Standard Procedure

Standard Procedure: Chapter 2

Jane stared back at the old general, never before had she seen such determination in a man who knew he was going to die. She walked slowly back to the chair and made herself comfortable, all the while keeping her eyes on the venerable old man. His leg shifted under the thin hospital sheets and she realized he wanted so badly to stand, to walk, he wanted to be the man he had been, the soldier.

David Peterson had never been one to show his emotions so his face remained stoic, as he watched the young nurse. He read her name tag, Jane. He decided he liked the name, it suited her. She had a quiet strength, she was intelligent, he could see it in her eyes, that steely focus that never faded. The old general cleared his throat. The young nurse's eyes rose to meet his.

The old man then began his tale where all stories begin, in the beginning.

He saw himself as a young man, strong and determined. David's muscles strained as he heaved his lithe body over the top of the wall and jumped down the other side. He loved to feel his muscles work, to stretch his body to its limits. He was in perfect shape, he was thin and strong. A shine of sweat shone on his brow, the hot sun only added to the distress of his comrades. Coming up behind a large dark man he clapped his hand on the man's well-muscled back.

The figure turned around to see his young friend standing there. "Hey, Davy Boy, you ready to give up or what?"

"Not just yet Frank, one more round."

"Okay, but if you get hurt before we're drafted, the captain is gonna have your ass!"

David smiled and started back towards the obstacle course, his back ached and he felt like a truck had run over him. The wall seemed to stretch forever skyward. He'd go one more round. He wasn't one to give up. David was the epitome of a soldier. His unquestioning faith in his country, coupled with his physic made him the envy of many of the trainees.

The bed that night was harder than usual and David couldn't get comfortable. His mind kept planning tomorrow. He ran his hand over his face, his palms were sweaty. He was nervous, God he was nervous. David had never been so afraid in his life. His gaze kept drifting to that small black box on his dresser. It was perfect, the diamond was beautiful, he prayed she'd love it. His unit was leaving the day after tomorrow and he planned to propose before he had to ship out. The banquet was tomorrow, everything would be perfect. He loved her.

He thought about her now. He wished she were here with him, he just wanted to see her, to wrap a strand of her blonde hair around his finger. She was beautiful, fairy-like, her dainty face was framed by thousands of golden ringlets. They were as different as night and day, his huge muscles and rugged appearance contrasting so sharply to her tiny frame and soft features. She was a city girl, born and raised in the heart of D.C. He was a country boy, unaccustomed to the hustle and bustle of this new life. He met her when training began, his new friends took him out for a night on the town. She was in the cafe across the street, he never stopped staring out the window of the bar room. He looked for her the next day and found her in the same spot. They had been together six-months now it felt like three days. He couldn't get enough of her.

David swung his long legs over the side of his bunk, careful not to disturb his sleeping bunk mate. He grasped the velvet box, feeling every curve, trying to picture the look on her face when he opened it.

He felt a movement behind him, a strong hand gripped his shoulder. He turned his head to look at his friend's kind face.

"She's gonna love it man, stop tripping." David smiled and stared down at the ring, it glinted in the moonlight. "I mean after all, how could she not love that fuzzy little head and you're wicked sense of humor." A large hand grabbed David's head and he let out a laugh. Frank swung his large figure back under the bunk, a practiced movement that came from weeks of bruising his head on the rough wooden surface. David set the little black box back on the dresser and pulled himself onto the top bunk. He ran his fingers through his hair, making it stand on end. He had to get some sleep, he didn't want to drop dead of exhaustion before he got a chance to ask those four words he'd wanted to ask since he first saw her in that cafe. He finally fell asleep, his face turned in the direction of that little velvet box.