Alternatively dribbling the basketball and rolling the wheelchair me and my colleague were somehow managing to keep alive the spirit of the game and were spending our evening with light headed conversations in the paraplegic rehab centre. While rolling my wheelchair suddenly my finger got caught in the rim of the wheel began to bleed. I paused my chase for the ball; Not to get my wound medical treatment but some precursory wounds got salted up seeing the blood on my finger.

I am not in practice to philosophize incidents happening around me but these drops of blood left my heart overflowing with compassion and anger for me and my colleague. Our reliable shoulders, our sprinting legs and our fearless armed hands were serving the borders and preventing enemies from invading our motherland. We were supposed to raise shelling in three segments depending upon the scenario. It was a bright sunny day we were marching towards are base camps after stocking up water supplies from the outskirts of the village. We were armed enough always to meet any kind of circumstances and were alert enough to defuse any of the conspiracies being laid in front of us but suddenly ...

A white loud flash is what I remember which changed everything...


White loud flash made our stealthy steps stagger around
&
The hidden introvert landmines left our troops bleeding,
some laid lifeless all astound...

We struggled to resist the unconsciousness ascending our nerves
&

Our strengths were almost drowning remembering our oath,
agonized yet invincible our wounded bodies swerves..

Our exemplary and dignified attires were turning all muddy
&
Decaying and covered with carrions,
laid my childhood buddy…

Regrets were not of getting wounded while serving for the nation
But
For turning our reliable extremities to rely onto chiseling compensation
For being our kids hobbling inspiration
&
For being unsung heroes lying in paraplegic situations

©Anmol Singhal