We often see airstrikes and missile launches this way: miles away from their targets, or overhead but through a distant lens, or maybe just from a safe proximity. We see the “awe” but rarely feel the “shock.” Because the Syrian conflict has been so thoroughly documented in video, we now have another perspective: what it’s like to experience that shock. A single person on the ground, targeted by something that can move faster, see better and hit harder. Moving just a short distance can save your life. There’s often silence. No warning. Sometimes there’s little else to do but wait. Other times the only thing to do is run — even when what you’re running from can travel faster than the speed of sound. This was said to show an American airstrike on Syrian regime forces last year. The technology directing these weapons means you can be close to impact and yet unharmed. Islamic State said this was a U.S. airstrike. Yes, many times weapons come from far away. But sometimes the warning is clear. This was a Russian cruise missile over Syria several years ago: a rare glimpse of a high tech aerial attack in transit. Of course, these are all brief moments of impact. The aftermaths go on.