Female Snipers. Greg Pius
prejudice. There was a desperate need to immunize all the young children but anti vaccine fanatics are turning mothers off this vital maternal action. It was frustrating for Hera to keep treating preventable diseases, particularly among the children. Everyone was packed tightly into the United Nations refugee camp. Local townspeople did not encourage refugees to leave this camp. Yet local farmers were more than willing to use their cheap labor at harvest times. It was this hypocrisy that made Hera mad with disappointment in her fellow Australians.
Hannah was fighting another form of disappointment. Mothers were not sending their children to school during harvest periods. Hannah knew that her young students were being exploited for their child labor. Small hands were better at picking certain crops. Little feet were better at crushing the grapes. Small children were expert at catching small pests like field mice. It made Hannah angry at the mothers who did this but also sad for her lovely students who had such an eagerness for learning new things. She had a nickname with her students. It came from her favorite literacy lesson. Hannah had only herself to blame for telling the story of her greatest ever lesson. So her students called her Miss 'Phoneme' Feelgood. When she found out Hannah laughed loudly. Serves you right for bragging she told herself.
Mossy had the disappointments common to most eleven year old girls. No adult would treat her like a teenager. She was been called by all the subtle put downs. 'Preteen' (her pet hate); 'teenybopper' (whatever that meant); 'prepubescent' (what the harry did that mean? was her constant thought); and 'still such a sweet young girl' (which made her scream inside every time she heard it said behind her back). Just because she loved all the animals at the refugee camp, just because she could tell their names just by looking at them, just because she spent more time with animals than with her peers, did not make her a little child as far as Mossy was concerned. Was it her fault that animals just followed her everywhere? Well if she was being honest with herself that was her fault. Mossy always carried various pet snacks that she doled out every day. Mossy was going to a play date with the girls from her class. They would be the top primary students in one months time. Her girlfriends had plans to make. They were going to be very proactive Grade Six girls. No make that proactive teenagers thought Mossy.
Colonel Hutch Matterson was staring once again at the email he had from Major-General Mackenzie. Once more he had missed out on promotion. Hutch had been Commanding Office of his battalion for six years now. Officers who went through officer training well after he graduated were being given the best appointments. Hutch was being told to stay where he was and continue 'your fine work up north' as Major-General Mackenzie always put it in these emails. Most of the time they did not even come directly from the Armed Forces Chief. A Major Chantel seemed to be in charge of these refusal emails. Not that Hutch missed the sarcastic emails he used to get from Major no it was now Colonel Lee. But these emails were cold and very impersonal. Only one thing stopped Hutch from resigning in frustration at this denial of promotion appointments. Part of his responsibilities was the inspection and security surrounding the northern United Nations Refugee camp. At that camp was the love of Hutch's life. Hera Feelgood had been a widower for six years now and was finding companionship with an old boyfriend. Hutch could not be happier than when he was with Hera. True she did not love him in the same way but they were both prepared to overlook that so they could fully enjoy each others company.
Back in New Zealand Nahid had put aside her heartbreak at losing Zaheer to her father. fighting in Australia. She was going to speak with the refugee women who had been resettled in New Zealand. Going to the capital city Nahid got a taxi to the large meeting hall where this event was being held. There were now hundreds of thousands of refugees resettled in New Zealand. So much so that New Zealand simply could not take in any more civil war refugees from Australia. This meant that some family reunions were being put on hold by the New Zealand Immigration Minister. Nahid knew that this event was going to be highly charged and very emotional. Still she never walked away from danger. So Nahid walked into the meeting hall and went up onto the stage.
The event organizer started the meeting then wasted no time in introducing Nahid. In a cautionary tone of voice she announced to the assembled women,
"Ladies of the Rebel Alliance let me introduce a woman well known to some from days in the Eastern Australian Refugee Camp. I give you Nahid Fitzgerald once known as Nahid Ahaheed. Please give her a big rebel welcome."
There was loud applause but largely from the older women who recognized their one time leader from back in the Australian refugee camp. But a lot of younger women did not clap. Nahid noticed the mixed reception she was being awarded on her name only but still walked to the podium with her head held high. In a firm tone of voice she said,
"Fellow rebel women I come not seeking your praise but your words of wisdom. We are all separated from loved ones who are even now risking their lives for the rebel alliance. But we are the strong ones because we support our husbands, brothers, sons, daughters, nieces and nephews every way we can by our untiring efforts. We are an integral part of the rebel alliance!"
The applause this time was louder and more spontaneous but it still was not universal. In fact one woman raised her hand to ask a question. Nahid sensed trouble from the look on this woman's face but still allowed the question. This middle aged woman then said in a hard tone of voice,
"That's all well and good for political fundraising rallies but what does all that have to do with you? We all have husbands, daughters, sons, nephews, nieces, brothers and even sisters fighting with rebel bands. But you are now divorced from your rebel husband. So how do you get to be one of us?"
Some older women tried to shout down this woman but Nahid raised her had for silence. Then in an ice cold calm tone of voice she said,
"Yes I divorced my husband but we were having marital problems long before the civil was began. In Australia as you know rebel women have not been able to get divorced for over six years. But I remarried a former rebel commander's assistant. He is Irish and fought in their civil war. Then he came to Australia as an immigrant. When the civil war started he joined the rebel alliance. And he is still training rebel snipers over here for active duty in Australia. But that is him as for me I now have my eighteen year old daughter over fighting among my ex-husband's rebel band. I not only miss her every day but fear for her every minute of the day."
As tears came unbidden to Nahid's eyes many women who were not sure about her now made up their minds. A new mood swept the assembled refugee women. Spontaneous shout of support rang out from all parts of the hall.
The woman who asked the question now got to her feet. This time her tone of voice was apologetic when she said
"Look I humbly apologise. What you just said touched the hearts of every mother in this room. My Emily has been gone only three months but I still cry myself to sleep every night worrying about if she is still alive. Like you I miss her so much. So welcome to our band of rebel women you are more than welcome."
Now thunderous applause resounded around the hall. Every mother, wife, aunt, grandmother and even great aunt in the room knew exactly how these two women felt and the pain they bore every single day.
Eventually Nahid could see through her tears so she raised her arm to indicate she would like to speak. As the women settled into their chairs many faces were wet but there was a general sense that a communal benefit had been obtained. Nahid now said in a determined tone of voice,
"As you can see ladies of the Rebel Alliance. We are all in this and will support each other no matter what happens. I reciprocate your applause as I believe that everyone in this room shares the pain of absent loved ones. Now lets use this time to help each other with our own insights. Does anyone wish to get our discussion started?"
A young woman