Crudity,Command,and sacrifice.

Crudity,Command,and sacrifice.

I dragged my feet across the hard, sandy ground, carefully scanning the dust to avoid the sharp thorns that threatened my bare feet. Up ahead, the water looked tantalizingly close, almost within arm's reach, but that was only true for the adults. For a kid like me, it meant waiting restlessly in a motionless queue behind dozens of people just to get a turn. But an unease had already filled my body. A strange smell stuck in the air, the dark smoke I had seen rising near my home just twenty minutes earlier.

Suddenly, a wave of noise broke the silence.A mixture of distant explosions. panicked screams and the rumble of stampeding footsteps. Layers of suffocating black smoke flowed upward, filling the sky as terrified people began rising out of the smoke. Caught in the panic, I ran with the crowd, following the sea of fleeing people as their sharp cries pierced my ears. It took a long moment for my eyes to finally realize our reality. We were rushing away from soldiers,fleeing our homes, separating ourselves from our country.

Hours later, it was finally time to rest. But sleep was dangerous. If anyone layed their head down for even a second, they were in danger of capture, injury, or death. The only way to survive the night was to find a hidden spot deep in the bushes and trees.

After days of non stop terror, our leader fell behind and was taken out. With no one left to guide us, I stepped up and volunteered as if to take the throne.We finally reached a huge river with rising water moving at high speeds, the Gilo. In front of us the river was filled with starving crocodiles, but behind us the menacing soldiers were catching up fast. My heart stopped, but I knew I had to lead the group to the other side. Everyone around me was running and pushing in a panic. I noticed something strange: no matter how scared they were, they never went in front of me.

I jumped right into the sludgy muddy water and swam as fast as I could.My lungs burned even more.and the muddy water dragged my legs,slowing me down constantly.I constantly thought “Is this where I die? “In this river of disgusting water?” “After all ive gone through!”,The burden of being their new leader sparked a fire inside of me.I grabbed as many people I could in one minute and escaped.I took even more,as many as I could because I couldnt let nearly all of them die.We all escaped and left the fearful soldiers behind the river filled with crocodiles snapping at their horses ankles.

Looking back around the crowded camp reminded me of my original village filled with boys and girls running and playing.It also reminds me of the terrific black thick smoke that started it all.A crushing weight hard on my chest.I remembered my parents,my house.”are they even alive?”I thought.”This war was so stupid,all because of a power struggle.”If this war never happened I’d be happy with friends everywhere.

hours turned into days,days turned into months,months turned into years. It took several years for my home Sudan to be even remotely safe.wars last Decades,but it felt longer than it shouldve been.After we reached the closest camp which took years to step foot in.Sudan is finally safe to go back.”The water is fresh.” I heard a man say. “The food is delightful!” a woman stated also.Although I lost everything,I feel safe and happy here now.