WAR...where does it end

Everybody was scared. There was darkness all around, and there was not a sound to be heard except-the heavy heart-beats of the terror stricken people. There it lay. The valley. The beautiful valley. The most serene in all of Kashmir. There it lay in total darkness. The trees were quiet. the waters of the lake were still. The birds did not sing as they always did. Still was every thing except- the minds of the people, who had never seen life beyond this valley of theirs that they called home. This was new. Such fear, such uncertainty, such trauma-had never shown its face here, in the valley of paradise. But now three tiny little letters seem to have ripped their lives apart -WAR. This is their story. The story of the people of the valley of Ladakh. The story lived by these innocent lives every single day of their existence, which will one day cease in the plot of this very story. As this scenario was observed by the eastern slopes of the valley, there was another situation on the west. The Border Security force of India had its eyes and ears open for the enemy. the enemy that in no way was differnt from the defendent. The enemy that once was their own brother. It was almost midnight. A hundred and forty soldiers were posted at different hiding places.All these men clad in khaki uniforms with leaves and paint all over their faces were armed with the most dangerous guns. Each one of them was determined to kill his 'enemy', to sacrifice their lives for their 'country'. The two countries or even the whole world had its fingers crossed- not knowing whatwould happen next. Millions of people went to bed that night awaiting a new dawn, with prayers in their hearts, hoping to see a dove flying high in the sky. The minds of the soldiers,-' jawans' as they were known making youth the epitome of bravery, which seemed in itself to be a sarcasm for was'nt war just a frivulous act born out of unthought aggression like the blind passions of youth?-the minds of these jawans were no less restless. they shivered in the cold...but in their hearts burnt a fire of anger. For what and who....they no not. All they know is that the nation needs them to shed blood. And they would do it for the nation. If only they had a broader definition of 'nation'.....