Day 1

Today as soon as I woke up, I saw revolutionary trucks coming into our village. I sort of knew and wasn’t sure exactly why. When the soldiers climbed down the trucks and gathered everybody, I knew why they were here. They were recruiting able bodied men and boys for their army. I saw my best friend Lolo, who pretty much knew almost everything what was going on. The revolutionary soldiers scattered to look for more male bodies. I tried to run away but eventually I was caught by one of the soldiers, and was moved to a truck. My mom saw me and cried out loud until one of the soldiers hit her head, which started to bleed. I was so scared because I didn’t know what exactly was going to happen to me and other people who were with me in the truck. After Captain Mendoza gave a speech to the villagers, truck engine started and we left the village. I was so terrified and scared. I didn’t know anything about the army and what we’re going to do. I hate killing people or being forced to do it. Every time when the truck suddenly went up and down, due to the horrible road conditions, I was so scared that we were being attacked by loyalist forces. When we finally got into the fortress, I was still scared, because I didn’t know what was going to happen, especially because my dad died fighting for loyalists, I had a thought that they could kill me any second. I saw boys like me with guns, and uniforms. When sergeant Díaz confirmed that we were going to fight for the revolutionaries. I wasn’t sure what to say, while others shouted out yes. My dad fought for loyalists, but I’m here with the revolutionaries. I didn’t want to be in either place. I just wanted to be back at home with my family. All the surroundings were weird and were too scared to ask anyone anything. The only good thing so far was giving plenty of food. But I was always cautious about everything and everybody. The only thing I wished for right now was to be back at home or know what was going to happen next. When I got an AK47, from sergeant Díaz, I was just so scared because one careless motion could kill at least a life. I thought of myself for a bit. If I do the trainings well, and listen and follow the commanders, would this be a better for me? Would they give me better living conditions? Treat me nicer? I was so scared the entire first day with the revolutionaries, being trained to be a soldier.