Hearts Captured

An unusual tale based in a war zone

Nick arrived in the war zone,

he'd had a simple brief.

His editor had said,

'I want hearts captured.'

Nick had seen two photos,

his subject, a female soldier.

She looked plain at school,

then pretty at college.

*

Karen didn't like to pose,

she wanted to live life to the full.

Equally at home now in battledress,

or short skirt and heels.

Gaining her place in active service hard,

gaining respect from the men, harder.

She could handle the pressure,

and she could shoot with the best.

*

Nick arrived in location,

looking for his camouflaged warrior.

He wore a helmet and armour,

and carried a pad and recorder.

Karen wore a helmet and armour,

a radio and a side-arm.

When she dressed as a soldier,

she acted like a soldier.

Introductions were brief,

they gained instant mutual respect.

She was a female soldier, with a gun.

He was a journalist, with a pen.

She agreed to be shadowed,

interviewed and photographed.

It would be good for morale,

good for women … and her country.

He observed her working,

searching, people, vehicles, buildings.

Her pistol holstered,

but her alertness always high.

Base camp was sandy and dirty,

but it was safe to relax … a little.

She dressed down,

making fatigues look good.

*

Five days of shadowing,

observing, interviewing,

learning, respecting.

Nick edited his article.

He recognised the symptoms,

the tone and style was wrong.

Karen, the modern Amazon,

had become Nick's desire.

It wasn't romantic,

by standards of regular folk.

But for Nick and Karen,

decisions were made rapidly.

In seconds it went from a look,

to an embrace.

'My tent,' she whispered,

'over there, at the end … five minutes.'

A gentle first kiss, an embrace,

rapidly becoming passionate.

In a frenzy, clothing discarded,

first sex, urgent, intense, no pressures.

*

Nick left two days later,

his article was written.

They would write and call often,

it was agreed as they parted.

The article appeared in the Tribune.

'TWO HEARTS CAPTURED'

an article by Nick Spencer.

'How could I know I would

fall in love with a soldier … '

* * *