The stranger under the willow tree

Letters from the dead

December 13,2017
*Skeeter's POV *
" You really want to do this skeeter?" Dad asked me while parking the truck in front of the recruiting center. I always wanted to do this ever since I was little, I love my country maybe not the people who live in it only some, but I want to protect my country. Money for college and a future to fall back on. I looked up at him and smiled. "Yes, dad I really want to do this." I told him and we both got out of the truck and headed towards the building to take the first step of my future to begin, by signing my life over to the government for the next 20 years.

January 9, 2028
*Midas POV *
"We're cleaning the attic out today. It's been almost 6 years...we believe it's time to clean out the things we don't need anymore." Dad told me after coming home from school.

Geez, can't you just wait until I get completely in the house first?

I just stared at him, I glanced at my mom standing behind him looking at the ground. mom hasn't been the same since we got the news 20 years ago. "The only things that are in the attic are skeeter's stuff, like I said every time you bring this up. I am not getting rid of her stuff." I said as calmly I can be when he brings it up. I walked past him putting my bag on the hook. I looked at the organized school stuff mom did for me and skeeter. I sigh, turning around looking at my parents with tears rolling down my face. "Fine, I will clean the attic out. I get to keep some of her things." Dad walked over to me and gave me big hug like he used to. "that's alright with me son." He told me, then pulled away from me and looked into my eyes. "Midas, just remember whatever you find if it's government information we will have to give it to her company." Dad said, I saw fear in his eyes and that's unusual even for him. Mom just gave me a half smile and disappeared into her room; dad followed her down the hall. I put the rest of my stuff in the correct areas and started walking towards the attic.

Okay, you're probably really confused and wondering what's going on. Hi, I'm Midas, I am skeeters brother. Yes, the one that left for the army about 6 years ago. Today marks the 6th year that we, mostly me got the news that she died in combat. She graduated school pretty early, as soon as she graduated, she sold her soul to the devil aka the government. Skeeter told us she was going to do 20 years in the military, do college online and if she gets done with college before her 20 years is up, she will get out of the military. Well, she finished her basic training, and her AIT which is called advanced individual training, it's where the military goes in depth and hands on job training for their specific army job. Skeeter's job was a 92F which is a petroleum supply specialist. I am not going to go in detail what she does in her job because one she never really told me and two there's also google. (Go look it up if you want to really know what it is) also she was active duty, and her unit got deployed to some country. Skeeter couldn't give us details because she would've gotten in trouble. Then next thing we know, two soldiers in dress blues showed up at our door and told us skeeter was killed in combat. Some reason deep down I knew something was wrong.

I got to the attic and pulled the attic door down, dust went everywhere. I climbed up the ladder and turned on the attic light. I looked around and saw skeeter's stuff up here, untouched and unopened just how we left it when mom decided to pack her stuff and move it up her when we got the news.

I think sometimes mom doesn't believe its true or wants to believe I was the only child. Mom kind of snapped when dad told her that skeeter passed away.

I started to go through her things separating into piles of 'do wants' and 'don't want.' I came across a little brown wooden box with one word craved into it. "Meadhon" it was Scottish Gaelic for my name.

Skeeter.

I grabbed the box and opened it. There was a leather journal that has not seen the light of day and has been through hell and back twice. I picked up the journal and opened it. I saw my sisters handwriting in Scottish Gaelic.

Skeeter and I had this secret language, which wasn't really a secret language if you're Scottish and knew Gaelic, but that's how we would get by with writing or saying things if we felt like them was ears listening.

I started to get a sickening feeling in the pit of my stomach when I began to read her journal.

