Our platoon is at the head. In front of me our platoon leader, Joske the redhead. I keep my eyes on him. The thing I am most afraid of is to lose touch in the dark. I have heard the most terrifying stories about people who lost contact and wandered around the whole night, till the next morning they found themselves in the middle of an Arab area.
I make a note of anything conspicuous - the shape of the hill on the horizon to the left, white stones beside the path, the direction of the Pole Star. If something happens, I will be able to find the way back to base.
We have been walking for at least an hour. Now we are deep in enemy territory. At any moment, guns could open fire on us from an ambush. It seems to me that we are making a fantastic amount of noise. Boots are tramping on the rocks, the grass is rustling, someone coughs, a rifle rattles against a water bottle, someone slips. I try to calm myself: all this noise mixes in with the sounds of the night. The enemy won’t hear us.
Two hours have gone by already. Gradually the feeling that nothing matters has taken over: you don’t care if someone shoots at you and kills you. The main thing is not to have to lug this weight around any more. In this situation the purpose of orders becomes clear - without orders you won’t reach your target. The order drives you on, discipline gives you strength. Without them you are lost.
* * *
Our platoon leaves the long column and goes off with the scouts to mine the road between Deir Muheisin and Seidun, to cut off the route for enemy reserves. We are on our own now - twenty soldiers in the middle of Arab territory. And suddenly I notice that the feeling in my belly is gone. Strange that one is afraid only before things start. Now I am feeling fresh and relaxed. Devil knows why.
There is the path - a narrow, light strip between the meadows. Joske arranges us in a defensive circle. I am lying directly facing the Pole Star. I can’t see my comrades to the right and left of me. An irra-tional fear overcomes me: what if they leave me here alone? Maybe they won’t notice that anyone is missing? I listen. Can hear absolutely nothing. Have they already withdrawn? Then I hear the sound of dig-ging. The scout is doing his job. I laugh to myself. You can rely on Joske.