The rain poured over them as the stood, heads down in sorrow. Everything seemed to fit the mood of the event taking place, no matter how grim. Time went by slowly, small drops falling off rose petals.
A medal sat near a picture of a woman in her uniform. Her face smiling brightly in pride for what she now was, a soldier of the Army.
Everyone grouped around the coffin as it was slowly lowered down at the first gun shot.
Someone was missing... not welcomed in the comfort and hearts of family anymore.
Near a tree in the distance they watched with a heavy heart.
"...because of her..." rang through their head.
No one saw her though, their backs facing her. Yet, she stayed there knowing that it was wrong.
The pain slowly becoming unbearable. Was it the heart or arm? Either way she felt failure, guilt, but most of all their hatred for her.
Like a broken record it played in her head over and over...
Together they walk around the buildings looking for any signs of life. A raid had taken not too long ago there.
Gun fire went off ahead of them where their company had setup. Quickly they took cover from a nearby car, looking around as they sent out a message through the radio.
Listening for anything, they slowly got up to asset the situation.
Gun shots were heard ahead, but this was from behind them...
The rain slowly drizzled making the tree she stood under hit her with soft droplets. Turing behind the tree she gently uncovered her right upper arm...blood forming over the bandages.
Low whispers were heard and the wails of a mother being comforted by her son and daughter-in-law.
"...why!?...why wasn't it her instead!?"
If it was the other way around it would be very different, the only one crying would be her...
"I long to be like you..."
It was night but the grass was still wet from the afternoon shower.
The picture laid on a stone next to a medal, but something else laid on the picture. A necklace with two half heart stones, one blue and one red.
Above the picture it read the name as well as...
'...a daughter, friend, soldier, sister, a giver...'