Coming home Essay

12 November 2009, 740 am. The sky was clear, the mighty sun replaced the dawn dew with its radiant illuminating rays. Daud woke to the routine call to prayer, he rubbed his blurry optic and looked around him, exhaled and rubbed his look over again as if trying to wake up to the sprightliness of his mothers cooking instead he is still haunted by his Kalashnikov in effort of him. He jumped out of his hammock and strapped on his heavy apparatus on his shoulders and walked to location he was instructed last night. He climbed hills and disfigured rocks with his torn, worn out sandal effortlessly regular the weight of his enormous weapon did not charge up him.Daud came across a itty-bitty tea pass w here(predicate) a conclave of gray-headed bearded hallowed hands sit counting beads on a line of string with their fingers and sip descentg tea. One gentleman looked at Daud, grinned and proudly said Asalam waaliekum. Asalam waaliekum? Peace be upon you? What peace did they spe ak of? These hands were clearly brainwashed and blind toward humanity. Daud bit his spitting and nodded reluctantly. He in the long run climbed the last hill for the get together and axiom his fellow young mujahedeens loading their guns and weft a number of pickup trucks with ammunition and explosives. It looked desire their going for yet another polishing ramp be on. practiced another day kill or be killed. Daud Karzais parents and home was snatched from him at the young age of 11 when the Taliban stormed the northern region of Banu near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. The Taliban took pull wires and scavenged Dauds village, they captured all those who opposed them and burned d let the houses go forth nothing scarcely ashes and memory hind end. They, sensation-by- unmatchable, executed the men who did not share their fanatic mission of ranch strict sharia law. Dauds mother was go forth a widow that day. His father had collapsed lifelessly on the hard ground soaked i n his own blood.His mother left to stare motionlessly at his body is if it were an abyss. Daud was tied and placed on one of the Taliban pick-up trucks in such a po moldion that he could hang the traumatizing expression of his mother. Completely petrified, Daud could not make up utter simple words rather move. The Taliban quenched their amusement and drove off with Daud on the re chief(prenominal)s seeing his life change in a matter minutes. His eyes consistently staring at the aftermath and especially his mother who lifted her eyes towards Daud with the utmost effort, as if life had been sucked out of her.They twain look into for for each one one others eyes trying to make sense of what just happened, millions of questions abuzz in their minds what now? , will we ever see each other again? Why us? , is God punishing us? And just alike(p) that Dauds life changed. The trucks at the rendezvous smirch were about ready it was just a matter of date ahead they leave. Daud sa w one of his fellow pass, Jeddah, sit undermentioned to a small lake a fashion from the group and went to sit with him. Salaam, are you alright? Daud asked. Jeddah turned his head, looked at him unused in the eye and regarded him with frustration.Sorry realising how duncish his question was. They sat on that point for a slice gazing the clear water. Jeddah sighed and finally broke the silence Ifif you had a chance, what would you wanna be when you grow up? He asked, facial expression straight as if talking to himself. Ummwell I never thought about it tho a pilot I guess . What about you? .. I loved my family especially my grandfather, he was my everythinghe suffered a stroke a few years past and passed away.. they all passed away. , they said he could survive if we could afford a doctor ..I vowed to be a doctor after that day so I can try to go against people from dying I wanted to lessen grieving and bring happiness to people.. Hahaha ironic isnt it? Im sitting here saying I want to be a life saver yet I kill irreproachable charwoman and fryren for no goodish motive He forced a smile on his lawsuit and looked at the lake vaguely. As he did a tear sparkled down his cheek, trying to res carry from himself from rupture down he exhaled with the easiness of expressing his emotions. No one wanted this life, they were forced to grapple the lives of innocent men and woman every day for no good reason.They could have been kicking a footballs instead they held guns for the aforementioned(prenominal) men who killed their families. Our group leader gave a harsh- partingd roar, signalling us to gather at the rendezvous point and depart for their holy mission. The leader of Dauds group was know as mullah, a man who has learned and preaches Islamic law, he was a broad, tall man with a dark beard reaching his collarbone. He wore veritable(prenominal) Afghani attire but with an armed vest, which handled grenades, a machete and a pistol, not to ment ion he had an ak-47 strapped on his shoulder as well.His turban was obtuse and dorsumed his ears , dangling from the hold up of his turban was a green torn scarf which he at times persist ined his nose and mouth with to conceal his identity. His voice was deep and demanding, perfect for a man with authority. He commanded us to be seated and the drivers to drive. There were third pick-ups, seven men sat in each pick-up, five in the car itself and two on the trunk armed and ready. We were heading for a commercialised expanse known as Zamaza where we were hinted that U. S forces made camp.Everyone in the pick-ups was aware that this day could be their last including Daud and Jeddah yet everyone was calm and ready to face cobblers last as if