Collateral

I held her in my arms,

as the life slipped from her

small, frail body,

she couldn't have been more

than 7 or 8 I thought,

as I looked into her cold,

lifeless eyes,

staring blankly into the clouds

above,

only moments before

the scream of incoming artillery

shells had filled the

afternoon sky,

then a blinding light, followed

by deafening sound;

then silence;

now this child,

lay broken and torn

in my bloody arms,

I had seen her in the

neighborhood before,

always laughing,

always smiling,

beautiful;

innocent;

later the news would

say the attack was a

coordinated effort

by government forces,

on known anti-government

strongholds,

killing 15 with only minor,

collateral damage and loss

of life;

all-in-all a pretty good

day for the 'good guys'.

.

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