Love In The House Of War Page 6

  “Yes.”

  Sarah sighed. Several minutes later, Ron threw the tail end of the rope ladder over the twelve-foot cliff. “Now watch how easy this will be.”

  Turning with his back towards the valley, Ron descended the ladder until he reached the bottom. Looking back up at Sarah, he said, “Come on down. Try it.”

  “Sure.” She climbed down the ladder and stood face-to-face with him at the base.

  “Well?” Ron asked.

  “Well, what?”

  “Wasn't it easier than before?”

  “I will let you know after I climb up.”

  As Sarah ascended the ladder, Ron waited until she got halfway up before shaking the rope vigorously. Then he yelled, “Earthquake.”

  Holding on for dear life, Sarah screamed something at him in Pashto that he did not understand. Based on the tone of her voice, he knew it was time to stop playing around.

  “That was for leaving me with my hands up earlier.”

  Sarah quickened her pace to the top and then turned around to face him. “You crazy man.”

  Ron cackled.

  “That was not funny. Laugh at this.”

  She pulled the rope up but Ron grabbed it before she could get the bottom of it past him.

  Next, she grabbed his survival knife he left at the top and held it in front of her face. “Forget something? Come on up now, funny man,” she yelled while cutting the rope.

  “Wait. You wouldn't.” Ron yelled.

  “Oh no? You are Hawk, yes? Why do you not fly up?”

  “Ah, come on. I was only fooling around, Do not do it, okay? I'm very sorry.” Sarah cackled hard. “I got you, didn't I?”

  Ron shook his head and muttered, “Women.”

  “What did you say? I could not hear you.”

  “I said you are one smart woman. Will you let me come up now?”

  “Of course. Why are you down there? Hurry up so we can have our tea.”

  13

  After dinner and tea, Ron walked towards the entrance while Sarah laid down to sleep. “I'll stand guard a bit.”

  “What? You don't need to do that.” Sarah watched him until he stopped at the entrance and sat down.

  After a couple of hours, Ron came back to the fire, tired and cold. Standing with his hands over the flames, he looked down at Sarah lying there asleep. She appeared so peaceful, undisturbed by the ongoing situation or whatever life she had been through. Ron watched her while sipping some tea. Her mysterious, yet thrilling personality, along with her charm, enchanted him. One thing he felt for sure… it was difficult to think about anything or anyone else for the time being except for this girl he had met four days before.

  Sarah stirred a bit before opening her eyes in fright and sitting up quickly. The sudden movement startled Ron, causing him to tumble backward over a rock. Heading to the ground, he spilled his tea while planting hard on his seat. The impact produced a small cloud of dirt and a splash of liquid.

  Sarah laughed, placing her hand over her mouth as Ron tried to recover—brushing the dirt off his uniform. “That is twice since you have met me. Maybe you are falling for me?”

  Ron replied, “Maybe so, but I am not doing well hiding it, am I?”

  “Why were you standing next to me?” Sarah asked between her subsiding giggles.

  “I was just, um, watching you.”

  “Yes, I know. Aren't you supposed to be on guard or something?”

  “I am on guard,” Ron said in defense. “I'm guarding you. I walked over to get something to eat and to drink some tea. I am sorry that I frightened you.”

  “It is okay. You surprised me, that's all.”

  “You never told me about your mother. Why?”

  Sarah looked down at the fire and prodded it with a metal prong. She looked up at him with her pleasant green eyes, but said nothing. Ron tried to read their silent voice. She peered at him—her mouth opened, but she pressed her lips together.

  “It's okay; you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I think I understand.”

  Saturday, October 27, 2001

  On Ron and Sarah's third morning in the cave, he woke and followed Sarah to the cave entrance. Placing the mat on the ground, she arranged it facing a certain direction and then began her morning prayer ritual.

  Ron watched her without trying to hide. Aware of his presence, she looked straight ahead and said, “Join me if you wish.” Then she slid over to her right, leaving a small amount of space on the mat for Ron to kneel.

