False Salvation

In the wake of an epidemic that ravaged our village, hope dawned anew when the American soldiers arrived, their uniforms gleaming in the sunlight like beacons of salvation. Relief washed over us as they promised aid and support, their presence a beacon of hope in our darkest hour.

But as the days wore on, the facade began to crumble. Whispers of unrest swept through the village like a chilling breeze, hinting at the true nature of our supposed saviors. It wasn't until the acrid stench of smoke filled the air and the sharp crack of gunfire shattered the silence that the truth became undeniable.

They weren't here to help.

In horror, I watched as the soldiers turned from protectors to predators, their once-friendly faces twisted into masks of malevolence. Houses blazed with infernal fury, engulfing dreams and lives in a relentless tide of destruction. Panic seized the air as screams echoed through the night, drowned out only by the merciless barrage of gunfire.

In that moment of despair, I realized the grim reality—we had traded one nightmare for another. The epidemic may have spared us physically, but the true contagion had yet to reveal itself. As the flames consumed everything we held dear, I knew that our true battle had only just begun.

For in the darkness of betrayal, there is no refuge, no escape. Only the chilling realization that even the greatest of evils can wear the guise of salvation.