The bald eagle is a fierce creature, protecting its children and nurturing them while shielding them from what would wish to harm them. It soars on the currents of the sky, as close to the sun as any creature gets.
And then, there is the nation that wants to soar with the eagles, too.
America's pickup rumbled down a gravel road, sunlight sparkling off the lake by it. He turned and parked in the grass by the path when he reached a black wrought-iron fence. America walked up to the gate, placing his hand on a metal plaque, wiping a trail of dust down with his fingers.
We miss you guys.
He gently pushed open the gate. Before him lay a field of the dead. Black, gray, and brown gravestones, polished to within an inch of their lives, stood as silent tributes to the souls that had left the world. Next to each of them was a bright American flag, a proud symbol that these courageous men and women had died serving their country. America sighed, thinking about all of the wars that he and his countrymen had fought and died acquiring, defending, and protecting one of the most important ideals: freedom.
Scenes of the war started flashing before his eyes.
The Revolutionary War, 1776-1783
"The Shot Heard Round the World" the headlines blared that day.
Bloody trails in the snow, the bandages on his men's feet trailing along
The men, grinning cheekily, singing "Yankee Doodle" to spite the British
Two lanterns in Old North Church, singing out that the enemy was to come by sea
The sound of gunfire and British feet marching
All the brave men who rode and fought and marched for their beloved land
The cold snow, steadily dancing down from the heavens, never stopping
The cheers of the soldiers at Trenton and the cheers of the people lining the streets, hailing the victorious heroes
Britain turning away, his eyes red and burning
The War of 1812, 1812-1815
Trade restriction notices lined the streets, telling Americans that they could not trade with France
Tecumseh fighting wildly in the Battle of Tippecanoe
The White House and Capitol Building going up in flames, now just large bonfires
"Don't fire till you see the whites of their eyes!"
The Civil War, 1861-1865
America closed his eyes for this war; this war hurt him the most. Brother against brother, cousin against cousin, father against son. There were more American casualties in the Civil War than the two World Wars combined.
But he remembers.
Grey and blue uniforms meeting on the battlefield, horses neighing, the sound of feet, men yelling, bodies falling
Georgia going up in flames
Men charging to their deaths
Ships sinking
Abraham Lincoln standing on a pedestal, calling out to the people
The cries of the free
Thousands of Confederate soldiers marching towards the stone wall, men taking place after place of fallen soldiers
The American flag still waving over Fort Sumtner, battered and bathed in the light of exploding cannons
Still standing
World War 1, 1914-1918
Other countries covered with dirt and grimy bandages, reaching out to him
Please
We need you
German troops marching down the streets of the helpless
Desperate eyes telling him to run
The Hood, the pride of the British fleet, sinking beneath the waves
The injured freezing in Europe's frigid winters
America pointing his pistol at the soldiers' heads, telling them to fight or die before reaching the field
His men's determined eyes, the last thing he sees before the gas envelopes everything
Running under fire, the sound of machine guns everywhere
Armistice Day, the war is won
World War II, 1939-1945
A man promising the rebirth of Germany
Nazi boots, shining black, clicking through the streets
The frightened eyes of Jews peering at him from the cracks in the windows
Cheering townspeople greeting the soldiers in tanks
Thousands of parachutes invisible in the night sky
London in ruins
Soldiers running up the beaches on D-Day
The mushroom cloud of the H-Bomb rising up from Japan
Purple veins covering the skin as radiation sickness sets in
America leaving flowers by Japan's bedside in a decimated hospital
I'm sorry
But I did what I had to do
The Korean War, 1950-1953
A dead infantryman, shot through the head with his hands tied behind his back
His men marching on, getting closer to the edge
Chinese soldiers filing across the border
U.S. soldiers straggling through the snow in their retreat
A child crying for the sun
But there are tears running down my face, too
Airstrikes
Come back, they tell us
Come back
America grimly taking a last look at the Koreas below
We are still divided
We will never be in balance
The Vietnam War, 1955-1975
You will not take them, as yours, either
Unfamiliar land
Unfamiliar faces
Where is everyone?
I can't tell, there's too much smoke
We cannot sleep, for fear of what will find us in our nightmares
Yet we are more afraid of living
We have to pull out again
People shooting from unknown places, in the jungle
Tunnels below, leading to our enemy
So many lives…for what purpose?
America's mind flashed on the Twin Towers, burning, as if in slow motion. The sound of his own body hitting the pavement, white-hot pain, lights, voices, and blackness, enveloped him again as the American people's spirits crumbled to the ground like the Twin Towers that day.
But like 9/11, we will never forget.
Like that day, we will always honor our courageous men and women.
America, who had since clutched the nearest tombstone in pain, straightened up, wiped his nose, and looked forward.
Memorial Day is not a day of only sadness. It is mostly a day of pride, with a sense of duty that comes from these citizens serving our country and dying for it. This day is also about love for our country, and respect for these people who were willing to go and fight for it. And now, their service shall be honored, like an eagle taking wing.
America gave one last salute and walked out of the cemetery.
A/N: Hey guys! I know that there are many other wars, but I am detailing the most prominent ones in my mind. I also know that there is another war going on right now. But I just started writing about the Twin Towers and this ending came to mind and than bleh. Maybe another time.
Please say a prayer or even just-I don't know-think about the sacrifices that these men made. And sorry about making this story so sad, but hey, gotta get the message across. Wishing you a good Memorial Day.