A Long Way from Home

Prologue

Manitoba 1914

It was a hot day in July when the postal man came by. Eighteen year old Morris ran to the mailbox, he was expecting a package. Instead something lay in that mailbox that would change Morris's life forever. He took out the mail and looked at a letter with his name on it. His mouth dropped open in shock. One of the letters was addressed to him with a government stamp and that only meant one thing... package forgotten he ran to his house to open this mysterious letter.

When he got inside his heart beat in his chest like a big hammer, proclaiming a death sentence. With sweaty palms he opened the envelope and carefully and precariously took the letter out. His eyes blurred with tears as he read the letter, he was to go to war. Leaving his family behind.

Chapter 1: the train

London 1915

Morris looked around him, there were people everywhere. The uniform he wore was hot and sweaty. The tears from earlier once again tried to fill eyes but he fought them back. Training camp was done and they were going to France to defend the beautiful country against Germany. Morris felt older than eighteen, he felt like an old man already. In this London station everything felt so real so final. Like he was going to a place he always dreamed of but not to explore but to kill and destroy. He sat on a bench with his duffle bag beside him thinking of the loving family he had left behind, his sweetheart that would wait for him while he was away. He boarded the train his thoughts returning to the one he loved the most.

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Ontario 1915

Sarah looked toward the horizon and sighed. Was this time with Morris away going to be this hard? She put the laundry on the line and walked away feeling sad and miserable inside. She looked at the ring on her finger. Morris had given it to her before he left for training. He promised to write her exactly what was happening no matter how horrible it was. Her mind went back to the last picnic that they had.

"This was my mothers engagement ring when was given when she agreed to marry my father. I hope it means that much to you too." Morris put the ring on her finger.

"Morris, it's the most beautiful thing I have ever seen; of course I will cherish it, because it came from your heart." Sarah's voice filled with wonder and excitement.

"With all my heart, I promise when I return we will get married, so plan the wedding okay. I want to be married right away when I return."Morris held Sarah's hand and kissed it.

Sarah mind came back to the present of what was happening. She took the clean clothes inside and started folding them.

"Daydreaming again are we." Mildred laughed.

"Oh mom, you're so silly why would I be doing that."Sarah stifled a giggle.

"I have no idea may because you're missing a special someone." Sarah sighed again.

"Mom when is he going to come back, I miss him more than I care to admit."Mildred laughed and answered her daughter.

"Sarah when Morris returned your going to be happy he was gone, because this is testing your love to see how much you love him, If your love is really real."

Chapter 2: the battle of longing

Battle of Somme 1916

Morris looked at the picture of his beloved and sighed. He missed her more than he cared to admit and yet he felt so lonely. Like God had abandoned him in his time of need, he looked around and at his watch he got up. It was his turn for watch in the camp and it was cold and rainy. He got is rain coat and went outside to see men coming in and out of the hospital tent each injured in some way, some incurable while others easily fixed. The most common case of injury was trench foot and many men were laid up with it. He took his place on the sentry hill and looked around him, besides the war going on there wasn't anything unusual. Morris looked at his falling apart boot and sighed this was the seventh he had to ask for since he started the darn war. He let his thoughts drift on happier things at that moment. Sarah's smile, his mother's laughter, his sister's gleeful laugh. He fell asleep thinking on those thoughts when he was jerked awake.

"Morrison do you think you can sleep on the job. We all have work to do! Now get back to your tent and sleep your next shift is in 04:00 hours." The captain ordered.

Morris rubbed the sleep from his eyes and followed orders trudging down the hill his boots squeaking as they sloshed through the puddles. Morris lay down on his cot and fell back asleep wondering what his beloved Sarah was doing.

Ontario 1916

Chapter 3: A love worth waiting for

Sarah looked around and sighed. She missed Morris more than she would admit. The only person who really understood was old and that was because she had gone through it too, in a different time. Sarah took the oatmeal cookies out of the oven, let them cool and put them in a basket. She was going to visit today and was bringing her favorite cookies. Sarah walked down the street feeling less than content and walked up the falling apart sidewalk of her old friend's house and knocked on the door.

"Come in." came a voice.

"its me Sarah, ."Sarah looked around.

"Oh Sarah, it's so good to see you today. How are you doing?"Mrs. Perkins said.

"Just fine, was it this hard being from your betrothed while he was gone?" Sarah blurted out.

