Darkness Came Down

The Sikorsky rode through the choppy air, its rotors churning and grinding the clouds. Filled to capacity, the usually armed helicopter was stripped of its artillery to allow them to fit completely in, all 22 of them. The figure in green combat fatigues stood at the center, holding the rubber sling so tight that his knuckles had turned white. The air inside the helicopter was infested with tension. No one spoke. No one looked around. None of the men had removed a comic book to read out jokes. There were just some pictures present in their hands, at which the men stared, and all they wished for was to return to their beloved, who just stared back at them, blank expressions in their eyes.

In the corner he sat. His weapon lying down next to him, safely held down by the Velcro, he held some maps. He glanced through them, measuring distances with his sharp young eyes, muttering inaudibly. The commander stood up all of a sudden. The men looked up at him, surprise brimming in their eyes.

“Lads, this is what we were made ready for. This is what our life is. Our job.  And tonight’s the night; when everything comes together; when we do what our country demands of us. And, we will succeed. Nothing can stop us from reigning, we will win, and we will complete what we are going for,” he announced. Giving in to claps, he sat down as abruptly as he had gotten up; and resumed poring over his diagrams. The expression of pure concentration and strain shone on his young skin as the time ticked on; giving him a second less for his job- to plan the operation. And he knew not what he’d do!

They had just one day to complete their mission. Tonight would be the night. At the right moment, Dominic came forward with a suggestion-they could surround the place, and could lay siege with the help of stun grenades, and their beloved night vision. This initiative shocked the whole platoon, but the young general held his composure. The plan seeped slowly into his insight and his eyes got back their characteristic spark. Thumping Dominic’s back, the general congratulated the young cadet; and at that same time, the co-pilot announced their arrival at the airbase in central Ghana.

Silently off boarding the helicopter, the young soldiers stretched their weary legs and some of them rushed off to relieve themselves. The clock ticked on, and chimed five. No one could sense the building anxiety. It was just two hours till mission began.

The meeting convened at 1800 hours sharp. Plans were provided, mission objectives discussed and ways of entry and exit talked about. It just took the general a quarter of an hour to get his troops ready; and they rose, hurrying off to their quarters. Acquiring all of their lucky charms and weapons, the young soldiers moved in a single mass towards the waiting van.

The shiny MP-500 sub-machine guns shone in the dull night of the dusk, decorated with filled magazines and clutched tightly in the hands of the twenty occupants. Faces darkened, with camouflage clothing on, the squad sat still in the van. They were early at their destination. They still had a half hour to spare; and they used it to fix the plans in their heads. This mission would be dangerous, especially with the lack of information and practice the team had gone through this time.

Some prayed, some joked. Some sat still, while some stared into emptiness. But all they could do was wait. Wait for the darkness to come down upon them.