A single shooting star slipped silently across the star-studded sky. "Make a wish," he said, his voice scarcely raised above a whisper.
"For what?" she asked so softly that her question was nearly lost in the rustle of ripe wheat.
"For whatever you want," he answered, slipping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her close.
"I want this," she told him, gesturing to the scene around them.
At the horizon, the lights of their small town glittered like hundreds of stars fallen to earth. Off in the distance, hardly visible against the dark sky, the lights of a distant farmhouse flickered softly. Around the, the sea of ripe wheat rippled out, further than their eyes could see in the faint light. Before them, low in the sky, hung the harvest moon, almost close enough to touch.
"This can't last forever."
"All it has to do is last for now."
The sun flooded through the stained glass window staining the floor at her feet a brilliant crimson. She stared at it blankly, endlessly replaying the news broadcast in her mind.
'The world is now at war; there is to be no more peace for our time. The forty-eight hours given for the withdrawal of the invading armies and the cessation of fighting has passed. Only a few hours ago, shortly before eleven o'clock local time, the Prime Minister read out a declaration of war. Other nations, including our own, have already pledged their support and more declarations are expected to be forthcoming. Now, only time will tell the victor.'
One simple sentence; only six words; a mere thirteen letters: but they had changed everything. 'The world is now at war.'
He would go; she knew that without question. She didn't expect anything else. He would go; he would fight.
She turned her eyes from the glowing pool of colour at her feet, looking across the church, almost as if to reassure herself that he was still there. To reassure herself that nothing had changed. Or at least nothing except the world as she had known it.
Then her eyes turned blindly back to the pool of radiant colour at her feet. In its bloody depths, she saw brothers and teachers, neighbours and friends, all marching off to battle. She saw a thousand unspeakable horrors played out at her feet. She saw bodies, abandoned on blood-soaked beaches, left to drift with the tide. She saw an airplane, streaming some and angry flames, plummet to the ground, exploding in a brilliant fireball. She saw sailors, their ships torpedoed on the open water, the survivors left to drift at the mercy of the waves in unprotected lifeboats.
But even as these visions flashed through her mind, she knew that she would say nothing to hold any of them back. They would see their duty as having to fight; she saw hers as having to smile and hide her tears.
As she went through the familiar motions of the church service, her ears heard nothing and her eyes saw only the crimson stain at her feet.
The glowing orb of the sun dipped slowly below the horizon, blazing with a quiet intensity. The sky danced, alive with ribbons of rose and orange. The rays of light reflected off the few wisps of clouds still hanging in the sky. Further away from the brilliant sun, the sky darkened to a deep indigo.
The wind played softly over her face, drying the tears that were slowly rolling down her cheeks. The rustle of grain was gone, replaced instead by the earthy scent of a freshly harvested field. Indian summer had come and gone, leaving behind only a smoky fall.
Under his boots, the stones crunched, heralding his arrival. She was there, as he knew she would be. "You've heard?" he asked needlessly, shattering the stillness.
She nodded silently. Things had been happening so fast that no one could have failed to know. The regiment had been mobilized, and, for a while, she had watched the lines of men who were rallying to volunteer. Most had been able and young, but she had seen others, veterans of the last war, being gently turned away. Their lungs seared by gas, their bodies scarred and feeble, they had already given their service. But there was no shortage of others, sound of mind and body, who were willing to take their place in the fight for freedom.
"You know I've got to go," he told her apologetically.
She merely nodded again. He came to sit beside her, keeping his own silent vigil. The wool of his new uniform was faded and smelled faintly of mothballs, but he was one of the lucky few who had even been given uniforms. They were all so unprepared; no one had seen this coming.
The bright colours of the sky faded. They were replaced by the faded pastels of twilight. The first pale stars shone softly and the silvery moon, a silver missing from its edge, hung suspended in the sky, taking the place of the more flamboyant sun.
A single leaf, blown on the wind, drifted from some far off tree, spiraling gently to the ground. He stood, pulling her to her feet beside him. "I've got to go."
"I'll see you later," she said to him. But it was almost a question. When would later be?
He walked away, his boots loudly marking each step. At the corner, he paused and turned. He stood, darkly silhouetted against the star-lit sky, one of many citizen soldiers. Raising an arm, he waved a final goodbye before disappearing around the bend in the road.
Light spilled from every window and every open door, as if all of the years of containment had to be made up in this one night. Victory had finally been obtained, in spite of all of the shadows and the dark nights. Once again, she had a sudden news bulletin to replay endlessly in her mind.
'The war is over! Although fighting had already ceased in many areas, it was today that all combatants laid down their arms. Church bells, kept silent for the duration, are again permitted to ring out their tidings of joy. Streets, so black for so long, are once more alive with light. People the world over are celebrating tonight. The war is over!'
Again, it was one simple sentence. This time, it was only four short words, a mere seven letters. But they had changed everything. Only this time, the words brought the peace they were all waiting for. 'The war is over!'
As the crowds of people drifted through the streets, dancing in one another's arms, a single candle burned softly at the base of the cenotaph. It was shrouded in deep shadow and the flicker light was the only illumination in the dark space. It played delicately over the granite, throwing dancing ribbons of light across the stone. Even tonight, in the midst of their rejoicing, they could never forget those who had given their all for this moment of rejoicing.
Dawn broke hesitantly over the still countryside. The stars, once vivid in their clarity, faded and paled as the sky lightened to a gentle grey. The silence was complete, save a solitary bird's exultant song, praising the heavens.
The wind played softly over her face as she watched the scene around her. It had been a long journey, one that she thought would never end. But here she was, almost at its completion.
As she watched, as sudden streak of silver slipped silently across the once star-studded sky. "Make a wish," came the whisper from behind her.
She turned, flying into his waiting arms as the single bird continued its triumphant song.