Endless War

It was Dina’s 11th birthday. The best time of the year for the whole family. They would do lots of planning, shopping and fun. On Sunday morning, Dina with her parents and her little 4 year old sister, Mishka went out for a day out. After a lot of shopping family stopped for eating ice-cream. Looking through the big glass fridge Dina is unable to decide which flavour to go with? “Should I order Strawberry like always or try the new bubble gum flavour?” Dina kept on thinking. Finally she settles for bubble gum for herself and strawberry for Mishka. As Daddy and Dina carried ice creams scoops for all, suddenly a big bang and smoke covered up the clear sky.

After sometime Dina came to her senses, with her ear still occupied with sound of big bang. All she could see fire, smoke and all messy. She tried to get up but seems her leg was injured. Limping in deep pain she cried out name of her family members. But hardly could find anyone. All around were bodies deeply wounded, people crying in pain and calling names of their families?

Dina has never seen something this terrible before. She kept on crying and screaming mommy and Daddy. Slowly she looked how people were checking the faces of the dead lying all over. She immediately copied them and scanned faces of everyone around. Imagine a 10 year old limping and searching for life in the heap of bodies. It was almost impossible to find anything. 

Soon the sirens of fire brigade, ambulance and many other vehicles replaced the boom sound in her ears. A nurse came to pick Dina and carried her to ambulance. Dina kept crying that she can’t leave without others. But all went in vain. Later she was given a shot and few pills which knocked her off. Next time when she opened her eyes she was in a refugee camp. She has heard of this in few of her stories. But this camp in real was more painful and scary. There was lot of blood all around. She wanted it to be like a bad dream which would get over once she got up.

As she saw the same nurse, she asked her if they found her family members. The nurse wrote the details of her each member. By evening Dina was totally broken from inside. For the first time she was spending so many hours in loneliness. She cried and cried. Finally the nurses gave her another shot and she slept for next few hours. In her dreams Dina saw herself celebrating princess theme birthday with everyone. Her house was full of laughter and giggles. As she opened her eyes, the morning sun light made her pupil dilate. “Where am I?” she kept screaming. With her plastered leg she kept dragging herself around the camp. Everyone was talking about war, cribbing over the loss and so on. At a distance she saw a tent with toddlers in it. She rushed towards the tent. Almost crawling she entered the tent hoping to see Mishka. At a corner she saw pink frock little girl, it must be Mishka. The on duty nurse helped her walking. Oh it was Mishka, her hand and head were covered in bandages, much bigger ones. Dina had teary ears and a big smile.

“Is my sister alive?” she asked. It was in last 24 hours that Dina smiled. She touched Mishka and sat behind her. Dina had lost so much in one day but finding her sister was like the best thing for her.

The days passed, many patients were recovering but to Dina’s dismay more were been dead. She hated the word war. Such a small word has toppled her cheerful world to desolation. After a week a team of doctors came to visit the camp. Dr. Ahmed saw Dina sitting next to a baby girl. Dina herself was bruised and fractured but she has almost elapsed about her pain seeing her sister.

Dr. Ahmed talked with Dina and was so much traumatized by knowing how much her world was distorted at such a young age. He made arrangements to get Dina and Mishka shift to a better hospital. It took days for Mishka to recover and talk properly.

One day a man name Mr. P. Das came to visit Dina and Mishka. He was quite a personality. He asked Dina about her future plans which off course Dina had nowhere? He asked them to come with him. Seems Mr Das has lost his wife and daughter in the same war. The pain which both Dina and Mr Das held in their hearts was same. Dina sighed and agreed. She dint want to go, but there was no place to move next. Once Mishka would recover she had to leave the hospital and face the world.

Dina packed few of her belongings; most of them were donated by civilians for the victims. Shoes, few oversized clothes, comb, two cups and a doll.

Mr Das arrived at the hall, Dina was not sure if she was taking precise verdict for herself and her sister. But there was no plan B this time. 

As she was about to leave, she heard Dr. Ahmed’s voice, “Good luck brave heart. Go make your life.” Seems Dr, Ahmed has arranged this new family reunion.

The auto stopped outside a small house. Looking at the interiors it seemed someone has not touched it since the war. It was the new house for this new family formed in the most unfortunate circumstances.

It took a lot of time for Dina and Mishka and Mr Das to adjust with each other. But the common pain and aloofness quickened the process. They all were trying to break the big ice between them.

Everyone missed their own members but they even consoled each other. They started moving on. Dina and Mishka went to school, not a fancy one like they has before. But what to compare with something which now does not exists.

As Dina learnt how different wars have been proven to be fatal in past and are still being so threatening, she only dreamt of a world without any war.

Every night she would sleep in a hope that next morning she would wake up in her old house, her mother preparing spaghetti for her, father reading the newspaper and Mishka playing in her cosy bed.

But deep inside she knew, she is just being stupid thinking about the impossible. After all how can one be happy if it’s a WAR?