![]() The Mourning AfterA Story by Arctic Fox![]() I have been working on this one for a while.....not that you could tell with it being so short, but here is a little Suspense for you.![]() It seems appropriate
that when the sun rises; it sheds light and we call it morning. The light from
that accusing eye in the sky illuminates all the filth, evil, and sickening
atrocities committed in the darkness that engulfed the world just breaths before.
The sun comes up and we’re left with disgust, hatred, numbness, despair, and
mourning. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The
courtroom is filled with both military dress uniforms and civilian suits. If justice prevailed there will be no
solace. If the system failed there will
still be no solace. A young man sits at
the stand. He turned nineteen three days
ago. His hair is neatly brush, but not
by his own hand. His eyes are red and
puffy. His uniform was newly
pressed. His ribbons and badges are in
neat, clean rows. “Private First Class James, I need you to focus. Tell me everything that happened. Tell me everything you saw. Tell me what they looked like. Did they seem afraid of you,” The prosecutor
asks. He absentmindedly brushes a piece
of lint from his black suit sleeve. “They had lights inside their eyes,” James says. “What do you mean,” the prosecutor asks. “I could see the flash in their eyes,” James replies. “From the explosion, James?” “Yes.” The prosecutor addresses the jury, but Pfc. James doesn’t
listen. James is vaguely aware of
someone calling his name. “James. Pfc.
James. Focus on me, please. Continue telling us what happened.” “They were kids I once knew. The younger one, Kevin used to follow me to
town. I used to date Lily. At night I
still feel like I’m holding her. I didn’t
know. The church was supposed to be
empty. I didn’t know. It was too late when I noticed them. I tried
to stop it! You don’t believe me!” “I do believe you, James.
We just want to know what happened,” the prosecutor says. “I can tell you, but you won’t believe me. You say you do, but you don’t deceive me. You’re going to pin this on me, and I’m going
to be killed for it, but it’s ok. I want
to die,” tears slowly roll down his cheeks. “Pfc. James. Tell
me what happened ,” the prosecutor asks again. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Three Months Earlier ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “Do you think there really is going to be a riot,” Kevin
asked. He
was sitting on the front steps of the city gym with his friends Tyler, Lily,
Adam, and Vanessa. Kevin was just
thirteen. Vanessa was fourteen. Tyler and Adam were fifteen, and Lily was
sixteen. Kevin was freckled kid with
messy red hair. Tyler had a scar running
across his knee from a car accident, but still loved to play basketball. Adam wore glasses and always had a smile
ready. Vanessa had a love for art and
made all her own clothing. It was
uncommon for her to wear vibrant, sometimes patchwork clothes. Lily was a quite girl with bright, blue eyes. “Who knows man.
These World Liberation Front guys seem legit. I don’t think they’re bluffing,” Tyler
replied. “Ok, I understand the economy sucks and the world is kind
of falling in around itself, but inducing riots around the world for change isn’t
helping anything,” Adam said. “If anything it’s costing us even more money.” The group turned around to see a young man in
a soldier’s uniform. His dark hair was
cut close. He would have looked
intimidating if it wasn’t for his smile and playful eyes. Lily jumped up and gave him a hug. “Luke!” Everyone
crowded around him all speaking at once. “Whoa now. I came
to borrow Lily. I’ll catch up with you
guys soon. I promise,” Luke replied. He
took Lily’s hand and they walked towards the park. “Lily. I’ve been
thinking that since I’m back from training and you are almost out of high
school…” “In two years,” Lily interjected. “Yeah, well I was thinking that this summer when things
have settled down, maybe we could start dating again. It gives you time to finish up the school
year, and then you’ll only have a year left.
It also gives me time to settle back in,” Luke said to her and they
walked across the bridge next to the duck pond. “You know I’ll wait for you. I waited while you were in training hoping
that one day you’d ask me out again,” she replied. Their feet seemed to stop at the same time. Luke leaned his head down and kissed
her. A high pitched squeal brought him
up again. “Vanessa,” Lily screamed.
Vanessa and the boys stepped out from their various hiding spots. “That was so sweet,” Vanessa said. “You go dude,” Tyler cheered. “Get out of here runts,” Luke said, half annoyed and half
amused. “It’s a public park, soldier boy,” Vanessa replied. All at once there was noise everywhere and the
ground shook violently. Smoke billowed
from within the city. “Go home, now. Don’t
leave. GO!” Luke screamed. He ran to his car. As the engine started his cell phone rang, “Pfc.
