Day 5

While trudging through the forest we had spotted that the loyalists had attacked a village. The sights of all dead bodies made me angry. Although I had never wanted to be involved in the army, seeing what the loyalists did to all these people had changed my perspective greatly. I wanted revenge, I wanted to kill. Then, I didn’t feel like myself anymore. I had so much fear locked up that I didn’t realize how dreadful the loyalists were. Captain Mendoza then told us to start gathering sticks in order to start rituals for the dead. While scavenging for some, I had seen a survivor. She was a girl, and seemed to be badly wounded. I did the only thing I could do, called for help. She was holding something, which we found out was to be her newly born baby brother. As I looked at him, he reminded me of my brother. This baby had brought back great memories in my life, and most importantly, love. Meeting Magdalena and her little brother had changed my whole perspective or war. The loyalists had killed innocent people, for no reason at all. If this was the case then I want to fight. My emotions spilled through me as I tried to think this through thoroughly, but all that came out was war. If this village had been easily attacked, then mother, my sister, and the babies could be headed for next. Anger rushed through me as I imagined the proud faces of the loyalists. No. I couldn’t let that happen. If fighting was going to solve it, then I must fight. Only then did I realize I was someone else. A person who I never knew I could be.

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