Commando
Commando Chapter 1
Chapter one-
A beautiful morning like no other and I couldn’t shake the feeling that something bad or something that I was unable to prevent was about to happen. My brother Jason was in his room doing something and I knew he could probably feel my unease, because in minutes he was in my room closing the door. He looked at me with the concern of a brother. “What’s wrong Zahra?” he asked in concern. I sighed. I would have to tell him my decision soon anyway. “Jason. I know you probably want to come with me where ever I choose, especially since I will choose before you. But I want to go to Commando. I don’t want to go to Lafushia or Mala or Tolentino. I’m sorry Jason. I just want to help fight for my people. I can’t sit around in Lafushia sitting pretty, I can’t sit in Mala harvesting crops, I can’t stay In Tolentino writing literature or drawing, and I can’t stay in Centurion trying to be smart, pretty, and intelligent. Because I’m not any of those things. I want you to pick what you want, so don’t follow me. Don’t let me decide your fate. Please? Do this for me?” I was weary. I just spilled my guts out to my big brother and he stands there looking like he’s ready to puke! “Jason? Are you ok?” I asked, actually scared now. His face had an ashen look to his face and now I saw that he had dark circles under his eyes. His eyes were blood shot and he was just a complete mess. Then before I can register what is going on, he crumbles to the ground, hitting his head hard. I scrambled to get a hold of him and put my hand to his chest, checking for a heartbeat. He had a faint beat but I knew he wasn’t going to live long. “Mom! Dad!” I cried out to my parents. But I didn’t hear them come up the stairs. Instead I heard the front door slam shut and I knew they had left. Anger bubbled up inside of me to know that they had abandoned us at the worst time.
So I did the only thing I could: If I wanted to be in Commando, I had to act tough. So I picked Jason up and put him on my back and walked down the hallway in shuffles. When I got to the stairs I knew we were in deep trouble because one, he was falling off my back, two, he was super heavy, and three, he would crush me. So I set him down and ran out of the house crying for help. Neighbors came out to see what all the yelling was about and soon they said that some doctors and nurses were on their way seeing as how Jason was in no shape to travel. This frustrated me even more. I screamed and tumbled back up the stairs where Jason lay unconscious. “It’s ok Jason. Everything will be ok. Help is coming.” I sobbed to my brother. I cried by his side until doctors and neighbors pulled me away from him. I kicked and screamed until a doctor snapped, “He needs help! So stop acting so selfish and let us treat him!” I sat back stunned. Did he… did he just snap at me? But then I knew that he was right. I looked at my brothers still face wishing he would wake up and say, “All better now Zahra! See? No scratches!” Like he used to when we were kids. But no, he didn’t say anything. His eyes were still closed and he was barely breathing. The doctors looked exhausted and I knew that there was probably no way to save him. But that didn’t calm me down. Oh no, that made me break out into tears and start attacking people. And I knew I would never see my parents again. But then a miracle happened: I heard a groan and I looked at my brother. His eyes were opened and he was rubbing his head and trying to get up. I shoved him to the ground and jumped on him crying. He laughed but that made him groan and said, “Zahra, what are you doing?” I giggled but then remembered he scared me half to death, so I smacked him on the arm, “Why didn’t you tell me you weren’t feeling well?! How could you scare me like that?!” He laughed lightly and shrugged his shoulders. I then realized something, why didn’t I feel his weariness or-or his illness? “Were you sick Jason? What happened?” I said in almost a whisper. He sighed, “I was scared you know? I didn’t know which city to choose or if I was going to stay in Centurion. I haven’t eaten in days Zahra. I’m surprised you didn’t notice. But I’m glad you didn’t.” He didn’t want me to see him starve himself?! “Jason! I can’t believe you! I’m your twin sister! Don’t tell me you are glad I didn’t watch you kill yourself! I need you in my life Jason.” I said that last part in a whisper. He sighed, “I’m not always going to be there for you Zahra. You have to except that. I can’t go with you where ever you choose because I know that I will not be happy. You said it yourself. I want to go to Tolentino. Where I can write my stories of our childhood and where I can paint pictures of your beautiful face even though I may never see you again. Do you understand Zahra?” I nodded silently. I knew he was right. But why did I feel so sad?
