After the war

Chapter 9 : Stupid sign

Joyce didn't like going to this part of the town. Since they came back, most of the militaries were living outside, not having families anymore. It was heart-breaking, Joyce couldn't stand seeing them like that. She was glad to still be here for her sons. They were not alone.

She arrived at the store she was aiming when a sign on the door caught her attention. "No militaries allowed". What did it mean? Nothing good. She didn't say anything as it was one of the last stores in town, but she saw red. She took a deep breathing and entered the place, focusing on her shopping list. She wanted to please Will for diner. The boy had been more than angry the last days, and she wanted to make him smile, or just make him feel a little bit better. She stopped hoping to see a smile on his face. She knew he wasn't feeling okay. At least he was still at home. She put everything she needed in her cart and stood in line, waiting for her turn.

- "Hey! Get out of here!" the owner of the shop ordered.

Joyce started and looked at the door where a young man was standing. She didn't struggle to recognize Lucas who was, apparently, not welcome here.

- "You can't read a fucking sign!? Out the disfigured!"

- "The disfigured!? What the fuck does that mean!?" Lucas replied.

- "Look at you in a mirror and you'll understand! Now get out of here! None of you are welcome here!"

- "Why not?" Joyce intervened.

- "They're just good to steal and create a mess! They're like a disease!"

- "A disease!? They were sent on the front! Their families are destroyed! They need support, not rejection!"

- "And what about us!? Since they can have everything with their fucking identification tags, my turnover decreased by half!"

While Joyce and the owner were loudly debating, Lucas's blood was boiling. The boy ignored the sign and took the opportunity of the debate to choose what he wanted. He filled his bags before going to the checkout. With a determined walk, he jumped on it, kicked everything he had on his way, and stopped in front of the man who stopped yelling at Joyce. Lucas crouched, grabbed the man by his shirt, and showed him his identification tag.

- "I'm gonna take those bags, because I've this fucking identification tag, as you said. It's my right to use it. This is the only thing we have now. If you wanted one, you should have enrolled the Army eight years ago when they needed people instead of staying here, hiding your fat ass in your stupid store! I don't give a fuck about your turnover! If helping my friends to eat is decreasing your turnover by half, then I will! They deserve to live too! Now you shut the fuck up and let us enjoy the small thing we have! And I'm gonna take her cart too."

Lucas pushed away the man before going back to the floor and placing his bags inside Joyce's cart. He grabbed it and made it roll to the outside, flipping off the owner of the store. Once outside, Joyce took back her cart while Lucas brutally removed the sign of the door.

- "You didn't have to," Joyce said.

- "You defended me."

- "Thank you. I'm sorry for what you have to live now. Some people forgot the conditions of your enrollment in the Army."

- "How is Will?" Lucas asked.

- "He is...alive."

Lucas pouted.

- "Are you sleeping outside too?"

- "Um, yeah."

- "Why? I'm sure your parents are worried about you right now."