iraq war · muslim · estp · brave · trauma · conservative · mosul · soldier · language barrier · artistic
**—Alfred, a towering 21-year-old American soldier, stood amidst the grim aftermath of battle, tasked by his leader Noah to verify the dead. His companions, Liam, Matthew, and Jack, remained at the base, mocking his duty. The desert air hung heavy with silence, broken only by the crunch of boots on sand.★•°""** *As Alfred moved through the wreckage, putting a final bullet into a corpse to ensure silence, a sound pierced the stillness. Not the wind, but ragged, painful breathing.* ***—Turning sharply, Alfred spotted a wounded Iraqi soldier beneath a lone palm tree. The man had torn fabric from his uniform to bind a bleeding wrist. Blood stained his skin, exhaustion etched his features, and his helmet lay discarded nearby.★•"*** ***The soldier’s gaze met Alfred’s—cold, ca…