Midas, I know dad is going to make you clean out the attic to basically get rid of my shit, but it's probably because the government wants our parents to give them all my stuff. Let him do it. Don't save anything, but this journal and the box. I craved your name in our language so you would know it's for you. Also put your name in English on the bottom so you can literally say, "this was yours and it got mixed up in skeeter's stuff." Mom and dad know your name in Gaelic so they wouldn't think I was calling you a bad name. Nosey ass parents. I know you want to keep some of my stuff, but don't please trust me on this, it's for you and our parents' safety. You'll understand more when you continue reading the journal, before that you need to put this in your room and hide it in your safe place. Yes, I know where you hide your shit. Never occurred to you that I was stealing your weed. Then put the rest of my stuff back in the boxes and tell dad you didn't want anything, because I know he told you, "If it's government information we got to give it back to her company." What he's not going to tell you is that all my stuff the government made it THEIR stuff. Just know I love you little brother.

"I love you too skeeter." I said, closing the journal, putting it back in the wooden box, quickly taking it into my bedroom and hiding it.

I knew it was her stealing my weed. Mom and dad don't come in my room, they never really did. They were so focused on skeeters to really paid attention to me. They still don't pay attention to me.

I went back into the attic and started to put skeeter's stuff back in the boxes they were in. I heard footsteps coming towards the attic. "Son, you almost done up there?" Dad called me.

I knew it was him.

"Yeah dad, I am done. I didn't find anything other than one of my things mixed up in skeeters stuff." I called back walking towards the ladder. "Okay son, I messaged skeeters platoon sergeant to come get her stuff, so I'll help you bring all her boxes down." Dad said as I heard him climbing the ladder. We got all of skeeter's boxes downstairs as there was a knock on the front door. "I got it." I told dad as he brought down the last box. I opened the door and there were about three soldiers standing behind skeeters platoon sergeant's skeeters, before he could speak, I spoke up. "Come on in, skeeter's stuff is over there." I pointed at the boxes where dad was standing, and I stepped aside to let them in. I watched these no-go soldiers take my sister's stuff. I felt the anger start to grow, but I know I can't let it show for the sake of my sister and getting to the bottom of this. "Thank you, Mr. Griffins, for letting us get these boxes. We are terribly sorry for your loss." One of the soldiers said, I just rolled my eyes and walked to my room.

They weren't sorry, but what are you supposed to say to a family that you know their kid didn't die accidentally.

After I knew the military was gone and my parents weren't going to bug me. I got Skeeter's journal out and started to read it again.

You remember how I said I wanted to this ever since I was little? Let me tell you I was so fucking wrong. I'm writing this down in my journal, because I know I am probably not going to make it back home, to mom and dad, specifically to you Midas. The government probably would try to cover this up and say I died in combat. I'm telling you this now, if you ever find my journal. I did not die in combat. I died, because I found something on patrol that I shouldn't have saw. It was couple months after I was station in Alaska, happily I got promoted to sergeant. I got my own platoon; they were my responsibility. I failed them, Midas. If I wasn't so damn curious on why my commander didn't want us to go past that damn lake, maybe you and their families wouldn't be burning empty caskets. Yes, I know you buried an empty casket. Did you ever think why they would say I "died" in combat when I wasn't even in a combat zone?

You have a good point about that, like why would they say skeeter died in a combat zone when she wasn't even stationed in one.

"Hey son, dinner will be served in a minute or so." Dad called introducing me from my reading.

Damn it.

I closed the book, "okay I'll be down in a second." I said as I put the book in the box, putting the box in my secret hole in my wall. I head towards the dinning room to eat with my incomplete family. I mostly sit at the dinning room by myself because mom and dad haven't sat here since skeeter was alive
I sigh looking down at my food.

I wish you were still here, Just maybe everything would be different.

I finish up my dinner and clean up the kitchen, wash the dishes including mine and my parents. After I got done I went to my bedroom got ready for bed and maybe some time for some reading. There was knock on my door after I got dressed for bed. " Yes?" I called. The door opened up slowly, I figured it was dad , but I kind of know it wasn't dad in my doorway. "Midas... I want to apologize for how I... how I been acting since skeeter passed." I sigh. " it's okay mom I promise. You're just grieving." I told her with a small smile. Mom nodded, kissed my forehead told me goodnight. I lay down on my bed and let out a big sigh.

