Dead in the Night
Mama, mama there is a car driving to the house!" A child yelled as she ran toward the old rickety house. "Hush up baby, mama's busy" said the middle age woman as she washed dishes in the sink. She looked up to see a green military jeep with a white star drive down the old dusty road. Tears started welling up in her eyes for she knew what was coming. She slowly made her way to the front door to the old porch. Tears steaming down her face she as she opened the screen door and watched as the gentlemen stepped out of the car. "Mighty fine day were having mam." The Sergeant exclaimed. She stood there and nodded politely. He stood there for a moment, looking at the clouds as they go by, not wanting to do what he had to. "Sir?" the woman cried, "is my baby ok? The Sergeants old pleasant smile turned to a look of dismay. "Mam' I don't know how to say this." He reached in the green jeep and pulled out an American flag in proper fold. "I must tell you…" The woman burst into tears and cried "no lord, please, why you take my baby!" she fell to her knees and wept. The Sergeant got on one knee and held her to his chest as she sobbed.
"Hurry up Darrien, I don't want to be late!" yelled the girl. Darrien approached the car carrying food and water. It was for the carnival that had just popped up on the edge of town. "I know baby, I'm coming." Darrien was 21 and was a down to earth man that didn't say much unless it was his close friends or family. He was an introvert in his own ways. He was also practical and witty. He had a kind heart and a determination of a starved cat that is after supper. His girlfriend, Serena, age 22, was of the free sprit that loved to be with Darrien. She was a beautiful girl that was quite popular with the men. She was extremely intelligent but still was a kid at heart. She loved Darrien dearly and hoped some day Darrien would ask her to marry her. They had met at a diner. Darrien was clean cut bus boy cleaning a table when he noticed his friend and started to talk to her. Then he noticed Serena and she reminded him of a model in a book. They started talking and the rest was history. "I'm so excited Darrien, I can already taste that cotton candy, your gonna buy me some right Darrien" She squealed in excitement "You brought everything we need right?" "Yes to both questions now get in the car Serena or we're never going to get there" Darrien said in a teasing tone. Serena was also organized and also knew how to push Darrien's buttons. She got in the car and as Darrien got in to sit down in the leather seat and put the key in the ignition to start the engine she remembered their first date. "Hey Darrien remember that time where you took me out to the ocean and you ended up going into the ditch cause you couldn't see?" "Ummm, yeah baby, I remember I was really embarrassed." He looked at the front end of the 30s Studebaker and seeing the scratches on the blue front end was a reminder of the incident. 'But yeah don't remind me" he laughed.
They finally reached there destination after an hour of driving Houston's old bumpy roads. Serena got out of the car quickly and jumped up and down like a little child on her birthday. Darrien watched her out of amazement as his girlfriend's eyes widened with the site of cotton candy and games. He had to admit he was excited to but no where as close as Serena was. "Baby hurry up" she yelled excitedly as Darrien grabbed water out of the car. Darrien loved to see the twinkle in Serena's eyes as he gave her money to get cotton candy. He could understand her enthusiasm since there was not much to do on their patch of dry dusty land. Serena would always come over and play with Darrien's younger sister Pat and Jake who was close to Darrien's age. Serena would grab an old ball and play catch or handball with her as Darrien would go along with his chores or sometimes Darrien would go and play with them and they all would end up playing till supper and Mama would call them in to wash up. But this was out of their routine lives so it was understandable. That entire evening they went on rides, ate cotton candy and hotdogs, played games and Darrien won her a stuffed bear, and Darrien held Serena close and watched the fireworks lit up the night sky. Unfortunately this was going to be Darrien's last day to be with Serena. He didn't know that he would open a fateful letter that night that would change his life forever
The envelope was large and a stamp on the top left hand corner said "United States Army." Darrien looked at the envelope with curiosity. His mom stood in the doorway staring at him. "You know what that is right?" "No mama, what is it. You know I never get anything in the mail." Mama stared at the letter glaring at it. "Open it and you'll find out. Darrien carefully opened the envelope and in it was a decorated letter in it and also a card requesting information. He looked at the card and it said on top It stated:
Registration Card (Men born on or after April 28 1877 and on or before February 16 1897). "Mama I don't understand." Darrien said with a rather scared look on his face. "They want you to go over to the war and fight." Mama said "You realize you have to or they put you in jail." "Why me Mama? I'm a person that has never fired a gun in his life. I never even have gotten in a fight" Darrien said with a worried tone. Mama came and sat on the bed beside Darrien. "Cuz you were unfortunate, your brother was lucky, they didn't pull his number but honestly they just need people to pull a trigger and kill people. They don't care if you believe in what they are fighting for or not. They just want you to go fire a gun at someone. They don't care about you personally; they just want people to go fight their wars for them. That all it is baby. All I want you to know, no matter what happens baby I love you." Tears welled up in mama's big blue eyes and her slender frame started to shake. "Mama, am I going to die in this war?" "No baby, after the war your gonna come home and I'm going to make your favorite dinner and hug you till your sick of me," laughed mama as she chocked back the tears. Darrien smiled at her but was scared and Mama knew it. "Come here baby give mama a hug!" Darrien walked over and met his mother in embrace. "You're going to be ok baby. Nothings going to take you away from me." She cried and Darrien understood.