  Not saying a word, he moved forward and knelt down next to her on his knees. Their silhouettes cast two figures from the golden sunrays across the cave wall before he bowed with his head to the ground.

  Although Sarah raised herself, repeating the process several times, Ron remained low to the ground, keeping it there for the duration of his prayer. When Sarah lifted up for her final time, Ron whispered verses from Psalm twenty-three.

  Sarah waited for him until he finished and before she heard him say, “And please protect Sarah and me from harm in the days to come. Amen.”

  They both sat up on their knees, and looked into each other's eyes. Ron got up first and then held out his hand to help her. Sarah extended her hand toward him, and once she stood to her feet, they faced each other, continuing their gaze into each other's eyes as if searching deep into each other's soul.

  Ron broke the silence. “Thank you for letting me pray with you this morning.”

  “You are welcome. Thank you for joining me.”

  “Ba kamale meil.”

  “Let's have some tea, shall we?” Sarah asked.

  “Of course. I look forward to your wonderful tea.”

  They shared some hot tea and breakfast together and continued to talk about their dreams and ambitions. Ron found Sarah to be an amazing girl, one who had risen against overwhelming odds. “So, you want to be a doctor too?” Ron asked.

  “Maybe just a nurse.”

  “You are already, why not become a Doctor now?”

  “I don't think I…”

  “You can do it. I've seen your work.”

  The more Ron remained in her presence, the stronger he felt towards her. He liked how her eyes met his.

  The symptoms were clear. He was falling in love. Her luminous smile, graceful form combined with her strong will, intelligence, and determination etched in his mind like a dream.

  “What are you thinking about?” Sarah asked.

  “Well, to be honest. You.”

  “What about me?”

  “I don't know how to tell you.”

  “Tell me what?” She asked.

  “Okay, for one, I was thinking how beautiful you are and how you would do so well in my country.”

  “Your country? Will you take me there?”

  “Yes, America. You should be there.”

  Sarah lit up. “Believe me, I have always dreamed about going to America—even before I met you.”

  “I do believe you. You must believe me. I will do what I can to get you to America with me.”

  Sarah lunged forward and wrapped her arms around Ron's neck, knocking them both to the ground. Their tea spilled over them through the tumble. “Now I am falling for you.”

  “Hahaha, it's okay.”

  Sarah hesitated before pushing herself off. Ron reluctantly let her go, following her eyes until she stood. The only sounds were their breathing, the flickering flames, and the wind howling through the entrance.

  14

  A beautiful woman condemned to live her life in a desolate, war-torn land, Ron thought. He pictured her in a fancy evening gown attending dinners and military balls. She would be the life of the party, Sarah was made for my world, not this one.

  Walking towards the cave entrance, Ron wondered about his team—how they were faring against the enemy. He knew they would not detour from their mission to find him. The whole team had a good handle on the objectives, and had already discussed beforehand about preselected rallying points if any m
ember of the team separated.

  Sarah appeared next to him, gazing across the valley. “You think about your men.”

  “They will expect me to find them south of Mazar-e-Sharaif in less than a week,” Ron explained.

  “I know a quick way there by road that will avoid the land mines.”

  “My team will walk into land mines?” Ron exclaimed with alarm.

  “My uncle will help them avoid these. He knows where they are. He will also assure your captain that you and I are safe together in a special hiding place and any attempt to find us may disclose this hideout.”

  “Okay, what is your quick way?”

  “We will walk from here to Golbahar, my home town. I have family there, in fact, my father will be there waiting for us. He will have a truck ready to drive you to Mazar-i-Sharif, where you can meet your team.”

  Ron looked at her moment, the word, “you” striking him like a cold slap, wake-up call. He realized he might not ever see her again once they reached Golbahar. Moreover, she said it without conviction, he thought.

  “This sounds like a good plan. What will you do after I leave?”

