A Moment of Tension
In a tense scene, Carles made an unusual request to Manel, who reacted with a gesture of profound rejection. His look, loaded with contempt, suggested that he was asking him for an unthinkable favor. Instead, Fermí, with a kind gesture, offered Carles a cigarette and asked him if he needed fire.
Debates on Life and Death
As Carles approached to light his cigarette, he took the opportunity to question Manel about his aversion to tobacco. ‘Why are you so obsessed with smoking, Manel? The bullets whizzing by us are a far more real danger.’ Manel, with an air of hostility, defended his stance, comparing cigarettes to lethal weapons that can be dragged along like an unbearable weight.
An Uncertain Future
He firmly stated that he would rather die from a gunshot than drown in a sea of emphysema, as had happened to his father. Carles and Fermí, bewildered, looked at each other, wondering what the relevance of this discussion was at that moment. Manel insisted, defending his idea as if it were a mantra.
The Arrival of Danger
Suddenly, the echoes of mortars interrupted their conversation, creating an atmosphere of distress. The sound echoed across the valley as explosions left craters all around them, and the boys sought refuge in the trenches they had dug not long before. At that moment, it was not time to debate life or death, but to keep quiet and wait.
A Show of Devastation
When the gunfire stopped, the boys cautiously emerged from hiding. The moon shone over a devastated landscape, with small flames consuming what was left of the vegetation. They had suffered no losses, but the atmosphere was heavy, marked by the destruction the bombs had inflicted.
A Gesture of Solidarity
Without the need for words, Fermí offered his cigarettes, while Manel watched with a gesture of displeasure. Their conversation about matters of life and death was about to resume, when, unexpectedly, the enemy stepped up the offensive. The power of the shots surprised the three young men, who were caught in a devastating explosion.
The Final Silence
That night, the bombs sounded their last word, but the valley knew the stories weren’t over yet. The bodies of the young men were flung through the air, mixed with the remains of rifles and broken branches. War, with its brutality, had left an indelible mark on the terrain, and silence fell, heavy and somber, over what had been a moment of camaraderie and reflection.