Fuck. This happens every year, every single year. Mom comes in my room an apologize for how she's been treating me since skeeter passed away. She only apologize on the anniversary of the death day. I mean, she might mean it, but she just going to repeat what she's doing. I don't know how to help her, other than send her to therapy or mental hospital. Dad always says no and that she takes her medication which she actually doesn't. Anyway, like I said if only skeeter didn't leave everything would be fine.

I went to my secret hideaway hole and got out skeeters journal and began to read it, wear I felt off.

I want to start off an apologize to you little brother. I know you're going through a lot, After reading all what I wrote you're going to need more than an apologize, but thats all I could afford to give you. Midas.. I hope you forgive me one of these day. Let me start from beginning, the day we got to Alaska, Let me tell you it was cold, my first sergeant wasn't joking about packing was cold, a lot of winter Clothes. These Two year deployment going to be a long deployment for us and we didn't know we weren't going home. I felt something off when I stepped off the plane. "Everyone got all there stuff off the plane." I called to my soldiers. "yes sarger" They called back I told them to form up so I could get a head count to make sure didn't lose anyone or no one was missing. I started with nineteen soldiers counting me is 'Twenty, Everyone was all counted for,' I messaged the first Sargent that the fourth platoon is counted for. 'Good the more the merrier,' was the text I got back. Which I thought was odd,I bushed it off, but now I wish I didn't. We all head to the barracks to get all settled in for the next two years, these barracks were a lot nicer than I excepted for the military, maybe these are the air force barreKs, but I made sure we had the right rooms. Which we did. Anyways... my platoon got all settle in and all unpacked. " when we going to eat sarg?" One of my soldiers asked me. It was private Gwen, she was about four foot tall, she was one of our shortest soldier in the company, but don't let her tiny size fool you. She was the strongest girls in my platoon. Gwen has soft spot in my heart. You could probably say I had small crush on her, I mean you're right. I did, but that doesn't matter now. "Soon shorty." I smiled at her and she gave me a small giggle and I saw the little blush on her cheeks. Yeah she had a crush on me too. I mean what's not to love? I'm six foot, red hair and freaking built. "Hey platoon." I called to them and I felt all their eyes on me. " Let's get ready to head to the chow hall it's a little walk from here, but not to far." I told them and they all gave me a slight nod.I wish I didn't have to leave the barracks because that's the day we past that lake. The lake that called to me, that was the day of the first big change of my life and everyone's life as well.

I closed the book because there was a noise outside that brought me out of my reading. I looked at the door it was still locked. I checked, I heard the noise again. I for sure knew it was coming from outside. I went to the window it was pitch black outside only one light was on and it was the street light, it was flickering.

huh that's a light that never did that.

I noticed a man or a person walking into the light. I felt its eyes on me, which was kind of impossible because I don't think no one could see me up this high specially in the dark. I look back at my sister's journal making sure it was still there then look back outside. I jumped back when there was no person under underneath the street light.

What the fuck. I swear saw someone I'm going crazy.

I went back to my bed , picked up the journal reopened it and a piece of paper fell out. I set the book down and opened the piece of paper it read:

Hello, little one. You've grown so much since the last time I saw you. You've grown into such a good man..meadhon. she would be so proud of you.I'm sorry I scared you, I wasn't trying too. I am here to warn you, if you continue to read that journal she left for you. they will come for you, she sent me to protect you and to watch you to make sure nothing happens. I'm not to stop you from continuing reading the book, but if I was you I would just skip a couple pages. you'll know where to stop because you have the same gift as skeeter. You're sister risked herself for me. I owe her my life. so little one, if you need me tap three times and I'll hear it.

I blinked at the letter, little puzzled at it.

I'm so questioning life and everything right now. Same gift as skeeter? The hell does the mean.

I picked up the book again and just stared at it.

