Why?

A bullet 5,56 mm broke the window in Anton's bedroom. He found it. The bullet has hit the carpeted wall and fell behind a sofa. He took it from the dust.

“How many times Aunt commanded me to hoover under the sofa!” he thought, “And I always say “ok” but never made. “That's your room – you must keep it clean! What your father would say?” I must answer when: “That's not your business! My father yet says nothing! I'm already had my hands full! I help as I can. Don't treat me as a child!” Why I didn't say that? Maybe I'm too weak character? I will prove I'm not!”

It was just dawn yet. A ladybird made her way on the window sill. Anton stretched his body with arms high above. Today he was ordered to enter the Army. All his friends have done. Today it's his duty. He has prepared well – passed the course of young fighter, packed the chest, wrote letters. The broken window was fixed with newspapers. “It's good that the summer is hot”, he smiled.” That sheets good just for that and lavatory.”

On the kitchen he found the aunt who was preparing a breakfast. Her over-cried eyes tried to avoid his beams.

- Why?, - she sobbed lightly.

- You know. I must, - he understood what's going on.

- Your father was killed, you lost your family – that's enough.

- They must pay! How they dare! They are beasts!

- They are the same young boys as you! You have broke your mothers heart and now will break mine! The neighbor next to us receives a funeral letter yesterday. - When it will stop?

- They will be defeated! Busters! Traitors!

- Please, don't go, stay safe!

- Stop crying! I will fight for your safe!

That was the next scattering. He couldn't stand it. “It's good I will leave this house today”, - he thought.

Anton take his chest, threw on a jacket. He frowned when kiss his Aunt cheek goodbye. When young man was walking down the street to the departure checkpoint he thought about the words his Aunt and he slapped each other. He memorized what she's talking about. “The same young boys...” She was right. He well remembered the school football team. “Ah, in America they call it a soccer. Would be interesting to see their game.” But the guys! How this happened that yesterday friends and teammates have become enemies? What did she say? Why? But how they dare!... Oh, again the same.”

The collection point was full of young men, loud voices and smell of distaste food. Anton found his checkpoint fast, took the uniform and was ordered into a bus departure to the front line. “What front line?”, - smiled he by himself, “I know those places well. There are great raspberry bushes and in that forest we were hunting for white mushroom. He recalled the taste of the soup with white mushroom. “Mom prepared delicious soup – not that stuff we were choked on the collection point”.

Anton had a time. The bus was busy with young soldiers who braved themselves with dirty jokes and rude laugh. But they all know there they headed – it seems the war lasting for years. Anton recall his study in university. He couldn't finish the second year, but hoped to continue the study after the war. He chose philology. “It's not a modern profession. What will you do after the university?” his father argued with him. But Anton loves to learn languages, he feels like the ancient Greek disputed with other students and professors. “Teachers proofed us that the Truth is born in the dispute”,- he thought,- “Why rulers couldn't find it out? We are talking with our enemies almost on the same language. Why we couldn't understand each over?”

When they pass last checkpoint the sound of artillery has made so noise they sometimes couldn't hear the orders. It occurred that they have come to a mess. The enemy's assault have mixed battle formation. The fresh reinforcement was thrown on the line of fire. Anton have heard two commanders argue.

- Why you are sending them to that mess – they are just chicks.

- Don't say rubbish. They are soldiers and I need them!

- I have another order.

- Here I'm who order rules!

- You will pay for neglecting the safe of your people!

- Go away! You are a traitor!

- You have lose you soul!

- You have lose your honor!

Anton moves with his unit to the line. His heart booming. ” This can't be real”, - he says to himself , “that's insane. What we are doing here? We have come to fight! But what is the fight? It couldn't be just process of killing.” Anton disputed with himself. He had lost in the maze of arguments. “Who have rights to order one man to kill another? Rulers nether beg their folks for such stuff”.

There were almost totally demolish old dwellings on the front. Hissing sounds cut the air. Sounds of approaching shells turned over guts. A tired beard soldier nodded them with his head. “Stay calm and try not to stick out” he said. Anton laid by the corner of a barn. “What we most do? Is there the same mess in the enemy's army? Look! The sky is clear – tomorrow will be a good day.”

The sun came down, sunsets hues colored all around, bugs creeped in the grass. Anton have noticed a motion direct in front of him. He checked his rifle. One, two, the breath calm down, push the trigger. The man in the same color uniform twitched and dropped down. “What happened?” - the weird thought blew Anton's. “Why he fell down? I shot him or not? How strange – that was so easy, but why I feel so dread.” Anton felt sick and vomited in the grass. “If it was my school teammate the score would be 1:0 in our favor”, - he still can't direct his mind. Anton started to rise to see what was going on at the battlefield. “Why?...”

The next week his aunt received the funeral letter which said that her nephew was died hero's death. He was hit in the heart by a bullet 5,56 mm.