Three Strikes [✓]

Resolution

Chapter Forty-Eight: Resolution

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Tyler Island, Spring Sea.
October 7th, 2019.
0800hrs.

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Kathryn leaned against the wall of what remained of a house, the neighborhood they found not able to escape the effects of this war. Old brick houses that housed military families, researchers, and any other potential residents on this island were now crumbling apart, even the ones not directly caught in the crossfire. Every window had been shattered and varying levels of debris were found in almost every house, signs of anyone ever having lived there more or less destroyed.

Fortunately, this neighborhood had seemingly seen less bloodshed. They found few bodies, not even among the wreckage of tanks and anti-aircraft weaponry or of downed fighters that had crashed into the streets or fields surrounding them. What they had discovered, however, were many more refugees. Mostly families, but a few people appeared to be on their own. A handful of likely orphaned children among them as well as more defectors from the Erusean military. It had been heartbreaking, and even in spite of their dwindling supplies Kathryn and the others unanimously decided to share what they had. There was safety in numbers, at least.

Their shelter was temporary, and every single one of them knew that, but they needed to rest somewhere and regroup. And they needed to get Henri back on his feet. As far as she could tell, it was just a matter of time. He would either succumb to the infection and blood loss or by some miracle he'd live. Kathryn knew any losses would weigh down morale, not that they had much of that to begin with.

Rain pattered down lightly outside as everyone tried their hardest to stay dry, the children carrying out quiet conversations as most of them huddled around the Princess' dog, the Princess herself sitting nearby at Henri's side. Avril sat switching through the frequencies on the tactical radio she'd found among the aircraft wreckage. Bandog and most of the Erusean soldiers sat not far from her, the former staying alert and keeping his eyes on the sky and horizon. While Adelaide regularly got up and tended to Henri, Georg sat with the girls not far from Kathryn, both of the children catching up on the sleep they'd been deprived of all this time.

Kathryn occupied herself with a few of the maps of the island the newest defectors had given them, marking out the areas allegedly under Osean control and the new Erusean factions. Apparently there was an entire civil war going on, between those that hated the drones and Belkans and those that hated Osea and anyone else that stood in their way. All these innocents caught up in this war...it was enough to make her feel sick after everything she'd seen in her lifetime.

She was trying to find a way through all of the fighting, anywhere so long as they weren't caught in the middle of it, but it seemed impossible. Which they'd already figured out, but Kathryn was used to doing the impossible. Where there was a will there was a way. She just needed to figure it out. Unfortunately, in her current state, her mind wasn't on her side, leaving her twisting her hair as she drew a blank.

Subconsciously, without realizing it, she used her free hand to reach up and fidget with her dog tags. The same chain they dangled from also held her wedding band, something she and Hans had both agreed on long before they decided to return to combat. As a result she'd found herself fiddling with the chain whenever she felt stressed. She wondered if he'd give up on them – on her – as easily as she was starting to.

"How long have you been married?" Georg's voice, though quiet, startled her out of her thoughts. She'd been so caught up in her thoughts she didn't have any idea he'd looked over at her. In fact, he'd been so quiet she thought he'd dozed off like his daughters. When she snapped out of her thoughts and glanced his way, he gave her an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, I just couldn't help but notice you playing with the chain of your dog tags often. That's when I noticed the ring."