To war or not to war? That is the question

questions I was wondering myself turned into a really short story. I might lengthen it later.

 

“PEACE” “LOVE” “WAR” Should those words ever be together? She pondered, watching the only man she had ever loved walk through the metal detectors as he prepared to board the plane towards the war.
“Where’s Daddy?” her little one questioned after her husband had disappeared into the maze and tunnels of airport security. How would she explain to her daughter her Daddy could die? It was practically impossible to make it a reasonable thing to even think about, but it had to be. It was the reality that stared her in the face. Outside she was met with the protesters and their signs. Lines of yellow tape and police separated the two mobs of people, all bearing signs either for or against the war and shouting vile words at the very authority that protected them. What did their opinions matter? Did they even understand what they were fighting for or against? Could those declaring peace lay down and die when enemies attacked? Could those proclaiming for the war put their own lives in the path of a suicide bomber, just to save their comrades who might not live another day? “Mommy, when’s daddy coming home?” startled out of her trance she picked up her daughter and held her close. The little girl’s eyes shut in fear of the mobs and she clung tightly to her mother’s neck, burying her face in her chest. “I don’t know, honey,” she sighed, buckling the little girl into her car seat and starting the car. She began to pull away from the scene, police beginning to try and disband the mobs. “I don’t know,” she said again, her tears beginning to fall. As she pulled away, the peace signs clacked together in the distance like the sound of a thousand bullets.

Reviews

[Kara Emily Krantz]

definitely worth focusing on and adding to.

"the peace signs clacked together in the distance like the sound of a thousand bullets."

how great is that line?? i love the concept you have here.

these are thoughts i'm sure all of us have had in passing, and only when we actually have someone go into the war does it really start to hit us. i have someone very special to me finishing up boot camp right now, and i can't even imagine him going away... and the thought of him dying for a cause that none of us even understand is just ridiculous to me. it makes me want to scream, because it makes no sense. and why would we put our men in danger for something that MAKES NO SENSE?

so yes, your piece brought all of these thoughts to the forefront. great job with it.

[SciFiGuy]

Excellent! The subject matter, however contraversial in today's society eloquently abashed with this state of near neutrality. You never reveal where the wife stands on the whole matter, but you do point out a couple of extreme truths. How many wanting peace are willing to protect their families and how many wanting war are willing to fight it? Great mood, the atmosphere is wonderful!