They walk among us still — the souls of proxy-fighters we betrayed.
Most of us still stagger streets with down-cast eyes; air-pods filling our heads with blazing hymns.
It’s painful to remember how we waited for the bombs to fall; together, telling stupid jokes in broken English.
Now only silent darkness soothes our pain.
Together we believed the world would be a safer place to live, but as we are safely home while they — our comrades — are being battered into pulp.
We’ve been commanded into cowardice, and bear the burden of our guilt that never can be shared.
© Rochelle Wisoff-Fields
Friday Fictioneers is a led by El Commodore Rochelle, and we the faithful peons of fiction try our best to follow her guiding star in creating stories in 100 words.
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October 16, 2019
Björn Rudbergs writings 
Angry and powerful, Bjorn
Thank you…
The idea that war can make the world a safer place has always seemed a strange one to me. Great writing Bjorn.
It is a strange thing… and once started it is always very hard to end.
A very… “sobering” write this week. what indeed do we gain from war when weighed against the innumerable losses. Good one!
I wonder too… when in the end we have gained nothing.
War is never far away.
Tracey
Ouch, that hurt.
It’s the truth though!
The “souls of proxy-fighters” would be a painful thing to dwell on. I love that dancing frog!
We’re all being played. The world can’t be safer while dropping bombs. It creates more hostility & hate.
Powerful story.
With a “fresh” war escalating on the Turkish Syrian border this is a very sobering g read, gritty stuff Bjorn
Grim reality here, Bjorn.
A superb portrayal of futility and loss.
I wonder what’s a worse torture, waiting for the bomb or living after it? Great story, Bjorn!
A very grim scenario, and never more relevant than this week, I think. So very well done, Bjorn.
Dear Björn,
Well told and powerful story. There will be wars and rumors of wars…everywhere.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Clever dancing frog. 😉
Tales such as this were told a hundred years ago and will be in a hundred years time too. A tale of all times, sadly.
Starting a war to make the world safer has always been a bit of a strange idea.
A powerful and sensitive anti-war piece.
i never understood why people believe that war will bring peace.
War only improves the bank accounts of those who subsidize it.
War just doesn’t fix a damn thing, does it?
Very stark and truthful. Well written
War is bad. Some people pay the price. Others enjoy the fruit.
A sober reminder for me of our never-ending propensity to rush toward war. Well written as always! (I must say, I love the dancing frog!!)
Powerful! You’ve captured multiple levels of the horrors of war amazingly well for such a limited space.
A sobering, powerful story that could have been lifted from the newspapers of today, Bjorn. On one hand, we have extremely poor justification and on the other anger and military who say they’re ashamed of this action. I love, love, love the dancing frog. The more I watched it the funnier it became. — Suzanne
Wow!
Powerful, Bjorn ! Justifiably angry.
So many lives are lost. Painful. Well told
An unflinching statement which called up thoughts of oppressive regimes, refugees and wanton destruction. Powerful stuff Bjorn.
I think this kind of guilt is our human legacy. It’s the guilt of predators and dominance, and submission. and I hate it while at the same time I’m too comfortable in my own assumed safety. So many are blind to the high stakes games played by those in charge of the pawns.