Soldier In Me

Eight: 3 seconds of freedom

We were on the beaches of Galif, and I was a few years younger.
It was a day of leave, there came about three a year. This one was set at a resort where the team was told to essentially do whatever they wanted if they came back in time for roll call (if they didn't it was considered desertion.)
I knew for a fact that some of the members of my team planned on a one-night engagement with some of the town citizens or even other resort guests.
I had planned on staying in my room, looking over schematics or something like that, maybe zone out in front of one of the many crappy game shows they had on the television.
But those loose plans were spoiled when John knocked on the door. I never used to show it, but I enjoyed being around him.
He touched the back of his neck and turned his head to the side. "I was wondering if you wanna go downstairs. There's like a party going on. We could dance and tear into the buffet."
I laughed. "The buffet sounds intriguing. I'm in."
I grabbed my key card and we walked down the hall.
"So what are they celebrating anyway?"
"Us...I guess. It's a whole 'leave' thing."
"Ahh," I said, pretending I understood.
Downstairs it sure was a bash. The party was on the deck by the beach, the music played loud, the people danced horribly.
There were a few other soldiers who were hanging out at the party. The sergeant was there too, his moves less than perfection.
The music was captivating, and after a few minutes snacking I decided to join in too. Needless to say, I wasn't a good dancer. But no one seemed to care, not even me.
John was intentionally flamboyant as he danced around, winking at me occasionally. I laughed as he spun.
Moments of pure joy in my life were always rare, but this one was a prime example. Our pasts didn't matter, our futures weren't here yet. We were just there in that second and we were happy.
When a slow song showed itself around the corner I held John's hand as we shifted around the dance floor like middle schoolers.
John was the same size as me, so when I looked at him I didn't look up or down. Just straight into his eyes.
Eyes had fascinated me since I was little. Eyes were intricate and diverse. They showed the world and they never lied.
I put my arms around his waist in the way that fancy men do. He put his fragile arms over my shoulders and we just shifted in a circle to the song.
It was cliche, I know, but when I looked into John's eyes the world seemed to disappear, nothing else mattered.
I saw him lean in, his eyes closed. I didn't know what else to do but lean in too.
We shared a quick kiss and I opened my eyes again, the world suddenly watching us. The slow song had ended and I separated myself from John.
I noticed Sgt. Davids, but I didn't stay long enough to see if he was angry at me. I went back up to my room and prayed for the leave to end.
If I had a chance to do that day over again, I would have done better. I wouldn't have run away. But it was too late for that.
The past was past and I hated it. Every decision I made could cause unfixable catastrophe.

I went into my parents' room and looked through their closet. My dad's old tuxedo was under plastic wrap.
I took one of his button-down shirts and a fancy tie. I really liked wearing those types of clothes I felt more like me.
My father's clothing was a little lose, but I had taken after my mother in that I was tall enough to fit it reasonably well.
I felt a smile overtake me.
New years was one of the biggest yearly events for the whole world and it was easy to understand why.
When the fireworks in Dituri started, the lights in the whole city went out. Most shopkeepers who wanted to stay open would use string lights or candles to illuminate their storefronts. It created a beautiful sight.
It was customary to dress up for the event, even if it's going to be covered up by a coat (it did get really cold).
I had been learning more about Galif, investigating its underbelly at night. I had learned that the emperor was definitely planning something big. I just didn't know what.
All I had discovered about Galif made me uneasy as we walked down the streets of the city.
It was just before the sky turned orange that we went up to the roof of Hadley's old building. Up the twenty floors, the wind was enough to brush through my hair but still be gentle.
The building faced the beach where in the distance you could see the boat where they'd shoot the fireworks from.
This building was a new years hotspot and we came early to get the best seat in the house.
It was a small table and two chairs hugging the roof parapet. The chairs were metal and uncomfortable, but they showed the greatest view.
The sky set on fire and the glowing sun illuminated a path along the salt water, the clouds holding the promise of a peaceful night ahead. The ocean turned into the red sea as it reflected the sky.
As the sun drowned in the sea the moon rose behind us, around it, sprinkles of stars. The starlight in the city wasn't abundant, but beautiful still.
As darkness filled the world, more people crowded the roof, but it failed to ruin the sight on the horizon.
In the twenty-third hour, a stream of light came from the boat in the horizon. It climbed the sky and then.... boom
And I wasn't there anymore. I was back in war, in one of the desecrated towers. Gunshots everywhere, I had to run!
I dashed down the twenty flights, scared that if I stopped moving I'd be shot.
When I exited the building the real world finally fell back to me.
As more fireworks exploded the sky I crept into an alley to hide from it. In the darkness below the new years sounds a man was yelling.
"Where is it?" his voice was rough and worn.
A woman whimpered "I don't know! The Briggs must have taken it with them!"
Briggs? Like- my parents?
"Then where did they take it?" the man barked.
My eyes adjusted to the darkness and I realized the man was a Galif soldier with the insignia of the Dituri military base. It was a triangle to represent unity with a D and a G intertwined with each other. D for Dituri and G for Galif.
The man held a gun to the head of a woman in a floral dress. The woman was blonde, her hair in a messy bun, her face was red from crying.
"I don't know." She begged. "Please!"
I crept along the wall, hesitating to do anything. I wanted to save the woman, she looked scared. But if I attacked the soldier I not only might die, but I'd be betraying Galif.
I gulped as the man pressed his gun against the lady's head.
I had done this move many times, it was the most classic sneak attack. I walked behind him, my steps precise, so to not make a sound
I grabbed him by the neck and pulled him back. In the split second he lost his bearings I grabbed his gun and chucked it behind me.
He must have been new because he didn't know how to defend against it. I held tightly and in thirteen seconds he was out.
That had been my 'thing' in the army, that I could choke a guy in thirteen seconds or less. I used to be super proud of it, not so much anymore.
The woman he'd been attacking started to run, I grabbed her arm "Wait!"
She ripped away from my grasp and I pulled away with her bracelet. It was rubbery and had a code etched into it.
I put it in my pocket and turned to the man. I kneeled down and checked his pulse. My muscles tensed when I discovered he was alive.
I felt the urge to grab his gun and make sure he was dead.
Instead, I just left. Hadley came out of the building and hugged me.
"I'm so sorry!" She said. "I had no idea that the noise would be a trigger for you."
"It's ok," I whispered. "Can we please go home."
Hadley nodded and had her arm around me as we walked to the car.