Chapter 11: Ebrahim And Abdur

Ebrahim always felt that as the youngest of the section, at only eighteen and newly enlisted in the army at the start of the campaign, he was always given the worst duties. He was right, but it was not the sergeant's intention in this case, it was merely Ebrahim's bad luck that the two houses he was assigned were empty, and had been completely stripped of everything of value by their owners.

He searched them thoroughly and conscientiously, finding nothing, and went out to join his comrades-in-arms in the street with a long sad face.

When they were all out in the street again, Abdur's first question to Bukhari was, "What was that noise?"

Bukhari spoke up, "Oh, a man fired at me with an old jezail and so I killed him. The woman I took for my own."

"If they shot at you, you can keep her," said the Sergeant indulgently, "At least for the time being."

Turning to the sad looking youngest man of his section he asked, "What's wrong Ebrahim? What did you find?"

"Nothing Sergeant," came the morose reply, "The three houses I checked were all empty. No people, no loot, nothing."

"Cheer up, son. At least nobody shot at you," said Corporal Nagib, "I only found this misbegotten eunuch and his arse hole is wide enough to drive a tank up. You can have him if you want."

The Sergeant considered whether it was worth pointing out that loot was to be shared between the sections, or to let Ebrahim keep the eunuch. Since Nagib was giving the eunuch away, the creature was obviously worthless, so he kept silent on that transaction. Jalal appeared from one of the houses dragging two women in smocks by their ankle chains.

"What are those two?" he asked Jalal.

"Two household slaves, young, female, but ugly and not virgins," came the reply.

"Off with the smocks; let's look at them," said the Sergeant.

Hala and Fayruz were quickly stripped and were far from ugly. The men crowded round and the Sergeant asked, "Not virgins? You sure? They look young enough and frightened enough."

"I'm sure," said Jalal.

"But that one was still a virgin an hour ago?" asked Abdur, "Judging from the blood on her cunt she was."

"I don't know," said Jalal, "All I can say, for certain, is that neither of them is now."

The Sergeant roared with laughter at this, because he had spent countless hours dinning into his men that in battle field conditions they should only report what they knew "for certain", and not what they suspected or supposed.

"Well they can keep us warm tonight," the Sergeant decided.

"Gadhi, did you find nothing?"

"No, Sergeant," he replied, averting his eyes.

"You're lying. I can always tell," said the Sergeant, "If I lob a grenade or two into each of those houses you won't mind?"

Gadhi said nothing so the Sergeant took a grenade from his pouch and pulled the pin.

"No, Sergeant. There was a woman with two little children," the soldier admitted, knowing that Abdur was perfectly capable of blowing up the houses just to call his bluff.

"Did you fuck her?"

"Yes, Sergeant."

"Fetch them," was the order.

Gadhi went back into the house and found the woman.

"You have to come with us. I won't let them harm the boys, but the men will all want to..." his voice tailed off.

"I know, Master. The men of Tirfil lost the war and the women must pay the price. Please try to keep my boys safe until they are sold," she replied and then led the way out into the street.

As they reached the little group the Sergeant was still giving orders, "And somebody go into that house where I was and bring the woman out of there. She isn't much but we don't have many to go round."

Corporal Nagib scurried into the house and soon returned with the wailing woman in tow. A few swift blows round the ears quietened her down and the section moved off in good order with their five women and two child captives in the middle. The eunuch was left behind.

It was just pure bad luck that Sergeant Abdur's little group were spotted by the Officer of the Day as they returned to camp.

"You men, bring your captives and come with me," he ordered.

"You heard the officer," said the Sergeant.

At the Officers' Mess, a commandeered hotel, they were led round the back and through the kitchens. From the dining room the sound of a gleeful celebration filled the ground floor.

They were taken into the main conference room and the Officer of the Day said, "You lot can fuck your women as a floor show, while we are enjoying ourselves with some of the local harem women. If there aren't enough concubines to go round we can use yours as well."

Being by nature a kind man, he added, "Oh, and the kids can stay out of the way in one of the side rooms."