Chapter 1

Marian

This is a story.

About a girl.

And a boy.

And how he searched.

And how they met.

And how they loved.

And how she fought.

And how he protected.

And how they parted.

And how they wrote.

And this is a story.

About their letters.

And how those letters healed the breach.

And how she was hurt.

And how he healed her.

"Eew." I shut the book and retched into her helmet.

"What?" Elisabeth/Betts looked up from her computer and laughed when she saw what her friend was doing.

I just waved the book in her face.

"Why do people write trash like that? It's pathetic and won't ever teach us anything about our real lives."

Betts raised her eyebrows. "Marian, you're a massive part of the Media Liaison of the American Army. You want to be a war correspondent. You live in stories."

I just pretended to stick a finger down my throat.

"Look, if you don't want to read it, I'll read it to you and make all the characters die a slow and horrible death. There's bugger all else to read out in this hell hole."

I threw the book at her and we listened to the guns outside their small room.

"Exciting isn't it?" I said.

Betts grinned. "Just doing our duty to Queen and Country."

I snorted. "President and country, you idiot."

"Just keeping you on your toes. Look, if you don't want to read the trash you could look over my shoulder at this one. It's about some dead general."

I laughed. "Nah, I think I'll go out for a bit, it's still light and I need to talk to Nigel."

"Officer Nigels, to you missy." Betts put on a deep voice and squared her chest.

I waved and left. A few steps down the corridor I heard Betts calling me back and a bulletproof vest smacked me in the face.

"You sure you want to go out there and be shot?" Betts glared at me.

"I wouldn't die. Jeez, stress much." I pulled it on and buckled it up over my chest.

"Really? Billy was killed last month. He hadn't put his on. And Pete would have died last week if he hadn't been wearing his. I do like coming off duty and chatting to you so it would be a shame if you were killed."

Betts slammed the door and I left with a small smile on my face.

Outside it was warm. Too warm. How hot did these Asian countries get again?

The sand was blowing gently and the sun was setting. I liked Afghanistan. It was pretty. Even if it was the most dangerous country in the world.

But I did miss America. My home country. I used to live in Sidney in Nebraska. Just by the border of Colorado.

I lived with my dad who worried about me so much and a dog called Mara who was beautiful. My sister Amy was living and working as a vet in Denver Colorado and made up one quarter of my family. Tom Turner, Marian turner, Amy Turner and Mara Turner. My mother disappeared sometime in the past and my dad has done brilliantly.

I was twenty three. Amy was twenty five.

Oh, and one more thing.

I'm a Savant.

My power is that I appeal to all types of people.

I don't have enemies.

I have enough friends to fill a cruise ship.

It's nice. People listen to me and take what I have to say to heart.

I work in the American Army in Afghanistan.

I am part of the Media Liaison team.

I look after the press. Any journalists who come, I look after. I give them pictures if they need them of if we have a good story we tell them. We are in charge of what the public sees and hears.

It makes you feel quite powerful.

I don't have my soulfinder yet. And, to be honest, I have given up. I doubt I'll find him in the middle of nowhere Afghanistan. The only place where people live is our base and a small village walking distance from us.

But Amy does have hers. She met Derek when we were on holiday and they got married soon after. They now have a son who is a year old. I love him to bits. Jamie, my baby nephew.

He thinks I'm the 'bee's knees'. Auntie Marian is a soldier. He says. It so sweet.

So, my life is good. I think.

I love my family.

I love my dog.

I love my job.

I love my friends.

And, wherever he is, I love my soulfinder.

And, my dad always used to say this:

If you're looking for the love of your life, stop. They will be waiting for you when you start doing things you love.