DAY 33 - APRIL 21, 2011

In further efforts to deride mounting anti-government sentiment, Syrian President Bashar Al Assad announces the end of the 50-year "state of emergency" law, which bans gatherings of more than five people. In turn, Assad also abolishes the Supreme State Security Court thereby allowing peaceful demonstrations to be carried out. Protesters, seeking more concessions from the Syrian government, plan, for the following day, the biggest demonstration to date. It's dubbed, "the Great Friday."

Word reaches you that yesterday two veteran journalists, Tim Hetherington and Chris Hondros, were killed in a building in Misrata. They were two of the best photojournalists the world had ever known. You are thinking about them while you, Jeremy, and Michael are pinned down by mortar fire in a building in the town center, just blocks from where Hetherington and Hondros were hit. You've been in the same endless firefight for close to a week now and you are wondering if you are going to get out of here alive. You realize that Syria is edging towards violence with tomorrow's protests. You wonder if it is going to be the same story starting again over there. You think that the best part of civil wars are always the beginning, the times of hope and bright futures, and the worst part is when people die and nothing moves. Like the situation you are in right now, this is terrible.