  Sarah looked ahead to the opposite peaks in the distance. The cool wind blew her hair straight back over her shoulders. “I will help my father and continue to dream, I suppose.”

  Ron could not explain his sudden feelings of emptiness, maybe the way she finalized the remark, but it left him feeling uneasy. Not knowing why he said it, Ron allowed the words flow from his mouth, “Do you think Dr. Rajiv would let you come with me to Mazar-i-Sharif?”

  Sarah turned to face him and Ron noted the change in her disposition as her lips widened. “You want me to come with you?”

  “Only if…”

  “Yes, that would be good! I'm sure he would let me.”

  Great, Hawk. What did you just get yourself into now? “Only if it is safe and you are allowed.”

  “Where are you from, Ron?”

  “I'm from the Blue Ridge Mountains of east Tennessee. A little town called Elizabethton.”

  “Are the mountains like these?”

  “No, not near as big. Pretty in the Fall.”

  “The Fall?”

  “A season, like the one you have now and is getting ready to change to winter. The summers are green but appear blue in the spring, and during autumn, the colors are red, orange, and yellow.”

  “I bet it is beautiful. I shall like to see it someday.”

  Ron looked at her, staring into her eyes. “It's one of the prettiest sights I ever saw! Then he added, “Well, almost.”

  Sarah looked back at him, thinking for a brief moment. “What do you mean almost? There is something prettier?”

  “Yes, and I will tell you, maybe. If you…” Ron stopped a moment and decided not to make her speak about her mother.

  “Tell you what? What do you want to know about me, Ron?” Her voice was almost desperate.

  “You don't have to tell me anything you don't want to say. I will tell you anyway.”

  She looked at him, staring at him with those sparkling eyes but remained silent.

  Ron stammered a bit but was able to blurt out, “Sarah—I think, well, you are one of the prettiest girls that I ever laid eyes on and that's the truth.”

  Sarah's eyes grew wide and Ron could not tell if it was from delight or fright. She opened her mouth to speak but no words escaped her lips. She turned around and limped back to the fire, leaving Ron standing at the cave entrance.

  Not knowing how to take her reaction, he followed her at a distance. “Sarah?”

  Although her back was to him, he could see that she was using her arm to wipe something from her eyes.

  “Sarah, I'm very sorry. I didn't mean to…”

  She turned around to face him, her mouth wide-open, teeth shining and her green eyes glistening with moisture. “No. Please.”

  Less than a minute had passed when Sarah turned to face Ron. “I must apologize for my behavior.”

  “No—no, I didn't mean to offend you.”

  “You did not offend me. I was—shocked, that's all.”

  “Why?”

  “You have to ask?”

  “Yes, I do.”

  “I will tell you! An American soldier told me I was the prettiest girl he has ever seen!”

  “So? I can't be the first guy who ever told you that, right?”

  Sarah moved closer to him, eyes wide, and excitement in her voice. “Yes, you are the first! And do you what this means?”

  Ron shook his head from side to side, watching her.

  “It means you are my prince!”

  “Huh?”

  “I had many dreams about this! Everything that has happened; it is like magic, the will of Allah!”

  Ron looked confused. He decided to hold his tongue and let her words sink in a moment.

  “I will tell you about my mother now.”

  “What?”

  “My mother. You want to know what happened to her. I am ready to tell you. Nobody knows this. She fell in love with a Soviet officer and then I was born.”

  Ron sat dumbfounded.

  “The Russian came for my mother and me to take us home with him. Then it happened. My mother was shot to death. I was six weeks old,” Sarah added, her voice fading to a whisper. “I never knew her.”

  Ron noted the tears trickling down her cheek before he stood and walked back to the cave entrance. This time, Sarah got up to follow, limping on her way to catch up. She walked around to face him and saw that his eyes were red and wet.

  “Ron, what is the matter?”

  Looking down at her, he choked out the words. “Sarah, you and I have much in common. When I was fourteen years old, my father died in the African wastelands, a place called Somalia. He—he was my…Ron could not finish before the tears streamed down his beard.

