Chaos and Courage

I could taste the metallic tang in the air. My eyes locked onto the chaos above—the

sky a canvas of fire, smoke, and terror. I saw a small group

trapped in the open. One massive blast threw my friend off balance, but I lunged forward,

pulling him behind cover just in time. That day, I learned that courage isn’t the absence

of fear—it’s moving forward despite it. It’s the strength to survive,

to help others survive, when everything around you screams otherwise. The next moments

were unbearable. Planes roared overhead, bombs exploded all around. I crawled slowly,

dragging debris away, calling out to my friends: “Are you okay?