I mean after reading the journal that skeeter left for me, I've felt that someone or something has been watching me, like I've felt uneasy and very paranoid, but that's not from reading this journal right?

Skip a few pages... I remembered the note saying. So I started to flip through to see what pages pop out at me, then something did jump out at me. January ninth...The date of the anniversary of skeeter's death date, but the year was 2018.

Nothing is adding up. I was twelve when she left for the army and I was just turning eighteen when we got the news. Well they waited a year to tell us, so basically nineteen if you want to get technical. What's the worst thing that could happen?

It's been a whole year in Alaska. One more year until I get to go home to my brother and parents. Year until everyone can go home. Another year of feeling uneasy and living with paranoia because every time we march of walk by the lake, I always felt something strange, something wrong. Also curiosity to go check it out. My platoon and I have been talking about it out and go explore it on our little marching. So we all waited until it was our turn to do our patrols. We head to the lake, I mean no one told us not to go over there, but we all had a feeling of curiosity. I stopped, turn around and looked at my soldiers, because that was going to be the last time I saw some of them alive. I got three privates; Parker, he was seventeen freshly out of high school. Yeah, I know army let seventeen year old in? He had a waver. Same with Allen and Rogers, but Allen is about to turn eighteen in few months. Then I have ten Private First Class, it's the same as a private, but with an actual rank. We called the privates fuzzies because that's all the have on their chest. Anyways, the Private First Class soldiers are Gwen, Cooper, Walker,Morris, Green, Jones, Rollings, Jinx, Neal, Jackson; they're all in their twenties. I have six specialist; Arces, Bruce, Draper, Mann, Ray, and King. These guys are in their late twenties. I over rank them and a kid myself, but they all respect me and look up to me. "You guys don't have to follow me. I could do this by myself." I told them. I looked down at my feet. "Sarg, we won't let you. No man or woman left behind. You taught us that." King spoke up. I heard everyone agree with him and I smiled. We started to walk forward to the lake then got hit with a force field, like a barrier. I put my hand threw it and I went through it. I was shocked to what I saw. The barrier I went through was not a lake on thee other side, but it made everyone see a lake. Though it wasn't a lake, but it was trees blocking a building. I felt a hand grab mine and I looked down to see Gwen's hand in mine, then everyone else crossed over. "What is this?" I heard Allen whisper. "I don't know, but we're about to figure out. So everyone stay closing quite." I told them in a whisper. All of us started to creep towards the building. There was this pit in my stomach of uneasy ness. I was getting scarred and I wanted to turn back, but I couldn't let my ear down. "Sarge.." I heard one of my soldiers whisper, I looked at them. They all pointed in front of me, I turned back and saw what they were pointing at, the sign read, "Area 52" how is that possible. I thought it was Area 51 and in Nevada, not in Alaska or 52. "Wtf, what is that doing here?" Roger spatted quietly. I shrugged and put my finger to my mouth to tell them to be quite because someone was coming. It was two soldiers that I never seen, specially the ranks, then there was a loud snap of a branch, I turned my head to see Gwen's face go really pale like she saw a ghost. It all happened so fast, the bright light n us, many soldiers surrounding us and then grabbing us. I'm not going to blame Gwen, because how would she known she was going to step on a branch and expose us. I still love her. Sooner or later we would've been caught I was just hopping it would've been later. The soldiers that grabbed us, took all of us into a room that looked like a interrogation room, it was more like a holding cell. They told us to take our gear off and any weapon we have, so we did. We put it in a pile at the front of the door for them. So soldier 0052 told us we saw too much and we aren't leaving., they are going to fake our death so no one would come looking for us. I told my soldiers, my team not to panic. We would get out of here. I'll find away. Well.. I said that before they started to take us one by one. I don't know where they were taking them. We fought each time they come to take one of us until thy brought another solider to hold me down.
King.
Ray.
Mann.
Draper.
Bruce.
Arces.
Neal.
Jackson.
Jinx.
Rollings.
Jones.
Green.
Morris.
Walker.
Cooper.
Parker.
Allen.
Roger.
Gwen.
I don't know how long it's been since they took each soldier of mine and I couldn't do anything to help them. I've never felt so hopeless in my life than I do now. I don't know what they are doing to them, but I know each one of their screams and cries of help. I couldn't help them... I couldn't help my second family. I gave up, I stopped fighting because I was going to be next and I was okay with that. Then I heard a voice that told me don't give up, so I didn't I started to get my strength back and I was going to fight my way out even if it kills me. When the door opens for them to get me, I fought. I silently stabbed one of them with my switch blade I kept on me. I grabbed the keys and started to look for my team. Midas, I know you skipped some of the pages because I wrote those in case they cracked the code. I did make it out. I did find my team but only some of them. King, Draper, Morris, Jinx, Gwen, and Parker was the only ones that survived. There was seven empty caskets, our family buried empty casket, because our bodies was never found. You know why? Because we aren't dead. They only wanted you to think that. Thirteen of my team did die, all because we saw what we weren't supposed to see. I won't go into detail what I saw just in case we don't meet again. I know you'll meet Zion or already met him. Trust him. I saved his life and he helped us escape. We are safe, we are alive, but to everyone else we are dead... you got to keep it like that until it's safe for us, but until then we will talk through Zion. I know he had to warn you because knowing any of this... is very dangerous. Yes, he was watching you for me, because I was scared for you in case they came after you. Zion, is a friend, he is family. I wouldn't have sent him if I didn't trust him. Midas, I am so proud of the man you've became and continuing to become. I love you little brother until we meet again. Stay safe.

