"Afghan Roses"
By Francisco Martínezcuello
In Massoud’s Circle, weathered plastic shopping bags are captured by the thorns of Afghan roses. Armored vehicles crisscross in formation. Liberators with their guns pointed bully civilian cars to halt. My convoy breezes by, failing to free the bags from their thorny prison. Through shatterproof glass I see a green-eyed girl with reddish brown stains on her face, barefoot as she walks, sifting through flowers and refuse.
Throughout the green zone, large potted plants and HESCO bastions are strategically placed to serpentine traffic. Colored flags are planted alongside Afghan roses, denoting distances from sentry to target.
Walking the streets with combat load, I reach for a rose through the concertina wire, even though it slices through my uniform. Grabbing the spent brass casing buried in soil now enriched with blood and lead, I imagine the petals against my flesh. I put the brass into my pocket. The weather is warm, drying out the weakened rose. I snap the stem closest to the soil and rest it between the spaces of my armor. The bud fits me like a target, but my M4 carbine deflects the stares as I patrol.
En route to base, I see the green-eyed girl. I hand her the rose, but she’s expressionless. When I look back to wave goodbye, I see the rose has been added to the littered road.
Francisco Martínezcuello served 20 years in the U.S. Marine Corps with a tour in Iraq and Afghanistan. He is a graduate of UC Berkeley School of Journalism and recently completed fellowships with the Public Policy Institute of California and KYUK Public Media in Bethel, Alaska. He is currently the summer reporter for Chilkat Valley News in Haines, Alaska. Recently, Francisco was selected to be part of the second cohort of California Local News Fellows. His writing focuses on the environment, science, and military affairs/veterans’ issues. He is also a VetRep Resident Artist. Publications and more can be found on his website: www.themotorcyclewriter.com
This piece was first published in River Teeth – A Journal of Nonfiction Narrative.
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