Tap, tap, the footstep of a scurrying towards the main cave in our base of Ai Mountain.
“Leader! I saw ten traitors near the openings!” a scout patrolling the mountainsides reported to our platoon leader.
My ears picked up the word traitors and instantly lifted up. I hung on to every word in the conversation. This might be my first mission!
“What are the situations? Is it serious?” the leader urged.
“The Japanese are robbing the villages along the main pathway! This is the times of food shortage, and the villagers will starve without the food. Should we send teams to take the food back?”
“Good idea. Section seven, eight and ten, prepare for mission,” the platoon leader ordered. “The Japanese robbed the villager’s food, our mission is to rescue the food back. Mission, start!”
“Yes, sir!” we looked in each other’s eyes and shouted out.
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Rustle. The grass rustled gently next to my ears as I hid in the grass along the side of the trail watching the Japanese troops pass by. I adjusted my position to a more hidden place as my stomach churned and butterflies fluttered. My hand slipped into the side bag on my side and felt the four grenades distributed to me.The troops that just passed and the ones behind them can’t see around the curve yet, but if they hear the bullet sound, we would be discovered. This is going to be hard if we can’t use our rifles. I have to act quick, precise and hard.
“This is my first mission! I have to succeed. Go ahead and fight, for the sake of our country and the villagers!” I cheered myself on to give me more courage.
The harsh wind of middle March scraped my face, a strand of grass on the disguise hat blocked my vision. Shaking it off, I peeked my head out of the bush to see around the it. The previous troops faded out of my sight. The distinct mud-colored clothes exposed their existence as the traitors marched along behind the troops. The traitors’ weapons hung loosely on their backs, their vigilance worn out after the long trip. Perfect chance for our mission! Now I just have to wait for the signal to go. Closer and closer the traitors come, until the last traitor went around the curve.
“Now!” our platoon leader shouted.
As the last sound of the leader’s orders fell, 30 figures darted out the bush at once.The traitor had barely come back to earth when he discovered a hand on his throat.
“Drop your weapons! Put your hands on your heads!” I shouted out, heart pumping fast at my first step of success on my mission.
“This is the first successful step towards my mission,” I thought to myself as I picked up the weapons on the ground.
“CREEEEEK!” the grating noise of feet skidding on the rocky ground.
“Hmm? what is that sound?”
I twirled around, seeing a traitor kick against one of our comrades, and sprinting towards the curve, trying to escape. He was coming towards me! I have to stop him. If he gets the message to the Japanese troops behind him, our mission would fail! Can't let him do that. I shifted my footstep, jerked up in front of him and stuck my fist into his stomach. The traitor doubled over as I rushed forward to tie his hands up.
“Hey you, good job there!” the platoon leader patted me on the back. I beamed a huge good-natured smile, exhilarated at the leader praising me.
“Call the villagers to help escort the food back to the mountains!” the platoon leader commanded.
“Hey, it wasn’t that terrible, was it?” I thought to myself as I carried the packs of food on my shoulders, “ I actually did pretty good there.”
With that happy note, I caught up to my leader. This, was the start of my serve in the Eight Route Army.