they were destined to. But could expiry be the destiny of an 11 year old boy who was been hide away from the world and surrounded by only acts of violence and turmoil. Which raises the question in Dauds mind what is my purpose in life? Is this what I was born to do? . The camp was not distant now. Zamaza was home to m all businesses which revolved around world all-embracing affairs including aid and funds from U. S and the Pakistani government.It was surrounded by trade ways stretching to Pakistan and Kabul. Daud and Jeddah sat on the trunk and watched out for any signs of lallygag or potential assaults. The elder mujahedeens sat in the back seat and talked to each other along the way, unaware that Daud and Jeddah could easily observe them. One of the men sparked the conversation regarding a render camp near the border where homeless woman and children were cared for and protected by the Pakistani government. Daud senses heightened, he could not resist eavesdropping on their conversation. Could my mother be there?He whispered to himself. His thoughts were sharply interrupted with a thunderous blast. The truck laughingstock Dauds was completely blotted out any remains was enveloped in flames. The battle had started. The Americans had launched a missile from one of the Zamaza buildings. Mullah ordered us to contract back and fire at the buildings not considering any innocent men and woman there. Rapid cross-firing act till our trucks had reached the mouth of the firmament. The Talibans firing had pushed back the Americans allowing the mujahedeens to rush and take cover behind the buildings.The opposition had placed barracks and snipers without the main road. Only a fool would expose himself openly. The area investout was very simple, the main road divided the area in half, the east wing was were the Taliban had taken cover while the west wing was the oppositions. Mullahs designing and orders were as senseless as his mind, kill everyone and take control of this land. Daud and Jeddah firmly held on to their guns and took cover behind a bank. Bullets pierced through the walls, rumble flew everywhere, and innocent cries echoed within the alleys.Mullah and the others moved from buildi ng to building in order to get as close to the Americans as possible. Daud and Jeddah sat still till the building next to them was blasted with grenades the aftermath blocked all directions exclude one the west wing. They had to move. Duad and Jeddah run through the alleys in effort to find a way out of the area. They crawled under prodigious destroyed cover surfaces to catch their breaths. The bullets flew in all direction and they knew the concrete cannot hold them for long. Daud peeked from a gap created from the bullets, a U.S soldier was crouched beside a building and aiming in the direction diametric of them.Daud watched as the soldier calmly inhaled and exhaled enhancing his accuracy. Dauds eyes followed where he pointed his rifle, in the distance Mullah sat reloading his gun behind a wall. The soldier laid-off and in an pulse Mullahs blood splashed across the wall. Watching soul Die was a traumatising experience but Mullahs death gave Daud liberation, a feeling which was snatched from him. Jeddah heard the gunshot and at present fight backed he pointed his gun at the soldier, he hesitated but eventually he pulled the trigger.His gun gave a out loud click. He had no ammo. The soldier reacted to the click and right away turned back and pointed his gun at Jeddah, who lay their petrified, impetuously Daud pointed his gun at the soldier and fired in effort to kill him before he kills Jeddah. Daud was too late. The bullet pierced through Jeddahs head spilling out blood and exposing his skull. Daud had seen death before but not inches away from him he saw how instantly life is taken away in a matter of seconds. Jeddahs eyes were wide open and stared motionlessly at the sky.Daud gently pushed his eye lids down and glared at his blood stained weapon and realised death would be his inevitable circumstances if he continued to stay here. Hardly audible, Daud hears a loud siren, he focuses on the sound. It was a locomote train. Determined to escape, Da ud follows the sound of the train. Dashing through small rumbles and alleys, the volume of the siren increases. He reaches a dead end wall but behind it he was certain he would find the tracks. He had to react quickly the train was approaching nearer and nearer. He looked around him and found one of the mujahedeens body crashed under the rumble.He crawled under the large debris and reached in his vest and retrieved a grenade. Daud pulled the pin and threw the grenade at the wall. The blast created a large jam from which Daud climbed out off. The train was about to cross Zamaza, Daud sprinted to the tracks and stood a position from which he could jump in the despatch coach. Daud looked behind him, the smoke from the numerous grenades covered the Zamaza, cracks of quick gunfire continued in the distance. The train finally came, Daud jumped successfully onto the cargo coach. He finally escaped.The train was going to Pakistan from a popular trade route which was controlled by the Pak istani army. The journey took several hours but Daud was grateful. He remembered the conversation he had overheard about the relief camp in Pakistan and was certain was mother was there. He reached Pakistan on 13th November. Daud searched the relief camps tirelessly, and there among thousands of detached families he found her. The U. N supplied funds, aids and a home. Daud lived with his mother at the camps for two years. Today he works with UNICEF to rescue and bring hope to child soldiers around the world.