"Memorial Day"A Story by Cody Williams A woman is in grief on memorial day six months after the death of her husband. “Memorial Day” By Cody Williams
Heather Davidson fell to her knees before the cemented gravestone of her late husband, Don Davidson. With a bottle of Jack Daniels in her hand she began to sob. “Why? Why God? Why?” She cried out as she lay down on the ground and began to stroke it where the body lay beneath. With tears rolling down her face, she closed her eyes and curled up in the fetal position. She laid in silence for a moment. She thought about the great times she had with “Donnie” as she would usually refer to him. She thought about the things that used to drive her insane about him but now she truly misses. Like those ugly little glass roosters that she would have to place back on the window seal after he took them down. She missed that. But this feeling didn’t last much longer. She remembered the day she found out. It started out as if it was going to be a normal day. She woke up alone that morning. His unit had been called up and he was rushed off to Afghanistan six months prior. But she was happy. She knew that he was going to return home that weekend, so she smiled happily and leaped out of bed. She rushed the kids off to school (16 year old Krystal and 12 year old Toby) and cleaned the house preparing for his return. It was about noon when she heard the doorbell ring. She turned off her Hoover vacuum cleaner and sat it in the upright position. She walked across the living room and opened the door. She remembered the man very clearly. He was wearing a Marine’s uniform. In his white glove covered hand was a letter which he handed it to her. By the look of sorrow on his face, she knew something was wrong. Terribly wrong. She reached out grabbed the note from his hand and read it. She knew to some extent what the letter said before she even read the first sentence. He eyes began to tear up and she fell to the floor and began to cry excessively. That was six months ago. She remembered this far too well. It was the memory she wished she could forget. She continued lying on the ground crying.
2. Heather laid there with tears rolling down her face, snot dripping from her nose, and her eyes closed She began to feel something strange. She felt a finger gently stroke her face. She gasped, terrified. She opened her eyes. What she saw shouldn’t have…no, it couldn’t have been there. Sitting on the ground next to her was her husband. “Donnie?” She asked in amazement. I just couldn’t have been He was wearing his Marine uniform. It was ripped and torn in several places including a large circular rip over the left shoulder and had several bloodstains on it. The base of his neck and a couple of his fingers has turned black as the result of the explosion. His face was pale and covered with blue veins and his baby blue eyes were glossed over with white nothingness. But he was wearing a large smile on his face as he looked down at his wife. She sat up. Her mouth was hanging open and she just sat for a moment in amazement. “Hey baby! How’s it going?” Don asked her in a soft voice. He reached over to her and grabbed her by the shoulder. “Donnie? Is it really you?” She asked him. He nodded and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “But how? How can you be sitting here?” she asked him. Don thought about it for a moment and then looked at her and smiled. “It was you who brought me here.” He answered. Heather gave him a strange look. “It was your tears! It was the sign of you hurting. I guess I’ve come to comfort you.” Don answered. She smiled at him and then rested her head on his shoulder. “It’s just been so hard without you Donnie! It’s just been so hard!” Heather said as she busted into tears again. Don wrapped his arms around her and held her close. “Shh! Everything’s going to be alright!” Don insured her. “No! No it’s not! I never could imagine life without you! And now, even six months later, I still can’t!” Heather said with tears pouring down her face. “Shh! Everything’s going to be all right! You are going to be all right! Life goes on…you just got to keep living.” Don said to her softly. She wrapped her arms around him and continued to cry. “The worst part is, I didn’t even get to tell you that I love you!” She said. “I mean, you left for six months and we didn’t talk or anything! I didn’t even get to say goodbye!” She said crying harder than ever. “Shh! It’s okay baby! I love you too! Now just calm down and relax!” Don told her sweetly. They sat in silence for a few moments. Her being in his arms was the happiest she has been in a year. She wanted to enjoy that. She was comforted. The two continued to embrace until he began to fade. “What’s going on?” She asked him pulling away. Don stood to his feet and began to rise floating in mid-air. “I guess my time here is up.” He told her as his ghostly presence faded even more. Heather began to tear up again. “Shh! Baby, remember, you just have to keep living! Just keep living! And always remember, I love you!” Don told her as he faded completely into the darkness. “I love you too.” She mumbled satisfied.
3. Heather opened her eyes. She was lying on the ground next to her husband’s grave. She sat up and stood too her feet. She walked over to the head stone and gently stroked it where his name was engraved into it. “I love you too!” She said as she smiled, satisfied. Copyright 2014 by Cody Williams Courtesy of TTP Entertainment
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11 Reviews  Last Updated on June 5, 2014 Tags: literature, fiction, short story, Cody Williams, drama, Memorial Day Author
Cody WilliamsElizabethton, TNAboutI am in my second year at Carson-Newman University in Jefferson City, Tennessee were I major in instrumental music education and minor in English. My passions include playing the trombone/euphonium an.. more..Writing
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