Letters To My Soldier.

My Letter.

20 November, 2016

I got your many, many messages. Thanks a lot, Anjie. For not ... giving up. God knows, I need this.

      Yes. To the first letter sent in my absence. I went back to Afghanistan. And maybe, just maybe, I wish I didn't. Then...then he wouldn't have come along.

   He? Matt. He is Matt.

    Anyway, how is school? Do you enjoy the whole medical studies. I quite like your ranting about how annoying medicine is, and sorry, I find it amusing.

      I love the animal pictures sent. I think the kittens are...cute.  Yes. Cute.

Uh, you promised to send a picture of yourself. I'd love to put a face to the person I mail at times. Hope I'm not being too forward? Please tell me if I am.

      Are your parents still involved with the program? I'm just curious, and something tells me you have loads of questions for me. I'm smiling right now.

       I'm beginning to think of leaving the army. Perhaps in two years? Yeah. I want to try something else... Like... I have no idea what.

      Have you noticed? Noticed that we write to each other like we're friends, like we've known each other. Perhaps, maybe, we should stop writing. I don't know.

       With this letter comes two pictures of my time in Afghanistan. The first is of the large group of people, and the second is of the two children I ...found?

   It's getting a bit risky mailing these letters to you. I have to go now. We have a mini rescue mission.

    Goodbye.

Luke Winters.

                               ~|~

I knew my letter was going to make me seem ungrateful. I wasn't. As a matter of fact, I really appreciated the letters she sent. I really did.

      I just didn't want to continue with this any more.
                                ~|~

    After sending the letter, I got dressed in my attire and went out to meet my comrades.

Matt's death had really changed me. If I was reserved before, I was worse now.
If I was cold before, I was worse now.

     I killed the enemy without a hint of remorse. I only made their deaths quick because his was quick as well.

       I could feel the familiar sting of tears behind my eyes and blinked it away. If my feelings were locked away, then so would my tears.

       Jerry walked up to me, and we walked on in silence. We were off to a hospital that had been hijacked. A total of thirty people were trapped, surrounded by fifteen members of the opposition.

          And I wasn't planning on making their deaths painless. I was going to hit them where it'd hurt the most but at the same time kill them.

   I wasn't going to allow them kill any of my brothers. I wasn't going to lose anyone else.

I turned to Jerry and promised myself that.