The stew arrived. It was burnt.
Nobody said anything about it.
Everyone knew it was burnt.
The smell was a little bitter like something that had been overcooked.
Still nobody complained.
Food was food now.
Priya kept eating her stew.
She always ate slowly taking bites and chewing carefully like it was the last time they'd get food ever.
It was like she thought that if she ate fast the food might disappear faster.
Arjun sat across from them quiet as always.
He sat straight not relaxed like he had forgotten how to relax.
He was older about the age Raghav would be now.
That thought made Manav's chest feel tight.
Arjun had the serious eyes, eyes that had seen too much.
Arjun smiled less way less.
Before Raghav used to smile but Arjun almost never did now.
Manav kept staring at Arjun not in a way but in a confused way like he was trying to understand him.
It was like he was looking at someone from another world.
Arjun noticed Manav staring at him. He said nothing.
He just kept chewing like the taste of the stew did not matter anymore.
Manav finally asked, "Does the stew taste bad?"
Arjun lifted his shoulders and stared at him.
"I do not remember what good taste feels like " he said.
That answer made Manav quiet.
Manav looked down at his stew then he asked something else.
"Arjun why did you join the war?"
The question made arjun widen his eyes.
Priya stopped moving her spoon for a second.
Arjun did not answer fast.
He took a breath.
A long breath.
And he started.
"My home was near the coast " he said.
His voice was calm not shaking, just tired.
"There was water everywhere " he continued.
"Not dirty water like here. Blue water, clear water, water drinkabale water."
Manav tried to imagine it.
Arjun continued, "My mother sold tea near the docks in a shop just a table and a stove."
"She always gave sugar to kids even when they had no money."
A small smile appeared on his face then disappeared.
"My little sister liked drawing " he said.
"She drew the house again and again."
Manav asked quietly "What house?"
Arjun answered, "A house we never had."
Manav did not understand fully.
"My father fixed radios " Arjun said.
"He said broken things can still talk if you listen carefully."
Arjun stopped talking his fingers started shaking slowly.
Manav asked softly "Then what happened?"
Arjun took a breath.
"The sirens started one day " he said.
Priya looked down immediately as she experienced it too.
"We thought it was practice " Arjun continued.
"Everyone thought that. It was not."
"The first bomb fell near the docks " he said.
"I remember the sound it did not feel real."
Arjun looked at Manav.
"You ever hear something loud it feels fake?"
Manav nodded slowly yes he knew that feeling.
Arjun continued, "Glass broke people ran, everyone shouting, I could not find my sister."
His breathing became heavier, controlled, but heavier.
"I found her under a table she was holding her drawing."
Manav whispered, "Was she okay?"
Arjun nodded once "Yes," a moment of relief.
"We ran home. Home was not there our home was collapsed."
Priya stopped eating now her hands started shaking.
"My mother was calling us she was hurt, blood on her clothes. She smiled when she saw us."
Arjun was feeling uncomfortable saying it.
"She told us to run to the shelter she said she would come after."
Manav asked quietly "Did she come?"
Arjun continued, "We waited and waited and waited the fire near us made a crack sound she did not come."
Nobody spoke Arjun continued, "My sister asked if mom got lost I said yes I lied."
"Cause my mother died."
"I started lying a lot after that."
Priya said gently "You were a kid."
Arjun shook his head slightly "War does not let you stay a kid."
He continued, "The shelter became crowded many people, less food people started fighting."
His fingers started rubbing like he was remembering cold nights.
"My sister got sick she had fever I looked for medicine there was none."
Manav froze Priya closed her eyes.
"She asked if we could go home I said yes I lied again she asked if mom was coming I said yes another lie."
She gave me her drawing Manav asked softly "The house?"
Arjun nodded, "She said keep it safe."
A long pause then Arjun spoke again slowly "That night she stopped talking."
Priya started biting her nails "I told her to wake up I shook her I kept talking but she did not answer."
His voice became empty ". She was dead."
Silence again heavy silence Manav felt tears coming.
Arjun said, "I buried her myself."
Priya said softly "I am sorry " then she added quietly "Many people lost someone that is the truth of our world."
Manav asked, "Then why did you join the war?"
Arjun looked up at him "Because I had nothing left."
"I thought maybe if I fought someone else's sister would live."
He paused, ". That is not the real reason."
Manav looked up "What do you mean?"
Arjun continued, "There was another day a day I remember clearly."
The fire almost went out Priya added a stick.
Arjun continued, "I saw who bombed our city."
Manav leaned forward Arjuns voice became lower "They were not enemy soldiers."
Manav frowned, "What?"
Arjun nodded slowly "They wore our uniform."
Priya whispered, "That can not be true."
Arjun continued, "I thought maybe I saw wrong but I saw their symbol."
Manav asked, "What symbol?"
Long pause long pause Arjun looked like he was deciding something.
Then he said quietly "A circle, a line inside it."
Manav froze, his fingers tightened his heart started beating same symbol, same aircraft.
Arjun noticed his face change "You have seen it too have you not?"
Manav could not answer his throat felt heavy.
Arjun continued "I followed them that day alone I wanted answers and I found something I should not have seen."
Priya leaned forward "What?"
Arjuns eyes became serious like warning them "I found a list."
Manav asked, "What list?"
Arjun answered slowly "A list of cities and our city was, on it."
Manav felt cold inside Arjun continued, "But that was not the part."
Silence again "The worst part was the name."
Manav asked, "What name?"
Arjun looked directly at him pause very long pause then he spoke quietly "The next target, was your sector."
Manav felt like something broke inside his chest.
Arjun continued.
I was there on that day when they made the decision.