4. LOSER´S PLACE

4. Loser’s place

- He is there- he said pointing at the left tent.

The base camp was really huge. There were hundreds of people always waiting for the end. When the life is good, the time doesn´t exist, but when the life is war, the time shrinks the heart. Now, the life is war.

He walks slowly as far as the tent. At the door, he waits, takes the paper, reads it again and he crossed the door.

- Hi Sir- No movements, no noise. One fly crossed the air. Flies always remember him the death- Sir, you don´t know me. I´m soldier James and I was looking for you during two months.

- Soldier, What do you want?

- You are the writer.

- What are you talking about?

The soldier read the paper: «Something I woke up by night and I think it was a bomb».

- Shut up. It is enough- he scared- What do you want?

- I live the same.

- Everybody lives the same. It is a war: people kill people, because one of them hates the Jewish people, other hates the different people, another wants more and more, other…- he coughed and he covered his face. He was ill.

- I´m sorry, I´m sorry, I just…, I´m sorry- he was living the same. He always lived the same.

- Listen to me. Listen…- he said whispering- Could you make me a favour?

- Yes, yes, sure.

- If you survive at the war you will say to her that I didn´t suffer.

- She? Who?

The unknown man put on his hand a picture.

- This one.

She was really pretty.

- How can I meet her? -He waited- Ey! Answer me. How can I meet her? - He answered scaring.

-…

- Oh! No. Come on, come on.

-…

When he left him he went at the other side of the river near there. He took the paper, he read it again and he was one with the picture. He lost, like ever.

In the war, everybody loses. The war is the loser´s place.

By Carlos Muñoz Novo.