Vanilla Sky

Siachen is freezing at minus 30 and it is just 6 PM. I look at the sky which is blue with a tint of pink. I get reminded of the Vanilla Sky painting of Monet she showed me on net.

"Do you have your location?" buzzed the walkie talkie in my hand.
"They are at our 3 O Clock at the pre confirmed location. Send back up now." I had made it fast than I had thought.
If I complete this operation successfully, we will be able to finish another band of infiltrators across the border which we are now going to eliminate based on a tip off.
"Major Ravi. So what are the plans after this?" asked the soldier on my left.
Plans? Man, Don't distract me now. I have a business to finish and home to get back to. Lovely parents, caring brother and...someone special. I got engaged just 2 weeks prior to the call and 2 more weeks are left for my marriage. The very thought of returning to home soon makes me feel on sky.

"sir, they are firing now sir." echoes one of my 2 mates. We have to retaliate and keep them there. I figure there are 4 men in that post and they are either terrorists or army men posed as such. We circle them and shoot them as fiercely as possible. Hang on buddy, backup is on its way. As I shoot the last guy I look at his face. Who was he? Few minutes before, he was a soldier. He was a son, possibly a brother, a husband, a father, a tax paying citizen who had a home which used to be filled with laughter and joy in his presence. It would never be the same again. Moments from now an inevitable call will be made to his house which will destroy it beyond imagination and beyond any compensation given.

Unfortunately a gun and a bullet know no religion, race, caste, creed on earth. For them the shooter is the master and the target is a piece of flesh which has to be torn to pieces and blood has to be spilled out. The only common reactions for the victim of a bullet are moans of pain and cry of despair and helplessness. An amazing hell of an invention is this thing. What were his last thoughts? Was he thinking of the past happy times or the could-have-been future? Was he cursing me to rot in hell when he breathed his last?

I joined the army as I believe in protecting my country, but I am no believer in war. Wars are just the games played by political big wigs to satisfy their egos at our expense. We are pawns which can be sacrificed before the checkmate. Sometimes there is no checkmate. Take the wars in Iraq, Srilanka, Kashmir, Israel, Chechenya, Afghanistan...anywhere. Do you think that war is the only solution? What will America get after that whole Iraq war? A few million barrels of oil? How long will it last? What will happen to SriLanka and Kashmir? Why do they want some piece of land which has been soaked red with the blood of thousands of innocent people? If only we all understood that irrespective of any accomplishments in our life we would rest six feet under or be burnt to ashes.....we may consider doing many a things in our living days.

Just a few more minutes and the back up will be on its way. The bodies will be handed over and questions will be asked. I look at the Vanilla Sky....but I am no longer in a mood to enjoy its beauty. Walk away soldier. You have a life to live and another day to die.