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1490 Words
At the ruins, Vihaan the soldier is terrified. Oh my God, the lightning… are they alright?
Frantically, he rips off the debris.
VIHAAN – (chanting) Please God, let them be okay.
The rain grows brutal, bearing down on him as he works at the rubble, groaning as he lifts off a particularly large and heavy boulder.
VIHAAN – Is anyone in there!!?
No response, except for the crackling and sputtering of a wireless device strapped to his bullet proof vest.
WIRELESS - Bravo, come in please.
Bullet proof vest? Wireless device? Hang on…
That’s when he realizes that something’s not right. That he’s not himself anymore. He takes a good look at his hands. Why does it look different? Why is it ripped, heavily veined, athletic…?
His gaze shifts to his muscular torso. No longer is he in his usual little T-shirt and shorts. Instead, he’s clad in the army’s uniform meant for desert warfare. A wireless device sits on his black Kevlar vest. Strapped around one of his thighs is a pouch packed with a fearsome looking knife and a pistol for close combat.
What’s this? Why am I dressed like this? Why do I look like this? What happened?
He gropes his face and instantly realizes that it’s different. No longer delicate and boyish, but hard and rough with a two day old stubble.
His wireless sputters again.
WIRELESS - Company leader calling Bravo! Come in please!
Should I answer it? Vihaan is confused. Even if he did, how on earth was he supposed to respond?
VIHAAN – H-Hello?
WIRELESS - What took you so long Captain?
Vihaan is speechless. “Captain”?
VIHAAN - I… erm…
WIRELESS - Prepare to brief your team on “Operation Tikrit”. Here’re your instructions. Down the street, you’ll find a truck waiting for you with your boys. Here, you’ll be supplied with your weapons and taken to the open plot where a chopper will fly you to the insertion point, the city of Tikrit in Iraq.
A cold chill shudder down his spine. Tikrit? Iraq? What the hell is happening?
WIRELESS - You must proceed to the base, infiltrate the camp and lead the hostages to the extraction point.
Vihaan is very confused now. Is this a dream? Or is it for real?
VIHAAN - Wait. Erm… Hang on. Actually… who is this? And could you please tell me what’s going on?
WIRELESS - I’m Colonel R.B. Singh. You have been teleported into your PC game during the storm. The only way out is to complete the mission.
VIHAAN - But what happened to my family and my friend?
WIRELESS - They’re part of your mission now. You’ll find them as hostages at the enemy camp. Rescue and lead them unscathed to the rendezvous point and you’ll get back home to your original state.
VIHAAN - Hostages? (angry and upset) What’s the meaning of all this? I want my friend and family back!
WIRELESS - So go and get them. Your mission starts now.
Wireless transmission ends!
VIHAAN - (into the wireless) Hello? (no transmission) Hello!??
He looks around, utterly confused, desperate, helpless.
Teleported into the game? Family held as hostages? I’m a soldier? A Captain? This is so absurd. How can something like this happen? What am I supposed to do?
He moves away from the ruins of his house and begins to walk down the street as instructed.
The community which was once teeming with life looks abandoned like a ghost town. The houses are empty. In ruins. Old and battered. Where is everyone? What happened?
VIHAAN - (checks for signs of movement) Hello? Is anyone there?
He stops before the plot of land where Keshika’s house used to be. But all what he finds are the remains of an “ancient” dwelling.
He stings in unbearable guilt as the hard truth hits him – he misses her terribly.
I wish I could have been a better friend to her. If only I would’ve let her know at least once that I loved her presence every single minute, that I couldn’t bear to be away from her! I should have been sweeter, gentler… I’ve had ample opportunities, but I’ve never cared to use them. God, please… just give me one last chance. I promise to set things straight. I promise to make it up to her.
With a heavy heart, he walks away from the ruins, the only thing that is left of her memory.
He moves along the deserted streets. It’s dark and eerie. So cold and bone chilling. A gust of wind whistles in his ear and sends a chill down his spine. All the houses are dark and empty. Destroyed as if been hit by a war! It’s like a living nightmare!
The rain has died down now. The wet earth squelches under his boots as he walks on. As he turns around the corner, he spots an army truck waiting for him with four other soldiers.
The men stand at attention as he closes in.
One of the men step forward and gives him a stiff salute. He is ALPHA 1.
ALPHA 1 - Alpha 1 reporting for duty sir! Your equipment is ready!
Vihaan is speechless.
The other three soldier step forward, salute him and introduce themselves.
“ALPHA 2 reporting for duty sir!”
“CHARLIE 1 reporting for duty sir!”
“CHARLIE 2 reporting for duty sir!”
VIHAAN - Guys… listen. Something’s very wrong. I really don’t know what happened. I don’t even know how I got here. But I’m not a Captain. I’m not even a soldier. I really can’t lead you through this operation. I’m not the right guy for that.
ALPHA 1 - Yes you are, sir! And you must because you are the chosen one. You must lead this operation.
CHARLIE 1 - We have a deadline from the Iraqi General, sir. 24 hours.
VIHAAN - Deadline for what?
CHARLIE 1 - Deadline to complete this mission, after which your wife and family will be executed.
VIHAAN - Hang on. “Wife” and family?
CHARLIE 1 - Yes, sir.
VIHAAN - No. This is all a mistake. I’m not even married.
ALPHA 2 - Yes you are, sir. Keshika Sinha is your wife.
Vihaan is shell-shocked. Keshika? My wife? When did this happen? How?
CHARLIE 2 - Unlike the game, you just have one chance, sir. If you or any of the hostages die in the game, we’ll lose this mission and you can never return home ever again.
VIHAAN - Do I have a choice?
ALPHA 2 - Unfortunately no, sir. There’s no turning back now.
Alpha 1 step up to Vihaan with his gear –
1. A backpack – a heavy load of equipment and supplies.
2. A bullet proof helmet
3. An assault rifle
Vihaan puts them on one by one and boards the truck.
Very soon, they are on the streets, headed to the open plot.
The once inhabited town is now practically empty. Not a single soul in sight. What the hell happened here? Vihaan grows terrified by the minute. What could be in store for him? He has played this game umpteen times and he knew all the ins and outs of the game, but this mission… “Operation Tikrit” was never on the list. This is a bonus mission.
Though he found it fun and thrilling to riddle the other soldiers with bullets… or even himself for that matter, he now regrets it. This is not a game. This is reality. And it’s no fun at all!
What if I really get shot? What if I get killed? What if I’m not able to make it to the deadline? What will happen to my family? What will they do to Keshika? All these thoughts make him want to cry but he controls himself.
The horrors of a soldier’s life make him shudder in fear. He clutches on to his rifle. It’s cold and heavy. I’ve never even seen a real g*n in my life before, but now I must use it!
The other fearsome weapons in the game make him even more terrified ‘cause he’s going to come face to face with them now – grenades, tankers, heavily armed attack helicopters… God… Watch over all of us.
- Writer
