The boy was only eleven

When his childhood was stolen

He was given a gun, a helmet, a pair of boots

He fought the Big Enemies with his playmates

But this wasn't like the games they played

Strange people cried in pain in a strange language

Those who fell to the ground

Never got up

And bullets actually hit his leg

And they actually hurt

A bullet hit Dejen

Real blood poured out of his friend

And he fell

And he didn't get up

He wasn't pretending

The boy heard shouts

The Big Enemy was coming

"For Dejen!" he shouted

A high-pitched voice filled with unmistakable hatred

He fired, and fired, reloaded and fired

This wasn't like the games they played

The Big Enemy actually died

The gun he used actually killed

The blood that gushed out was real

He wasn't afraid

He was told it was good

He was given money for every quick kill

He gave the money to his mother

And went to kill more

And more and more

The boy was only eleven

When he became a soldier