejected outta some land mine explosion. Both his legs looked like minced meat.
Hell yeah he was in pain! The medic had not seen such a mess. We hadta tox him so the medics can do their work. Marv was a brave man. He knew what was coming. Taking the cognac,in one shot ol’marv smiled at me and said “Tis ones on ya sarge!”

Its tht same chill feeling again! Only this time much colder! I must be blackin out. My head was spinning and I couldn’t see clear. I was hungry I guess. Funny my stomach was paining and my hip was wet and warm. It musta been so, for an hour or more. Must’ve been a leech suckin away my blood and withering off before I could even realize. All I could sense is some kinda punctured mark. A nauseating feeling crept in. I…wanna...Close my eyes!...I wanna...go back!...I...

10 Comments:

Blogger Φ said...

Truly brillant.. never thought you would write such a piece, am awestruck.

..

5:05 PM  
Blogger che sara sara said...

ohhhh...it was breath taking...
u r just awesome writer vidhu

6:50 PM  
Blogger Vidhu Venkat said...

@ Φ : hahaha Thanx broah. glad u liked em! it was jus an experiment

@ Sophia: Thanx a lot dear...and so are u :))

@ Dem: Its musta been a while...Thanx for droppin by

10:19 AM  
Blogger Rajesh Rajoo said...

voyager! that's wild.

9:12 PM  
Blogger Vidhu Venkat said...

@ I.T: Its actually frightening tht somewhre this might be actually happening! ...sheesh!!

9:59 AM  
Blogger shooting star said...

that wa brilliant....great blog

9:23 AM  
Blogger che sara sara said...

vidhu...what happ..busy with work..long brk??

4:25 PM  
Blogger Vidhu Venkat said...

@ Shooting star: hey thank you...and so is urs

@ sophia: yaar...it has been long indeed...offlate m more into scribbling pixels :)) chk my other blog and thanx as always for visitng my humble space

8:42 AM  
Blogger Mark IV said...

cathedral?? in iran?? cool... no wonder u cld see the stars!!!!!

good read though

12:07 AM  
Blogger Vidhu Venkat said...

@ Markiv: first of all it was iraq...and secondly to answer ur question...in ur own words ...woi not???

jus to enlighten u a bit on cathedrals in iraq..we have the gr8 chaldean and not to forget the armenian-rite cathedral...and list goes on

dont worry i did my homewrk..thanx for droppin by though

10:55 AM  

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