Half the Picture

By:
Asterin Blackbeak 13 & Prarthana Modi
==From a Girl to a Soldier==
Sahar was playing tag outside, with her friends until she saw the king's forces coming closer towards the City she ran back home. "Father! They're here" she cried in terror as tears filled her eyes last year it had been her brother and the other boys in the neighborhood, now she was turning eight and it was her turn. "Run, you know where your uncle lives, cross the river and don't look back" her father told her with a calm voice, but it was too late they were already at the door. The captain knocked. Her father told her to hide and so she did. He opened the door, "Evening captain" but the captain ignored him and walked in looking around "where is she?" He asked, she was holding her breath. Her father told him that she had gone lost in the market few days back, but the captain ordered to search the house, in that second her father drew his sword and she ran to the back door but one of the solider caught her she started kicking and screaming but he didn't let go. The captain told her father to drop the sword but her father pressed it against the nearest solider "Let my daughter go! " the captain gave a lazy wave to take her away, she screamed and tried to escape, she tried to kick the soldier holding her but nothing helped, her father killed the nearest solider, in rage and then attacked the captain but he got outnumbered quickly. 
The captain kneeled down in front of her father and grinned "Don't worry she'll be taken care of" he striked his sword through her father's chest and she closed her eyes not able to watch, then the captain ordered the house to be burned to the ground and everything with it to show what happens when one does not follow the orders of the king. 
She woke up startled, she saw that dream every year, same day but it never got less painful. It had been eight years since her life had been ruined. She checked the time, it was almost three in the morning. She had to get up or she would be punished.She quickly got dressed and made her bed and waited for the daily check, no mistakes were forgiven. For every mistake they were severely punished. 
She filed along with the other kids in the assembly room. The Captain came there and they all bowed down. Sahar was shifting from foot to foot as she was still nervous. She missed her old life terribly, she wanted to feel her father's soft kiss on her forehead before sleeping every night. She had been so lost in her thoughts she didn't hear the announcement at all. She hadn't even noticed that everyone was staring at her and the Captain had walked up to her. 
she snapped back into reality. She took in what was happening and saw fifteen kids standing separately. "Where is your attention soldier? I have been taking your name since so long, and stand straight." He told her to go and stand with the other fifteen kids, she obliged but was very tense because she didn't know the reason.
Category:Short Stories
Category:Story