Gunslinger

ι'νє вєєη αωαу,
ѕєαя¢нιηg ƒσя α яєαѕση,
αησтнєя ρυяρσѕє тσ ƒιη∂.
ι'νє ѕαιℓє∂ тнє ѕєαѕ,
ƒσυgнт му мαηу ∂ємσηѕ,
ι'νє ℓσσкє∂ тσ gσ∂ѕ ιη тнє ѕкιєѕ.

ι'νє ѕтσσ∂ ιη нєℓℓ,
ωнєяє мαηу нα∂ тσ ѕυƒƒєя,
ι ѕтαяє∂ тнє ∂єνιℓ ιη тнє єуєѕ.
ωαℓкє∂ мαηу яσα∂ѕ тσ ωιтηєѕѕ αη¢ιєηт ι∂σℓѕ,
αη∂ ƒσυη∂ тнє gяєαт gαтєѕ σƒ ƒιяє.

нα∂ мαηу ѕтσямѕ qυєѕтιση му ¢σηνι¢тιση,
gανє αямιєѕ яєαѕση тσ яιѕє.
тнє нαηgмαη'ѕ ѕєαя¢нιηg ƒσя вσηєѕ нє ¢αη вσяяσω,
ωнιℓє ι єѕ¢αρє∂ ιη тнє ηιgнт,
ƒιgнт σя ƒℓιgнт.

ℓινє αgαιη,
αℓℓ яσα∂ѕ єη∂,
ι'ℓℓ вє ¢σмιηg нσмє.
тєη∂ уσυя ℓιgнт,
'¢αυѕє ση тнιѕ ηιgнт,
ι'ℓℓ вє ¢σмιηg нσмє.

Sgt. Matthew Charles Sanders

Lilly

єѕ¢αρє∂ тнє нαιℓ σƒ ¢αℓ¢υℓαтє∂ мσятαяѕ,
тнєη ∂яαηк тнє вℓσσ∂ σƒ α кιηg.
тнє ∂єѕєят яαιη нαѕ ωαѕнє∂ αωαу ∂ιяє¢тιση,
нα∂ αηgєℓѕ ℓσσкιηg αƒтєя мє,
ѕσ ιт ѕєємѕ.

ℓινє αgαιη,
αℓℓ яσα∂ѕ єη∂,
ι'ℓℓ вє ¢σмιηg нσмє.
тєη∂ уσυя ℓιgнт,
'¢αυѕє ση тнιѕ ηιgнт,
ι'ℓℓ вє ¢σмιηg нσмє.

му ѕтσяу єη∂ѕ ησт ƒαя ƒяσм ωнєяє ιт ѕтαятє∂,
му ωєαяу ℓιмвѕ нανє gяσωη σℓ∂.
ι'νє ѕєєη тнє ωσяℓ∂ тняσυgн тнє єуєѕ σƒ α ησмα∂,
нσмє ιѕ ωнєяє тнє нєαят ιѕ ι'νє вєєη тσℓ∂,
ѕσ ι gσ.

ℓινє αgαιη,
αℓℓ яσα∂ѕ єη∂,
ι'ℓℓ вє ¢σмιηg нσмє.
тєη∂ уσυя ℓιgнт,
¢αυѕє ση тнιѕ ηιgнт,
ι'ℓℓ вє ¢σмιηg нσмє.

ι'м ¢σмιηg нσмє
ι'м ¢σмιηg нσмє
ι'м ¢σмιηg нσмє
ι'м ¢σмιηg нσмє

Matt
I sat in the dark alley way, laying on the empty duffel bag I had brought home with me when I came home from overseas. Here I was, a veteran who had taken a bullet to the chest and had almost died for his country, now laying on the cold damp ground of an alleyway. I had hair down to my shoulders, and so much scruff on my face that if I smiled that my dimples wouldn't show. I closed my eyes in hopes of falling asleep but the sound of a woman's cries disturbed me. I shot up and walked to the edge of the alley where I saw a dark figure holding a knife to the throat of a beautiful young woman. "Shut the hell up" he snarled at the young lady. I narrowed my eyes and quietly walked up behind him.

"I believe she said to leave her alone" I said darkly, causing the man to spin around to look at me. "Back off you homeless peice of trash" he snapped back at me. "Make me" I snapped. He took his knife and lashed out at me. I grabbed his wrist and twisted it until he let go. I then flipped him over me so that he landed witha. Thud on his stomach. I grabbed his arm to the point of where it was about to break. "If i ever catch you trying to rape a woman again I will not hesitate to kill you. Do you understand me?" I snapped. "Y-yes" he wheezed out. " good" I snapped before slamming his head off the ground hard enough to knock him out. I got up and turned to look at the frightened girl. "Are you alright?" I asked her as I looked at her with pained hazel eyes.

Lilly
I stared at the man that had just saved my life. Saved me from being almost nearly raped. I took and felt my chest tighten at how beautiful he was. He was aboustly breath taking. It took and slowly nodded my head unable to find my voice. I stared at him a second longer as I glanced at the man seeing him out cold.

I took and wiped the small dribble of blood that he had managed to push through the skin of my neck where he'd pressed the knife so hard into it. I sighed heavily as I looked at the man. "T-thank you." I replied to him. "For saving me." I told him as I stared at him.