"Hard, yes it was but it was all worth it in the end when we were together because we had proven our love from far away. I don't think I would have worked out as well without it. You see God works all things out for the good of those who love him and called upon his purpose. So the way I see it, is that the more you wait for him to return the better the relationship will be in the long run because it may seem like forever to you but in reality it's only a short time apart." looked at Sarah thoughtfully.

"It seems so long and it feels like Morris has been going for forever."Sarah sighed desperately playing with her ring.

"I am going to tell you my story."Sarah leaned forward in anticipation as began telling her story. "It was a long time ago, as a young lady like your self when I fell in love with the most caring guy ever. It really started with my lunch box almost being dropped in the outhouse but he saved it and stole my heart that day. After that I tried everything to get him to notice me but nothing worked and than finally I stopped trying and started on other things."

"Like what?"Sarah interrupted, her eyes a deep blue.

"I started sowing for my hope chest just in case one day he did notice me. Than one day I was at a neighborhood barn dance and he asked me to dance with him. My heart took wing that day and felt like I was dancing on clouds. Than I fell on my ankle and sprained it but he picked me up and took me home. He checked on me everyday for a week. Than he asked my father if he could court me once my father gave his permission, we started courting. Than he gave me a ring asking to for me to marry him and I accepted. Than he was called on business and was away for many months and I felt like my heart had died because I was so lonely for him. Than I was reading the bible one day and read Jeremiah 29:11: for I know the plans I have the plans I have for you sayeth the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give hope and a future. Once I read that I felt a waterfall of peace flood my inner being and knew God was in control of my relationship. I started writing letters to him and knew he missed me just as I missed him but we were both at peace about it. Than one day I got a telegram telling me he was coming home and I thanked God than I hurried to get ready because he coming that afternoon. I had an unspeakable joy in my heart when he returned and when he got off the train and saw me. He swept me up into his arms and gave me a hug, I still remember today."Mrs. Perkins finished her story her eyes sparkling.

"Wow that was amazing! But I would never have the patience you had back than." Sarah sighed and put her elbows on the table.

"Sarah, I didn't do that all by myself it was God and God alone that helped me through those moments of longing that you feel now." the old women put her hand Sarah's shoulder. Sarah got up to leave.

"Thank you so much for telling me your story it was great and it gave me lots to think about."Sarah closed the door softly and started to walk home sighing to herself as she went. She was often criticized for not having enough patience but with Morris gone it was almost unbearable to wait. She thought of what said and what her mother kept on saying that love was worth waiting for, you just had look to God for that stuff and put him first. She sighed and went into the house empty basket in the crook of her arm and a look of peace in her heart.

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Battle of the Somme 1916

Morris took another shovel full of dirt and through it on the ground in disgust; he had been put on grave duty. Making grave for the many thousands dead and the many dying. He looked around and wiped the sweat off his brow, he picked up the shovel almost falling apart from the amount of digging he had to in a day. He dug another shovelful and looked down into the eight feet deep hole, yep It was ready for the pile of dead he had to throw in. the battalion didn't have enough room for each soldier to have his own grave so they through ten or more men into one grave. He took a drink from is water canteen and took a deep breathe. He put on his mask and taking one dead mans hand and foot heaved him into the deep swallowing hole he had dug into the ground. One after another he did this until it was full with a total of twelve men filling it. He took up his shovel and started again, he let his thoughts wander to and fro. "Why wasn't anyone helping him? Why was he always doing this alone? Was he really alone or was there more? That he just didn't notice." Morris put down his shovel when he heard his name being called. Maybe it was break time or he was done for the day. He never could sleep, dreaming of the men he buried coming out of there graves and asking him what was going on. He went to the person calling him and asked why he was being called.

"I don't know, but all I knows is the commander wants you." The scout's accent stood as he said those words.

"Okay tell the commander I'll be there in a second, after I get cleaned off." The scout nodded and than moved on.

A couple minutes later Morris approached the commanders tent which had battalion flags hanging outside. He walked in and looked around it had a map table, a cot and a desk nothing fancy just the basics. Morris walked up to the commander who motioned for him to sit on the cot.

"Morrison I called you here to ask you to do something for me."The commander said sternly.

"What is this task that you would like me to do for you?"Morris voice shook.

"Nothing hard..."The commander started but Morris interrupted him.

"Nothing hard, last time you said that I was digging graves and putting guys in them."

"Yes I realize that, but hear me out. This is a task that you will enjoy and I know you will do a good job at it. I want you to supervise the digging of the graves with fifteen men under you, therefore making you captain."Morris looked up in surprise at the commander and tried to think this through.

"Sir I would be honored to take this position."He got up and shook the commander's hand.