Family to Fight For

 

I hug my little daughter one last time

And go out to the waiting car

To take me off to war.

Just as I start to close the door

My little girl comes out

Holding a necklace in her hand.

"Daddy, take this, so you’re never alone."

She says in that small voice of hers.

I smile, take the necklace, and kiss her on the forehead.

The door closes, and I open the pendent to see

The faces of my loving wife

And my beautiful little girl

Smiling up at me.

Now, I stand on a battlefield

The stench of war flowing in the air around me.

Groans and cries

Sound from the bodies

I'm the last man standing

No one around

But I'm not alone.

In one hand, I hold my gun

In the other, the chain of a necklace is hanging out of my closed fist.

Holding that necklace

I can almost hear their voices.

I lose sight of the world

Of the lone enemy

Coming up behind me.

My reverie is broken

By the feel of cold steel

On the bottom of my neck.

I close my eyes, and squeeze the pendent tighter, thanking God

That he had given me

A family to fight for

Some one at home to protect.

I pray

For a safe passage

Even though I have taken many lives.

There is a single report

And my world goes black.

I see my wife and daughter

Standing with a man from the Army

Listening to the news.

Sadly, the man hands them a packet

And walks out the door.

My wife pulls out the tags I had worn for so long,

And

With trembling hands

Pulls out the necklace.

My daughter looks at it, tears in her eyes.

Then she turns, to look straight at me.

I know she can't see me

But I smile at her

And she smiles back.

I hear her telling Mommy that everything will be all right

That Daddy is watching over them

Because he still has a family

He can fight for.