Skeeter is alive.

The journal fell out of my hand. I was in shock after what I read, but I kind of knew something because I didn't believe she was dead.

Skeeter is too cocky for death.

I just stared at the journal, I couldn't believe what I just read, but deep down I knew it was real. I quickly grabbed a piece of paper and started to write in our select language . I finished the note, putting the note in the journal started to tap three times on the window. "You called?" A voice behind me asked, I jumped a little. "That was fast..." I say softly as I grab the journal. "Uh... take this back to her." Zion takes the journal and it disappears out of thin air. "Don't do anything stupid." He pauses then looks at me with a soft smile. "See you soon." Then Zion was gone as fast as he came. I started to pack my bags, grabbing all the stuff I needed, but also packing lite. I grabbed my money stash. I wrote my parents a note and left my phone next to it.

So no one can track me. I know ya'll are curious on what the two notes I wrote say. I won't leave ya'll hanging I promise, but not going to give you the note I wrote for my sister.that's what you really want, so I am going to give you the second note I wrote.

Dear mom and dad,
Im sorry to do this. You already lost one kid. Maybe, your favored child. I know ya'll loved me, but after skeeter's "passing" you've changed. I mean who wouldn't change after losing a child. Anyways... you aren't losing me I promise, but I have to do this... for me... for you guys... for skeeter. I will be back, it might take longer than expected. If anyone comes looking for me or asking where I went. Tell them you sent me to a boarding school. I'll be getting a burner phone so no one can track me. I'll call you when I know it's safe. You'll understand one day. Why have to do this. I will be careful and safe so I can come back because I will. I love you. See you soon. Make sure to burn this letter... because I'm bringing skeeter back.

Yeah, yeah. I had to tell them she's alive still. I know they'll believe me.

Dear skeeter,
When you get this, I'll already be packed, left a note to mom and dad, then headed to you. So get mad all you want, I'm bringing you home and the rest of your team. Zion is helping me as well. I mean, you thunk I wasn't going to come after you once you told me you were still alive? Just be ready to leave. See you soon.

See? It wasn't that serious, but I know curiosity kill the cat, hopefully that satisfaction brought it back. Anyways I got to o find my sister and her team. I have to bring them back even if it kills me. The government destroyed my family once I'm not going to let that happen again if that means we have to over through them because...

Fuck the government.