IN THE SUIT
The heat is unbearable. The fact that I am inside an ABS (advanced bomb suit) is not helping me too much. People call it the demon suit. It is only now that I can understand the reason behind the nomenclature. The bastards have done it again. In the middle of the hustling streets of Iraq, they have planted one more IED shit. I need to get down to business. It is time to walk into the danger zone.
50 metres into the journey, I feel like I have walked a marathon. Being in a bomb suit does make u weak; imagine walking with a 20 kilo gizmo which blinds you from all the god damn things that are happening on both the sides of you. I wouldn’t be aware even if an asshole points a gun at me from few metres to the right of me. Situational awareness and agility are some stuff which you can only dream of when you are in that fat suit. Anyway, I got cover from Mac, so let me get up there and diffuse that shit.
THE EYES ON THE SUIT
“Yes bhai! The EOD unit is here. The fuckers think they can diffuse this. Ha- ha, “Hussein laughed. He was on the phone with the mystery man.
“Get up there and give me live inputs on this, “said the mystery man.
“Can’t do that bhai! There are snipers watching us. If they see me on the phone at the balcony, I am as dead as a goat in butchery.
“Yeah alright. At least keep looking, and if you sense something, just let me know. “He keeps the receiver down and tells “Ya baby! I will be there in a minute.”
He picks up the phone and says “Ok now listen, keep me updated. Bye,” the mystery man hung up.
THE EFFECT OF A BOMB
I am in the kill zone. The shrapnel that is generated from the bomb can cut my veins off. I need to be careful. These fanatic bastards would have placed booby traps. One wrong step! And you would be history. Getting killed in a bomb blast might sound easy. After all, dying in a matter of few seconds ain’t that tough. However, most of the civilians don’t know jack about bomb deaths. Shrapnel can cause severe fragmentation, the impact of the bomb can cause damage to internal organs and the heat, well the heat generated from the bomb can roast you in a matter of minutes. The point is, you go through all this pain in your conscience. I don’t wanna experience that shit. I ain’t gonna die a dog’s death thousands of miles away from home. I wanna go back to Texas and play ball with my son. So for now, let me go kick some IED butt.
REDEMPTION
“Hasina darling! Go and ask dad to come over here and help me. There is hell a lotta work up here. And your dad is always busy with outside work,“ Hasina’s mom was shrieking. She was irritable for most parts of the day.
Hasina was raised in an affluent Iraqi family. She had been gifted with all the luxuries in her life. However, happiness and peace was something she never was gifted. In fact, entire Iraq had a never ending nightmare which started in the year 2003. Every other day, there were bomb explosions, Sexual assault by American soldiers, extortion and robbery. Hasina was a victim of the atrocities of the American soldiers too. She had been assaulted by American soldiers, and was nearly raped. Thanks to Syed who came at the right time, she was saved.
The soldiers were murdered brutally in the following days. Syed had denied hand in it. But that was so obvious. Even Bush would have known the perpetrator.
Hasina wanted one chance for redemption. She wanted the chance at any cost.
“Dad! Come over. Mom is calling you, “said Hasina.
“Ya baby! I will be there in a minute.”
THE BOMB
“Alright! So this is what you guys have got huh? Doesn’t look huge. I think the ABS can save me from making a one way trip to heaven. There is a reason I say “heaven”. I have diffused 500 IED’s spanning 6 countries and saved innumerable lives. That is why I would be going to heaven.
However, the guy who made this shit is sure going to hell. The explosive device is pretty complex for a home made bomb; I just need to find the initiation system." Thank god that the wires are not wound together in a daisy chain. It would have taken me hours to disconnect it and we would be goners by then, “
WASHING AWAY
“So my wife, what we have got today for lunch. “Said Syed.
“Give me a hand for help. I need you to wash these vegetables, and also the clothes that are piled up in our bedroom, “exclaimed Syed’s wife.
“Sure! Let me wash the vegetables first. Then, we would wash the clothes away, “
THE SYSTEM
“Alright! I got this. The initiation system has to be remote controlled. Hey Mac! Make sure no one is watching. This is gotta be a remote controlled IED.
“Alright buddy! Cut the initiation system man, “
“I am searching buddy. Just give me two minutes. I am cracking this shit, “
“Hello Bhai! I just saw what the fucker is up to. We need to act fast.” Said Hussein.
“Is he nibbling at the initiation system?” asked the mystery man.
“Yes bhai! He is almost there. “
“Shit! Hang up. This will be over in few minutes, “the mystery man hung up.
“Shit. I found the initiation system. I guess this has to be initiated by a......
“Hasina! Can you switch on the washing machine honey? “
“Sure Dad! Any time “
BOOM
Inspired from the “Hurt Locker”
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