Ghost Of The Desert

What do you understand

We watched with bated breath as the dusty black van rumbled into the compound, its exhaust pipe clanging noisily. This was a very tense moment for all of us, the air thick with anticipation and unease. The terrorists had agreed to my plans, though sceptically. They acted as though nothing had happened, as Maliq had instructed them. However, some had been strategically positioned with weapons ready, should things escalate out of hand.

I couldn't believe I was standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Maliq, the embodiment of an evil incarnate. I observed his facial expression - he was indeed nervous. Beads of sweat glistened on his brow, and his eyes darted around restlessly. He was terrified, much more than I was. I believed the new role as leader, thrust upon him unexpectedly, scared the hell out of him. He was scared about the weighty decisions he would have to make, more than he was about his own life. He was scared for his brother Idris and the others under his command.

"Corper, the van is inside. What next?" he asked, his voice betraying his anxiety as his hands shook visibly. The fact he wasn't armed with his gun should make him more vulnerable and anxious. The thought of his insecurity made me smile a bit inwardly. It also revealed to me that fear was a common human experience, terrorist or not, soldier or not. We all fear when confronted with situations we can't predict or control. Somehow, observing his fear gave me a perverse sense of satisfaction and bolstered my courage.

"Calm down, Maliq," I said, trying to sound reassuring, though my voice came out croaky and dry. I had become accustomed to the constant underlying dread that pervaded this dry and hot climate. "Relax."

He nodded jerkily. He breathed in and then out deeply, then shot me a quick sideways glance with a raised eyebrow. "Corper, why are you calm?" he asked, a hint of suspicion in his tone.

"I'm not calm, Maliq. I am forcing it on myself," I quickly answered, holding his gaze steadily.

The van was covered in a thick layer of road dust. It made an ominous clanging noise to signal the exhaust pipe had burst. All the screens and windows were tinted black, obscuring any view of the interior. If this was the reinforcement the base was expecting, then this was a disappointing sight. This old van could only accommodate about 10 to 12 soldiers at most. The boot was concealed with a heavy black cloth. We couldn't discern what or who was inside of it. However, I noticed the cloth sagging heavily, indicating the boot was heavily loaded.

"Corper, that boot looks full," Maliq observed, his brow furrowing. "It could be those infidel soldiers in there."

"Yes, you're right, Maliq, but we are not sure yet," I replied evenly, suppressing the twitch of discomfort I felt at his callous labelling of the soldiers as 'infidels'. A lot of thoughts and doubts swirled in my mind. Was he now suspecting that I was part of them? Did he not agree he would work with the same infidel soldiers if they agreed to our terms? How would such an unlikely alliance end? Was it going to be them ambushing the soldiers or the soldiers descending on them with full force, and how would all that affect my precarious position? Too many troubling thoughts, but that mental turmoil ended abruptly when a man emerged from the van. He was dressed casually in a red polo shirt and sky-blue jeans, looking plump and decidedly unfit to be mistaken for a soldier. He also did not appear to be carrying any weapon. He was making his way towards our tent, waving in greeting at some of the boys as he approached us.

I squinted at the man's face, a vague sense of recognition gnawing at me, but I couldn't quite place him. Maliq's face broke into a broad smile, though his eyes still harboured a hint of suspicion as he regarded the man. The man, on the other hand, looked utterly bewildered. Every aspect of his demeanour radiated surprise and mystification. His gaze was fixated chiefly on Maliq. He looked scared and perplexed, his expression one of a man who had just seen a ghost.