For the umpteenth time that day, the boy caught himself thinking about lunch. He knew it was a sin to let the mind wander while the Supreme Commander spoke but he did not know how to stop himself.
“At the end of this session, you may check the final list on the notice board. Those selected are truly blessed for they will have the opportunity to be God’s soldiers on earth,” the Commander was saying. The boy clutched his stomach tightly, afraid that the rumbling hunger sounds would reach the Commander’s ears.
As a strong patriot training to fight for a cause, he knew that words like ‘hunger’ were taboo. But when the clock struck 11 and he hadn’t had a morsel of food since 4 am, the mission was the last thing on his mind.
“….our blood for freedom. No more are you teenage boys. You are real men, fighting to get us our rightful share of liberation” the Commander droned on.
The boy suppressed the urge to smile. When the Commander had come to his school to recruit strong young boys for a mission, he had lied about being 14, an addition of two years to his actual age and gotten away with it. It was the happiest moment of his life. He had managed to fool a man who was being chased by an entire army force.
Two of his neighbour’s sons had been picked up by the Commander the year before and they had come back burly and handsome, walking around with guns slung on their shoulders and boasting about the number of heads they had blown off.
The boy couldn’t wait to be one of them. But midway into the lecture when his eyes began to get blurry and the Commander’s face began to resemble a tasty piece of chicken curry, he realised that there was nothing more he wanted in the world than to have a quick bite.
“Oh God…” he prayed silently. “If you love me truly, if I have been a good son to you, then please answer my prayer. Please tell the cook to make chicken for lunch today. Any chicken preparation will do. But please I want to have chicken. Please accept my prayer”.
Meanwhile, the Commander‘s tone had attained urgency.
“… as a soldier, you have only one way to go; forward. Leave no space for fear in your heart. And if by God’s will, you have to lay down your life, do so with the bliss of knowing that you will be accepted with open arms at the gates of heaven by God himself,”.
The Commander paused and took a moment to look into the faces of each one of his young recruits.
“Ask yourself! Do you want to live a life of poverty and misery or do you want to die and achieve salvation?”
“We want to die!” said 25 teenagers in unison.
“May God protect you,” said the Commander signaling the end of the lecture.
Hungry bodies immediately leapt out of their seats and ran towards the notice board.
“As our good wishes, those who have been selected for the mission will be served a course of delicious chicken biryani,” said the Commander as the boy threw his hands in the air and exulted in delight after finding his name in the list.
The Commander looked at him fondly and left the room silently. It would be the boy’s last meal.
Hey Archana,this was a very good piece…innocent,innocuous in the beginning, sinister at the end..twisted ofcourse and too much subtle,if that ain’t an oxymoron!
Do keep writing..u r gooood! I am posting ur blog link on my FB page..