  For a brief moment, the two stood facing each other. Sarah moved her hand towards Ron's cheek, and then hesitated. He reached out, grabbed her hand, and finished guiding it towards him. With her fingertip, she pressed against a moving teardrop running down his face. Ron studied her when she clasped his hand and guided his finger towards her. He pressed his finger onto her teardrop.

  “Now, we have shared our tears,” Sarah remarked in a whisper. Then without warning, she wrapped her arms around Ron's back below his arms, resting her head on his chest, squeezing him tightly. Ron instinctively wrapped his arms around her shoulders, pulling her towards him as he peered over her towards the horizon, taking in the majestic peaks stretched above the valley.

  The young couple no longer showed any signs of weariness—only the gentle pleasure of each other and bittersweet memories of days gone by.

  A loud explosion nearby interrupted their embrace as both tumbled from the impact. “We better get back inside,” Ron warned.

  15

  “Come, I'll help you. My eyes are accustomed to the dark.” Ron held out his hand and helped Sarah stand without coming across as being too aggressive.

  “Thank you,” Sarah said nervously. “That explosion sounded too close.”

  “I agree. We should gather what we need for the journey to Golbahar and leave tonight. Are you up to it?”

  “Yes, I think so. You do not think we should stay in the cave?”

  “I'm afraid that maybe the Taliban have been spotted around these parts, which means my guys could very well call in lethal bombs into our area here.”

  “My uncle would not let that happen. He knows the direction of this cave.”

  “You're right…still, I'd rather move on if you're up to it.”

  Sarah looked at him a moment and nodded her head. “Okay, I'll gather my things.”

  Going to the supply shelf, Sarah pulled out an old beat-up folded map, which she showed Ron. “This route going east will take us to Golbahar, my home town. Once there, my father or my other uncle, the Akhund, can provide us transportation to Mazar-e-Sharaif, where you can meet your team.”

  “Akhund?�
��

  “Yes, like an imam or sheik. Maybe you know as a preacher.”

  “Yep. Anyway, the trail looks a bit rough.”

  “We will stay towards the lower end of the mountain, just above the trail. I know the way.”

  “I should think two, maybe three days, traveling at night?”

  “Many areas are very rocky and slippery. We could be there by the second night if we are fast. Believe me, it is the safest and fastest way to meet back with your team.”

  “Okay then, are you ready?”

  “I am ready now.”

  “Wait, let's eat something quick first.”

  “Okay, as you wish.”

  Ron sat down with Sarah to eat some flat bread, and drink some hot tea. Sarah had already packed some essential items, a small pan, and matches, into a shoulder bag. She also strapped a slender, long-bladed knife, which curved distinctly at the end.

  “That's quite a knife you have there.”

  “My uncle gave it to me. It serves good purpose.”

  “I bet it does.” Ron used his medical kit to carry medical supplies and a small knapsack for food consisting of some rice and hard bread. He also tied a roll-up wool blanket lengthwise to the back of his waist, beneath his rucksack. After their quick refreshment, he got up, helped Sarah to her feet and said, “Let's go.”

  Ron could not help but notice how soft her hand felt in his. When they hit the cold night air, Sarah pulled her scarf over her head and shoulders. They walked toward the cliff ledge and peered out into the valley. The jagged peaks paled under the brilliant moonlight and star-dusted sky.

  A moment of silence passed as they watched the stars in the sky over the valley.

  “You can almost reach out and grab a handful,” Ron said. They are like magical, precious jewels.”

  Sarah's eyes widened. “This is unbelievable! I was thinking the very same thing. They are a guide providing the light to paradise. This is magical!”

  “And this carpet that you brought out. Is it magical?” Ron asked while observing the prayer rug strapped to her back.

  “You mean does it fly?”

  “Yes, a magic carpet.”

  “Maybe. Shall we try?”

  Ron chuckled. “Right.”