We rested for about half an hour. After setting off again, I quickly realized that this break was not of much use to me. I soon felt exhausted, and Ahmed seemed to know my condition well, and he slung my rifle on his back and pulled me on.

But even if I did, it still didn't work out well for me. After about an hour of procrastination, I was already at the point where I was struggling. I felt like my legs had been drilled, and it was the feeling that I was getting heavier and heavier, and the upward mountain road increased my burden even more, and I suddenly had the illusion that my legs were about to lose control at any time.

As a last resort, Ahmed and I stopped again. At the foot of the mountain, Ahmet found a secluded place and sat me down.

After sitting down, my feelings didn't improve very well. Actually, I don't even have the strength to sit still now, I want to lie down now, and I just lie down when I'm completely relaxed. But I tried to try not to think about the feeling of lying down, and I tried to sit up as well as I could, because I was afraid that if I did lie down, I would never get up again.

I had never felt this way before, even when I was being chased everywhere in Chechnya, knowing that victory was impossible, I still did not lose heart, did not give up and fought with all my might. But now ... I wanted to just stop, lie down, and never move again.

I tried to raise my head and look at Ahmed, who was sitting in front of me and handed me the kettle, and instead of taking the kettle, I suddenly thought of my people who had fought side by side, Sasha who asked me to continue to run with Paul in Chechnya, Milosevic when I was being pursued in Kosovo, and the captain who could not run away in front of the border between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia and was left behind forever. Maybe I should make the same choice as them, and stop dragging my companions down. Thinking of this, I looked at Ahmet and said, "Maybe you should go on your own... ”

Ahmed didn't answer me, but opened the kettle and continued to hand it to me, "Keep going." He said and pointed to the mountain road we were climbing, "We may be able to find people or ours when we climb over here." ”

"Huh." Hearing him say this, I smiled bitterly and said, "That's it. . . Do you believe it yourself? You're talking as if you've been here or been in contact with one of our people. ”

"Let's drink water first. We'll have to try anyway. Ahmed said.

I took a big sip from the kettle, and now I feel a little more comfortable drinking water. I looked at the mountain in front of me that we were about to climb, it was only one of the many peaks here, but it was very tall to me.

"I'm serious ... I can't walk now. Even if you can go, at my current rate, your final fate is to eat up the food and drink the water. And then die here. I said as I returned the kettle to him, "So you'd better go with little water and food." “

Ahmet took the kettle and let out a long sigh, then he said, "Let's make a bet." “

"Bet?" I looked at him, "I just want to lie still right now, nothing else is interested." “

As if he hadn't heard my last words, Ahmed continued to point to the mountain we were going to climb: "If, when we cross this mountain, if we still can't find anyone else, whether it's the locals or ours, if we still don't find anything, then I'll listen to you," he said, looking at me, "Leave you in a comfortable place to lie down, and I'll go on my own." I'll leave that sleeping bag for you, and that's what you brought anyway. “

"Haha." When I heard Ahmed's words, I suddenly felt funny, "Then do you have to find a nice place for me?" “

Ahmed nodded and said, "Maybe. If you think this place has a so-called good scenery. I'll take a moment to bring you through. But now, do we have to keep going? “

I looked up at him and said, "If there was nothing in the past... Then you go on your own? But do you think you'll be carrying enough stuff to get out there? ”

Ahmed smiled and said, "I'm a guide, remember?" I'm more familiar with this place than you are. Besides, did you still have to worry about me then? ”

"Okay." I nodded, trying to get myself on my feet, "Then we'll take a gamble. But I think let's bet on whether I can make it there. ”

Ahmed looked at me and said confidently, "I bet you can." Let's try. If you climb the hill and still don't find anything, and you really can't hold on. Then I'll leave you alone, okay? ”

I took a step forward and said, "Since you have so much faith in me, let's try... Give it a try. ”

So we hit the road again and started walking, and with Ahmed's deliberate help, I was fine, but as time went on, Ahmed had a problem with his fitness and I could feel his breathing getting heavier and heavier. The pace is also getting slower.

I looked at Ahmed, who had been almost dragging me along, "Do you want to stop and rest?" ”

Ahmed gasped, "Are you tired again? I think you're better now than you were before. ”

"I mean you ... It feels good because you're dragging me with more effort. I said.

Ahmed smiled bitterly when I said this, and slowly slowed down, and suddenly he pointed ahead and said, "Look... We hope for it. ”

Wish? I looked in the direction he was pointing, and saw that there was nothing on the mountain road ahead, except for two trees... "What are you talking about? Trees? ”

"yes. What do you think it is? He looked back at me, presumably disappointed, and continued, "Don't underestimate these trees, maybe they used to be a forest, and where there are trees, they should be not far from the mountain village." The people of those villages probably don't like a place full of stones. ”

I slowly bent down and took a few breaths, and now I don't want to straighten up if I don't go. I looked at the two thin trees in front of me and said, "I didn't expect you to be so optimistic, and seeing these two malnourished trees can inspire you to keep moving forward." “

"Huh. So I said, I'm much better than you here. How, move on or take a break? Ahmed said.

"Looks like I asked you just now, right? If you're okay. Then let's move on. I said.

Ahmed nodded, and put the quilt on his back, "Then keep walking." Don't worry about me, I said I'm much better than you. ”

On the rest of the road, I walked the hardest part of my life. After walking a long way past those two trees, my legs went limp, and my muscles began to strike. After stumbling over a hillside, the two of us came across a grove.

Ahmed smiled when he saw that the woods were actually cracked, "See... Am I right? “

How far do you think this goes?。。。。。

(End of chapter)