Matt
i looked at her. "You're welcome" I said softly. I saw the blood on her neck and I gently took her hand in mine. "Come on" I said softly " the least i can do is patch that up until you get home" I said to her. I led her over to the alley where my duffle bag was and I pulled out a large bandade and a disinfectant wipe. I pulled the collar of her shirt down and wiped the blood away before placing the bandage on her neck. "You should probably get going before it gets any later." I said to her. I slowly sat back down on the ground and put my arms on my knees.

Lilly
I took and smiled lightly at him, "Thank you." I said looking around as he sat down. I took and bit on my lip seeing just a duffel bag there. It dawned on me that he was homeless. I frowned a little as I knelt down to him as I stared into his gorgeous hazel eyes. He was beautiful and some odd reason I could trust him. I could feel that. "I'm Lilly." I replied hearing him say his name was Matt. I had no idea of how to go about it but I had to do this. "Come home with me." I told him.

Matt
I stared at her for a moment. "Are you sure you want me to come home with you?" I asked her quietly. "Yes" she said softly. She held out her hand and I hesitated a moment before taking it and pulling myself up. I sighed softly and grabbed my duffle bag, causing my dog tags to fall out fromunder my shirt before following her to her house. Once we stepped inside the house i looked around in surprise. It had been 4 years since I had seen the inside of a home. "You would probably like a shower wouldnt you? She asked. "Yeah" I nodded. I grabbed a clean pair of boxers and sweats that someone gave me and walked over to the bathroom. I walked inside and turned the water on. So it got nive and steamy. I searched her medicine cabinet, findung a set of clippers and a new razor. I quickly shaved my head and my face before stepping in the shower. After I was done I slipped into the boxers and the pants, leaving my tattooed and scarred chest exposed other than the dog tags that hung there. I looked around for hee, wondering what I should do with my dirty clothes

Lilly
I took and walked into the bedroom as I saw Matt standing there holding his dirty clothes. Seeing him without anything on his chest made me nearly go weak in the knees. Keeping myself together I took and gave a light smile to him. I gently took the clothes from his hands and put them in the laundry basket to be washed tomorrow. I notices his long hair gone and his beard gone as well. "You are quiet handsome." I replied softly staring at him. "Are you hungry? Do you like pizza?" I asked curiously.

Matt
I smiled lightly when she called me handsome, my dimples digging deep into my cheeks. "Thank you"I murmured. "And I love Pizza. I honestly have forgotten what it tastes like" I said to her. I chewed on my lip trying my hardest not to blink. Every time my eyes closed I saw images from my 6 year long tour. Images of innocent children being shot to death in the streets, some being left orphaned, bombs exploading everywhere, my best friend dying in battle. Being shot in the chest. My wife dying. I felt a tear roll down my cheek before quickly wiping it away so that she didnt have to see me cry. "Do you have any beer?" I asked her.

Lilly
I nodded my head to Matt, "Yeah." I replied leading him down to the kitchen. I opened the fridge up and handed him a beer. I smiled to him as I heard the doorbell go off. I jogged to the front door and paying the pizza man. I shut the door and walked back into the kitchen and laid the box down on the island and smiled at Matt. "Here we go." I replied softly as I took and noticed the tear but didn't say anything. I took and grabbed two plates and sat one in front of him smiling.

Matt
I smiled at her and took a long gulp of the beer, letting out a sigh of relief when I felt it run down my throat. I smiled lightly and leaned forward to grab some pizza, causing my tags to sway back and forth, making my scar visable to her eyes. I grabbed four slices of it and began to eat. "Thank you" I said after finishing my bite. "So...um..what did you do before you became homeless?" She asked softly, trying to be careful of how she worded it. "I was in the military until I shot in the chest. I had lost everything while I was overseas. My wife, my unborn child, my home..everything" I said softly.

Matt
I sighed quietly. "It is what it is." I sais to her. After I finished my pizza I looked at her."I should go" I said softly. "I dont want to keep you from sleeping all night." I said to her. "W..what do you mean?" She asked confused as I stood up. "I have PTSD. I have flashbacks of what happened while I was on tour. Things nobody should have to experience. I dont want to keep you up all night with my screaming"

Lilly
I stared at Matt shaking my head, "You can't go back onto the streets. I won't..." I paused seeing him eyeing me funny. "I have a guest bedroom. Please stay there." I pleaded to him as I looked at him. "My husband was in the army and was killed over seas. I have nightmares every night about him dying. My father served in the military, he came home and stayed with me. He had the PTSD as well. I can handle it." I told him as I squeezed his hand lightly.

Matt
I looked at her when she said that her husband died overseas. "I know this is going to sound weird but what was his name?" I asked softly. Once I heard the name I knew who it was. "He was my best friend. We did everything to watch out for each other. One day I failed in protecting him when he ran out in the middle of the fight to save a little girl. He died honerably." I said softly "he spoke about you all the time and how he couldnt wait to come home and see you" I said softly.

Lilly
I looked at Matt, "You knew Brian?" I asked him seeing Matt nod his head. I took and cleared my throat lightly as I wiped some stray tears away. "He talked about you on our skype chats and the letters he sent. You two were extremely close." I replied to Matt. I took and gave him a light smile as I took a breath. "Come on i'll show you your room." I said softly leading him upstairs. I pushed the door open. This room as supposed to have been the nursery but I changed into a guess room, along with the few others that was in this huge home. "There you go. Fresh sheets and all. If you need anything I am right across the hall." I told him.