In the heat of the war was I and my colleagues, engaging our enemies on gun battle with no moment to sigh nor ease and our superiors behind us with threatening commands to defeat the enemies while our lives was at stake.
In front, was our relentless enemies never thought of surrendering despite many gunned already, in such dilemma I was tensed and devastated, the more we killed the enemies in multiple folds they resurface. While the more they killed us, the fewer we become because they outnumbered us, in tears I watch my colleagues dying on several gun shots.
As my colleagues were dropping dead, "you are next! "you are next!!" became a ringing tone in my brain, even while the bullet was not coming for me, I had already given up the ghost in fear, the training I gained in camp which is "on no condition should a personnel display fear nor act of cowardice before his enemies" was the only motivation at the moment. I had no chance to think of my loved ones as the war was overwhelming, suddenly the bullet came for me when I thought I had conquered, when I thought I would be among personnels to tell the victorious story therein my bullet.
In staggering, I shouted aloud Joyce (my wife) I am sorry, I thought I could make it but fate has thwarted it all, while falling my friend among my colleagues rushed and grab me leaving all our weapons and carried me to our standby medical officer, while in his arms I heard him saying "he would not mind leaving the army just to save me" his heart was broken when the medical officer in attempts to resuscitate the dying man (me) said I can struggle to talk but has only 250 minutes to live.
My Wife
In tears, my said friend brought out his mobile phone, knowing the bond between me and my newly wedded wife, my mother and my immediate younger sister, he called my wife and asked me to manage to talk to her, as blood and tears coming from my eyes mixed together I told my wife "I love you and I am very sorry this would be the very last time you would hear such from the man you loves and cherished so much".
I reminded her that the kiss we had five months when I left her would be the last, in pain I cried the more when I remembered that I will not be fathering my five months baby in her womb, life became more meaningless when I thought how miserable she may live in my absence as government would deny her my entitlements even dying in active service, all I could say was to tell her to be strong and pray she finds solace in God.
My mother
As I ended the call with my wife, I checked time behold it was 100 minutes gone out of 250 minutes I had to live. My friend then dialed my mother's number and I spoke with her, upon hearing my condition the joy of motherhood turned into unending agony and pain, my mother was perplexed, trying to recall the memories with my mom I cried the more.
She never supported me joining the military, her last words when I left home to join the military was ringing in my brain, her last words were "Chikadibia you are my favorite child because of your hard work, do not join the military if you want to live long, do not join the military if you want my joy" but when she saw that my mind was already made up she said "if that is the path you have chosen, may God guide you" in tears I apologized to my mother for her words had come to pass for I was just but 25 years with less than 250 minutes to live, indeed sun set at dawn there. I ended the call in more tears.
My Younger sister
Out of six siblings of mine my younger sister happens to be my beastie, we share our secrets together, we gossip together, we grew together, have more resemblance than others, we played a lot, so when I ended the call with my mother, my friend dialed her number and it went, I told her I was going to miss her dearly because currently I have less than 50 minutes to live, she broke in tears and couldn't alter a word.
While waiting to hear a word from her behold I discovered that I could not breath again, the last words I heard from my friend to the doctor was that "he has exhausted his 250 minutes.
All images except stated otherwise are mine