That night Darrien walked to Serena's house. It was about a mile walk but Darrien needed it. He needed to see her and he also needed the fresh air. It was also a time to clear his head and think about what lays before him. He looked around at his surroundings knowing this could be the last time he might see it for a little while. He looked in front of him and smiled. He knew this road. He knew it every inch of that old road. He could tell you where something was just like if it was a mole on the back of his hand. Approaching the lake ahead he started to reminisce over the times he had there . There's a large lake that he swam in as the days grew warmer. There was a lot of tall grass so it made it a perfect place to also play hide and seek. He remembered while growing up, the old rope swing that was tied on to an old oak tree that grew on the side of the lake that he used to launch himself in the lake with Serena when they were children. He remembered the time when the rope snapped while Serena was swinging from it and she landed in the shallow muddy bottom of the lake and landed on her face. She stood up covered with thick mud on her entire body and she was crying up a storm. Darrien just stood there and burst out laughing. Serena got so mad she slapped him as hard as she could but he couldn't stop laughing as the girl ran home crying. Darrien grinned to himself as he looked at what remains of the old rope. It still hung there and it now looks like a branch that swings in the wind. It always cheered him up. He walked along the moon lit path and stared at the moon as he walked. He wondered what the life will be like as a solider was going to be like. He wondered what he is going to have to do while he has to stay. All he wondered was what was in store for the next however long he was going to be stationed in where ever. His mind finally planted on Serena. He walked along the road looking up and the sky. "The moon is beautiful," he thought aloud. The moon was clear and large. There wasn't a cloud in the sky so it was viewed easily. And indeed the moon looked grand with the blackness of the sky and the twinkle of the stars.
He finally reached Serena's house and went around the shabby old house to her window. It was late and her father would raise holy hell if they were caught. He knocked gently against the window and waited. Serena looked out the window half asleep and woke with surprise to see Darrien. "What are you doing here?! Ill get in so much trouble if I get caught!" Serena exclaimed in a loud whisper. "I know, I know but I just need to talk, come out please." Darrien said as he stared in the hole that he made with his foot. "I'm really sorry but I'm just not prepared for what is to come and I need someone." Serena looked at Darrien. She could see something was wrong and this was unlike Darrien. Darrien was very quite about some feelings and hated to think he was placing a burden on someone with his troubles. But Serena could tell this was something serious. "Hold on ill be out in a minute" Serena whispered. Closed the window and got up and put pants and a shirt on. "I wonder what is going on, this is not good," she muttered. She slipped past the kitchen and opened the front door slowly to not make the horrible creak in the door loud. She quietly closed the door behind her. She saw Darrien looking down at the ground and ran over and gave him a hug. "Serena I gotta tell you something. Today I got a letter from the Army tonight." Serena stared at him in wonder and then she realized what was going on. She had happened to hear from the radio that America was at war but didn't take to much consideration in the matter. She stood back and now realized why her dad was in a frenzy a couple days ago. Her father one day yelled "Dang war is on!" But at the moment she had just laughed it off because she thought her dad was being silly with her mother. It wasn't the issue. Darrien was drafted. There was no way around it. She stared at the boy she had fallen in love with since grade school. Serena stood there stunned at the news. She wanted to cry but that would make matters worse and she didn't want to hurt Darrien more than he already was. "For how long?" She asked. "I don't know first I have to go to Dallas for training and then, I don't know I guess I go off to the war." Darrien stared at Serena and knew she was hurt. He didn't know what to do so he grabbed her and embraced her. She wept. She couldn't hold it any longer. She couldn't imagine life with out him, she didn't want him to go. she loved the man that made her laugh. She loved the man the held her close. "Baby ill be ok. Ill write to you every day. I'm not going to die. I'm just probably on reserve or something." Darrien said softly, cuddling Serena in his chest. Wanting to hold Serena cause he knew this was on hard on him as it was for her. Serena looked up, tears streaming down her fair face. "Don't go Darrien, please don't go." "I know baby but I have to. Ill be arrested and sent away. You know that." I know but its hard. You know I love you and you know ill wait. Ill wait as long as I have to. You are everything to me Darrien. You are the reason I live. You are my soul." She gushed. This threw off Darrien cause it was rare that Serena ever said anything like that. Serena always told Darrien that she loved him but never let him know the true extent of her feelings. Darrien stood there and he was amazed but he was happy. He loved her the same way but he never heard her say anything like that. He grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her back and whispered, "I'm going to come back and when I get back I'm going to make you my wife. I'm coming back for you. I promise." Serena looked at him in a compassionate stare and said "I shall wait."
first story and wanting to know if i should continue review please!