James. Roger that. I’m already en route,
Sergeant.” Luke’s heart pounded in his chest as he sped toward the
armory. When he pulled into the gate the
Unit was in a flurry. He quickly grabbed
his rucksack and Kevlar helmet and made his way to his platoon. “Good, you’re the last one James. Alright men, those psychos from the WLF made
good. I want to quickly thank you for
response time. When we put you guys on standby
last night, we didn’t really expect we’d have to go out, but the governor has
issued martial law. If it’s not in
uniform and holds a weapon it is an enemy combatant. Civilians are being told to stay in their
homes, but an evacuation may or may not be ordered. It’s going to be messy. Let’s go get ‘em Bulldogs,” Sergeant Williams
yelled. “Awoo! Awoo!” the men of Bravo Company, 2nd
Platoon replied. Hours later Pfc. Lucas James sat with his back against a
wall taking a much need deep breath. His
face was cover in dirt and soot. He had
fired his weapon several times, but refused think on it. “Ok bulldogs.
Radio transmission suck as usual, but I finally got our next
objective. We have a WLF stronghold on a
church on fourth street. We’re to take
it out,” Sgt. Williams told them. “Fourth street?
Well that’s a stupid place to hole up,” one of the soldiers says. “Yeah well, I’m not too fond of blowing up a church, but
I’m not an officer. It’s not ours to ask
why, but to do and die,” Sgt. Williams replied. “Yeah, well I’m not too fond of doing and dying, but I’ll
do,” another soldier said. The soldiers
laugh and get up. Thirty minutes later James low crawled away from the
church. He gave the nod and turned
towards the building. In the moments
between his nod and the explosion his eyes remained locked Kevin’s, he saw very
briefly Vanessa, Adam, Tyler, and the back of a blonde head; which had to have
been Lily’s. “Command, the church on Fourth has been neutralized, over,”
Sgt. Williams called over the radio. “Fourth. Sergeant your objective was a church on First,
over.” The platoon grew silent. Luke’s
screams didn’t subside until his voice gave way. It was weeks before he could talk and weeks
more before he would. His own birthday
came and went and he didn’t even notice. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “The
jury finds Pfc. Lucas Henry James not guilty for murder.” Luke
walked silently from the courtroom. No
one talked to him. He was still
labeled. His hands had still placed the
charges. His JAG officer walked him
out. Outside the doors of the courtroom
Luke’s eyes found a familiar set of blue eyes. “I
told you I would wait,” she said with tears rolling down her eyes. Luke sank to his knees. He sobbed as she held him. “I’m so sorry Lily. I killed
them. I’m so sorry. I’m sorry.” “Shhhhh. It’s ok Luke.
You didn’t know. I don’t blame
you. I love you. Together they sit in the middle of a
courtroom lobby, crying. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The
Next Day~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The
next day Lily and Luke visit the graves and families of their friends. Luke would never have made it without Lily’s
soothing words and her hand holding his.
Kevin’s parent’s slam the door in
Luke’s face. “It’s
alright Luke, they’re just in pain. In
time I know they will forgive you,” Lily tells him. They make their way to Adam’s house. Adam’s parent had attended the trial. “I
know it was not your fault son. I know
you meant a lot to Adam. You would never
have done that if you had known. I
forgive you, Lucas. Its ok son,” Adam’s
father says. Lily and Luke say goodbye
and take a cab to Tyler’s. Tyler’s
mother and father says the same soothing words as Adam’s father and Lily. They give him Tyler’s basketball. Luke hugs it till they leave. Finally they arrive at Vanessa’s house. Luke can see where Vanessa got her tastes
from when Vanessa’s mother opens the door.
There are no words. She just
busts into tears and hugs Luke. Their
last stop is takes them outside the city to a military prison facility. The soldiers of Luke’s platoon sit in the
room along with several other members of their company. Lily waits outside with the other civilians. “Any
last words Sergeant Joseph Maurice Williams?” “Men.
It has been an honor and a privilege to be your platoon sergeant. We messed up out there. I guess I’m the lucky one. I pay for all of ours sin, but you have to
live with it the rest of your lives.
Stay strong men. Stay strong for
those people we killed. Stay strong.” Luke stays till Sgt. Williams is pronounced
dead. Luke leaves the room and finds
Lily. She takes his hand and leads him
to the cab and away from that night. © 2012 Arctic FoxReviews
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1 Review Added on May 16, 2012 Last Updated on May 16, 2012 Author![]() Arctic FoxLAAboutI am the youngest of three. I was born in 1991. I love to read, write, and help others. Want to know more, just ask. I will answer any question no matter what it is with a 100% honest answer. more..Writing
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