THE BOY WHO BECAME A SHIELD FOR HIS FRIENDS

The sky was a palette of the scruffiest orange and a blooming yellow. It was Tuesday and the
streets of Peshawar were still recovering from the weekend which had been all about fun and
carelessness. Today though was about getting back to the shops and classrooms. The air carried
the rattle of shutters opening with shopkeepers ready for a day of sales along the Warsak Road.
This all was part of a well rehearsed routine, one that the inhabitants of the area followed week
after week. Laughter could be heard from the Ahmed house as a kid who looked about 14 years
old left his house and onwards towards the Army Public School.

Uzair was happy-for his young soul held hope and excitement towards the idea of attending
school and the prospect of learning. If one had the chance to see from above they'd say
everything seemed to be in place and normal. It would be described as -just another day.
However that's the thing with time, it's linear. You can't see ahead in the future unless you walk
the road. Sadly, for Peshawar or maybe the world dark clouds had already graced everyone with
their presence. Whoever said evil wasn't ugly hadn't lived through 16th December. Uzair walked
towards his school a million thoughts running through his head, and so did Khaula and Shahzeb.
Each one of them passed an old lady on their way. "Be blessed my kids and don't loose hope",
she said. They all smiled through it and took her blessing with a warm heart. The chime sounded
and the school had yet again started. With teachers, ready to spread their wisdom among the
leaders of the future and the respective little leaders settling in for a day of education. The words
of the Holy Book dominated the scene as the students and teachers alike asked for the blessings
of their Lord.

It seemed like only seconds after that the school seemed to have traded places with a war zone.
When Uzair had first seen the men, he had smiled upon them. Dressed in the attire of the soldiers
theses monsters had fooled the eyes of all that had seen them with respect. No one had seen that
coming, not even the old lady that smiled at the various kids outside the school. Taking out their
weapons the terrorists started shooting at precious lives.Cries of the little leaders faded into the
background as the jar of guns sliced through humanity. Tiny tears hit the ground that was already
a crimson grave. The hearts of teachers prayed for mercy but their mouths couldn't bow down to
the viscous beasts that reigned through the school halls. Even the fate shed tears of blood that
day. Though, not all was lost, where humanity was questioned heroes rose among the martyred.
Uzair Ahmed to the inattentive eye would be another mischievous kid. But to the 13 bullets he
took and the friends he saved he was a fighter, one who didn't believe in giving up. For what
seemed like painful decades the slaughter of innocence continued but then came the moment of
silence.

Allah looked upon His little heroes and made 144 promises that day. No one had to take revenge
for Uzair, he had his Lord and he was right next to him. The Lord had smiled on humanity, it
didn't wave a white flag that day, it was reborn