A beautiful morning like no other and I couldn’t shake the feeling that something bad or something that I was unable to prevent was about to happen. My brother Jason was in his room doing something and I knew he could probably feel my unease, because in minutes he was in my room closing the door. He looked at me with the concern of a brother. “What’s wrong Zahra?” he asked in concern. I sighed. I would have to tell him my decision soon anyway. “Jason. I know you probably want to come with me where ever I choose, especially since I will choose before you. But I want to go to Commando. I don’t want to go to Lafushia or Mala or Tolentino. I’m sorry Jason. I just want to help fight for my people. I can’t sit around in Lafushia sitting pretty, I can’t sit in Mala harvesting crops, I can’t stay In Tolentino writing literature or drawing, and I can’t stay in Centurion trying to be smart, pretty, and intelligent. Because I’m not any of those things. I want you to pick what you want, so don’t follow me. Don’t let me decide your fate. Please? Do this for me?” I was weary. I just spilled my guts out to my big brother and he stands there looking like he’s ready to puke! “Jason? Are you ok?” I asked, actually scared now. His face had an ashen look to his face and now I saw that he had dark circles under his eyes. His eyes were blood shot and he was just a complete mess. Then before I can register what is going on, he crumbles to the ground, hitting his head hard. I scrambled to get a hold of him and put my hand to his chest, checking for a heartbeat. He had a faint beat but I knew he wasn’t going to live long. “Mom! Dad!” I cried out to my parents. But I didn’t hear them come up the stairs. Instead I heard the front door slam shut and I knew they had left. Anger bubbled up inside of me to know that they had abandoned us at the worst time.
So I did the only thing I could: If I wanted to be in Commando, I had to act tough. So I picked Jason up and put him on my back and walked down the hallway in shuffles. When I got to the stairs I knew we were in deep trouble because one, he was falling off my back, two, he was super heavy, and three, he would crush me. So I set him down and ran out of the house crying for help. Neighbors came out to see what all the yelling was about and soon they said that some doctors and nurses were on their way seeing as how Jason was in no shape to travel. This frustrated me even more. I screamed and tumbled back up the stairs where Jason lay unconscious. “It’s ok Jason. Everything will be ok. Help is coming.” I sobbed to my brother. I cried by his side until doctors and neighbors pulled me away from him. I kicked and screamed until a doctor snapped, “He needs help! So stop acting so selfish and let us treat him!” I sat back stunned. Did he… did he just snap at me? But then I knew that he was right. I looked at my brothers still face wishing he would wake up and say, “All better now Zahra! See? No scratches!” Like he used to when we were kids. But no, he didn’t say anything. His eyes were still closed and he was barely breathing. The doctors looked exhausted and I knew that there was probably no way to save him. But that didn’t calm me down. Oh no, that made me break out into tears and start attacking people. And I knew I would never see my parents again. But then a miracle happened: I heard a groan and I looked at my brother. His eyes were opened and he was rubbing his head and trying to get up. I shoved him to the ground and jumped on him crying. He laughed but that made him groan and said, “Zahra, what are you doing?” I giggled but then remembered he scared me half to death, so I smacked him on the arm, “Why didn’t you tell me you weren’t feeling well?! How could you scare me like that?!” He laughed lightly and shrugged his shoulders. I then realized something, why didn’t I feel his weariness or-or his illness? “Were you sick Jason? What happened?” I said in almost a whisper. He sighed, “I was scared you know? I didn’t know which city to choose or if I was going to stay in Centurion. I haven’t eaten in days Zahra. I’m surprised you didn’t notice. But I’m glad you didn’t.” He didn’t want me to see him starve himself?! “Jason! I can’t believe you! I’m your twin sister! Don’t tell me you are glad I didn’t watch you kill yourself! I need you in my life Jason.” I said that last part in a whisper. He sighed, “I’m not always going to be there for you Zahra. You have to except that. I can’t go with you where ever you choose because I know that I will not be happy. You said it yourself. I want to go to Tolentino. Where I can write my stories of our childhood and where I can paint pictures of your beautiful face even though I may never see you again. Do you understand Zahra?” I nodded silently. I knew he was right. But why did I feel so sad?