The birds chatter, as they do every morning, and the jungle exhales great plumes of mist into its canopy. A black column, twisting into the sky. A village. A hut, large and central, burned to a husk. It’s frame is charred and bare and its innards contain hundreds of scorched husks. All lying on top of each other by the doors and windows, barred shut from the outside. Outside, a few scattered escapees lying in muddy pools of blood. A halo of flies for each. Chopper blades beat the wind. Psycho Squad exfils. Message delivered. Mission complete.
Paddy Dobson
7th February 2021