‹ Prequel: Chase the Sun
Consequence
Something
He tells her stories every Sunday. She thinks he must have some kind of grandfatherly super power, no one else fascinates her with just their voice.
Today's story, like most, is a sanitised tale of war.
He gives a slow shake of his head, the corner of his mouth tilting upwards as he remembers.
The smile fades and he pauses, losing himself in memory for a moment.
He looks up and meets her eyes directly. "You gotta stand for somethin', girl. You fall for anythin', otherwise."
Today's story, like most, is a sanitised tale of war.
"There were four of us went through trainin' together, assigned the same squad right out. Learn a lot about a man when you're all up in his space like that, you do."
He gives a slow shake of his head, the corner of his mouth tilting upwards as he remembers.
"Me, I had all sorts of dreams about stoppin' the Nazis. Weren't right, what Hitler was doin'. Charlie had a girl waitin' for him at home, was gonna marry her when he got back. Patriot's patriot was Mack, couldn't go a day without him claimin' some sorta national pride. And Johnson, Johnson was a smart kid, coulda been brilliant. Don't even know why he signed up."
The smile fades and he pauses, losing himself in memory for a moment.
" 'Course, Johnson was the first one we sent home in a box. Wound got infected and he couldn't fight it off. Not a lot of men with no beliefs lasted real long. Found that out the hard way, we did."
He looks up and meets her eyes directly. "You gotta stand for somethin', girl. You fall for anythin', otherwise."
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Right. My entry for Round 2 of this contest. Hope you enjoyed and feedback is appreciated. :D