Chapter 2
Izzy and Neelie
"You sure this is the right place?" Neelie stepped around the melting snow that now slightly covered the clumps of dirt, bone, and random assortment of objects. She let out a sigh and looked around for Izzy. She stood near what seemed like the corroded flooring, the reminiscence of the house that used to be. This was her home. Or what was left of it. Neelie reluctantly crept around the stairwell that still stood and towards her friend. But Izzy knelt down to examine the pieces on the ground before she could reach her. A rusted but still blue dog tag lay covered with sediment. Izzy slowly picked up the pendant and brushed off the dirt to reveal the words engraved on the metal. "From Dad, with love. From Iraq" She tried hard to fight the tears. It used to belong to her. "Yeah, this is the place". She could not help the shaking in her voice. From far away Neelie could swear she had heard something. Footsteps even. She cocked her head and then, unfortunately, dismissed it.