Sunshine

My favorite short story that I've written this year.

Dedicated to Kari for being part of the inspiration behind this story.

 “You are my sunshine, my only sunshine.  You make me happy when skies are grey.  You’ll never know dear how much I love you; please don’t take my sunshine away.”

Dear Sunshine,

                I’ve been surrounded by skies of grey for the past nine months now.  Not only are the skies constantly smoked with this disease we call war but I have no light to lead me through the darkness.  You, my sunshine, are far away and safe from this unidentified level of Hell.   These letters are the only things that give me reason to come home safely and see you again someday.  That song is a ray of light that shines through my soul and I sing it for you, and myself, every night before I lay down and let the nightmares invade my sleep.  Without the sun life would cease to exist and you are my sun.  Without you I would wither away and die here on blood stained soil.  People used to believe that the sun traveled around the earth and that we were the center of the universe.  How selfish of us to put our sinful selves at the center.  We should’ve known that the sun and all of her blinding beauty stood still and watched us rotate around her bowing down to the power of the universe.  In this jungle full of crazed men I keep my thoughts continuously revolving around the thought of you and let old memories haunt my days.  Do you remember the time you snuck out of the house and crawled into my crappy car you love so much?  We drove to that old park and sat by the creek on a quilt my mother made you.  The stars were our only witnesses and to this day silently keep our secret each night.  Even the angelic stars and immortal moon that come out to replace the sun do not compare to your radiant beauty that shines out to infinity and beyond.  Many people used to see the sun as a God; to the Egyptians it was Re, to the Greeks Apollo, Inti to the Inca’s, but for myself there is only you, Solange.  A woman so full of light could only be a decedent of a God and I’m convinced the blood of an angel runs through your veins.  Anyone in your presence is instantly covered in a magic shower of complete joy.   Some might think of the constant smile you share with others as odd and unnatural but for me it is a source of hope and a promise that my future days will be filled with complete happiness.  Before I was ever stuck by that smile I first heard your laugh, God that laugh.  It stays a constant memory in my mind like the ringing of a church bell after a wedding, something so small and insignificant yet impossible to forget.  A church bell can sometimes be a moment of happiness and for a single second causes those around to stop and cry out in celebration.  That is what your laughter does to me.  When gunshots blast out around me and the cries I hear are the last from fallen soldiers I remember the sound of your laughter.  Even with the ugliness that surrounds me I can still wear a smile on my face.  It sounds like a horrible act to commit while watching the lives of my comrades fade away around me but I cannot help the automatic reaction that occurs from a single thought of sunshine.  If I could ask one thing from you it would be that you never turn that smile around, it’s too beautiful to put to waste.  Stay shining bright and your light will guide me back to you. 

Even after my sun stops shining,

I’ll be forever yours,

Max

The twenty-one gun salute rang out in the silence of the crisp November air.  Family and friends gathered around a casket draped with the American Flag.  A man in uniform stood at the podium reading a letter.  A letter from a fallen soldier to the lady he left behind him. 

She stood up when all fell silent again and walked to his coffin.  She rested one hand on flag and in the other held her new born baby boy.  Slowly she smiled as the tears streamed down her face.   

“Even after my sun stops shining, I’ll be forever yours” 

Reviews

[Summer'sBreeze]

oh this is just lovely!
I love this story and how sweet it is.
A beautiful write!
And thank you for your kind reviews!