He looked down at his camouflaged coveralls and the jacked up artillery gun he had to control.
He looked at his course mates crouching beside him, strung up with tension, all ready to release their pent up tension and go back home as soon as this war ended.
He gave them a nervous smile and shrugged. They replied in the same gesture and they all looked out for the last remaining bits of resistance which was expected to arise as the war had ended. The losing side always had some.
He looked up over the boulder and noticed some twenty militia of the remaining forces approaching towards them in silence.
He realised the alarm and they all quickly calculated their odds for survival. Four men against twenty.
They all looked at each other and gave a parting glance to each other and started firing, walking towards certain death."
I looked up from the the picture I was holding and looked up at my fellow classmates, all listening to my story with rapt attention.
I wiped away the tears from my eyes and continued,
"That was the last day my dad took a step on this planet. He and his course mates stopped the oncoming forces but unfortunately lost their life that day."
I took a haggard breath and my teacher patted my hand and motioned for me to go and take a seat. I denied and mustered up the courage to continue.
"Till this day, the only thing I remember about my dad is this photograph."
I held up the picture I was holding.
"My father couldn't be here with us today, on the day all the fathers introduce themselves to us kids, inspiring us to grow up and become something worthwhile.
My father couldn't come, so in his place I am introducing him. "
I looked into the eyes of everyone sitting in the room, as if daring them to challenge my oncoming words.
"My father was a hero. Is a hero. And will always continue to be a hero."
Everyone smiled at this and came and hugged me.
I acted as if trying to be brave and then slowly left the classroom and then exited the school.
I walked to the grave yard where my dad was buried and went and sat astride his gravestone.
I leaned against it, gaining strength from it, because this was the only way my father could support me.
It was only then I heard a sobbing voice from behind the huge gravestone.
I looked there and saw my grandmother weeping. My step patents had kicked her out.
I looked at her and slowly approached her. She looked up and beckoned me to approach her. I obliged.
I asked her, "Do you still miss dad?"
"Always."
"You come here everytime whenever you miss him?"
"What else can I do son? I don't have anything to remember him by. My memories of him are slowly fading. My time will soon come. Till then, I want to be with him and husband. Both have passed away, leaving me with their stones."
I looked at her and then looked down at the photo in my hand. It wrenched my heart to do so, but I approached her and gave her the picture of me, my father and my grandfather shouting 'Boo!' at the camera.
That was the last time all three of us together.
'Granny, you need this more than me. The last photo of all three of us together. My mom and step-dad might hate you, but remember, the three men in this photo will always remember you.'
She smiled at me while tears kept streaming down her face. She leaned towards me to thank me, I just went up and hugged her.
It was sunset when we both parted our ways...
They all live in my memory, and will continue to do so
Till the end.
