The truck was outside, waiting to pick up the boy. The overwhelmed and emotional mother straitened out his uniform. He stood tall at 6"0, and he tried to seem like he was experienced. When actually, this was his first time doing it. Only at the tender age of 18, he decided he wanted to do his country proud. His brown eyes were glassy and his lip quivered every time he glanced out the window. He was scared, he was genuinely scared. And so were his mother and sister.
The sister, oh the loving sister. She couldn't even go near her brother since she was scared she was going to burst out into tears. Her arms were crossed and she paced in the living room, not wanting to meet eyes with her brother who was standing outside the hall. The only source of noise was the muffled radio, hearing the well known voice as he talked about the conflict that went on in the world.
What got the families attention was the truck horn that was pamped, signaling that they had to go sooner or later. The older sister met eyes with her young brother, seeing he was terrified.
"Oh Charlie." She burst out, going up to him and pulling him into a tight hug. The grip wrinkled his suit just a little bit, but Charlie was too busy to even notice.
After what seemed for eternity, the siblings pulled away and met eyes. The young woman's dark royal green eyes met her brother's chocolate brown, and their irises resembled chocolate wrapped in a green wrapper. "I'll be okay, Victoria. I'm not a kid anymore."
Victoria choked out, "Do you have to go? You're still so young."
"Father would have wanted this, he'd want me to honor him." Charlie soothed, rubbing Victoria's shoulder as he looked at her with warm eyes. That was the one thing that Victoria found extraordinary about Charlie; his warm eyes.
"You better start going darling." Their mum talked up, handing Charlie his rucksack. Charlie nodded and slugged it over his shoulder.
The family trio walked out into the garden. Seeing the Sargent standing straight and walking to the family. "He's in save hands, ma'am." He simply said, giving the two woman reassuring smiles before ushering Charlie into the bunker.
Victoria's hands clasped as she held in her tears, watching her little brother climbed aboard and waving goodbye to his mother and sister. She gladly returned the gesture.
Until the bunker trunk was out of sight, the two glum woman walked back inside closing the door behind them. Mother went straight to the kitchen to make tea while Victoria sat down at the dinning table. The poor soul couldn't even think right now. The only thought that flouted in her head was her brother. Her innocent, young, care-free brother that never meant harm. Was he even going survive? Victoria told herself that he will, although it might not be true. A mug of hot tea was place before her by the hands of her mother.
The small house fell silent, no sound was heard. Only the outside breeze. The two woman's hearts and souls felt empty and they couldn't even lift up their eyes to glance at each other. Their lips didn't want to speak about Charlie, or anything at that matter.
And that's when Victoria realized that worst things were going to happen.