~O-Letter to Kyle-O~

Friday, December 12, 1941
Dear Kyle,
Hey there. I... I don't know what to write about... There's only so much we're allowed to discuss or the censors will take it out, but I promised to write, so... I can tell you that I'm being trained to be a pilot and that I'm pretty damn amazing at it so far. They tell me I might be a flying ace when we go overseas. They still don't know where their sending me... Pacific or Atlantic... I'd be proud with either. I just want to protect my country. To protect my friends... To protect you, Kyle. I want us to hang out a lot when I come back, okay? I miss being around you...
Tell my mom I said I'm doing well please. I've only got enough cash to send a letter a week, so I'll be sending you notes for her. I'll be writing you even if you can't respond, Kyle... I want you to know that...
I can't wait to be home to see you both. Remember my promise. I will be home. Trust me. I'd never lie to you. Ever.
Sincerely,
Stan Marsh
P.S. Remember the time when we shaved Cartman's head while he was asleep? Well there's someone here that looks just like he did when the hair started patchily growing back. I almost laughed my ass off!

~O-Kyle's Journal-O~

December 12th, 1941-
Today Wendy started asking me about Stan and how he's doing… It really irritated me! She used him when they dated in high school and I bet all she wants now is to be with an army man. I don't see why Stan doesn't just dump her… It's only been a month, if that. She wouldn't stop bothering me, even when I told her I didn't know… I wish I did… I miss my best friend. SouthPark is nothing without him…

December 13th, 1941-
Kenny enlisted today… He's off to a Navy base in California to train for the war in the Pacific. All of my friends are signing up… Maybe I should as well? No… I'd get eaten alive out there! Stan always was the athletic one. He never let me live it down. I remember how he'd always wrestle with me and pin me to the floor. The cocky grin on his face always had me lunging up again and trying to finally get him. I'd always end up on my back underneath him again… God, I miss that. Will we ever be able to do it again? Will my Stan come back to me...?

December 14th, 1941
I had such a weird dream last night… Stan was sitting at my kitchen table and we were laughing at something… I got up to put something in the sink and he came up behind me… I… I'm very embarrassed to even write about it… What's wrong with me? I've never thought things like that. Hopefully it was just a one time thing!

December 15th, 1941
No more weird dreams last night, so hopefully it was a one time thing? Cartman tried to pick a fight with me about Stan today. He was being completely disrespectful about him enlisting! When he saw how much it bothered me, he just kept going and going… I finally snapped and hit him. Hopefully that black eye reminds him to back off about Stan…

December 16th, 1941
I GOT A LETTER FROM STAN! He sounds… Good? He was very short and too the point. I guess that was so the censors wouldn't find anything? Who knows… He actually wrote though! I'm going to go write him back now!

~O-Letter to Stan-O~

Tuesday, December 16th, 1941
Dear Stan,
I'm so glad that you remembered to write to me! And so soon after you left... Getting your letter made today so much better! Work was hell... My boss said he wouldn't give me the first day of Chanukah off because it's a holiday that is "un-American" and he only gives Christmas off because he's Christian... I wouldn't mind, but... It gets irritating when people make fun of or judge me so often because I'm different. You're so lucky that you're like so many other people... (Don't take that in the wrong way. You're so special to me. You're my best friend!)
How could I forget when we shaved Cartman? He was so pissed and his face was so red... I couldn't help laughing my ass off. I bet it's so hard to not laugh when you see this man, Stan. I wouldn't be able to keep a straight face at all!
By the way, your mom gave me a letter to send off with mine and I told her that, to save money on stamps, I would send her letter with mine, so... You can send separate letters to her and I'll deliver them. That way you can still write to your mommy. I kid, I kid!
Stan... I can't wait for you to be back either. I want you back... Soon... I miss you... More than I should. I… I'm worried. Please be safe...
Sincerely,
Kyle Brofloski

~O-Kyle's Journal-O~

December 17th, 1941
Not much happened today… I went to work and got hassled by some irritated mothers who were Christmas shopping. It was the most eventful part of my day. Cartman is still avoiding me. I'm glad! He's been annoying since Stan and Kenny left… Maybe he's as lonely as me? I'll talk to him tomorrow about it. We gotta stick together!

December 18th, 1941
I talked with Cartman and he's missing Kenny like I'm missing Stan! I never really noticed, but he and Kenny were really close. He doesn't know what to do without him… I've been sworn to secrecy about this little piece of information, so unfortunately I can't go tell Wendy or Butters. Damn.

~O-Letter to Wendy-O~

Friday, December 19th, 1941
Wendy,
I can't continue seeing you while I'm gone… I'm so very sorry. I just don't want to break your heart or hold you back… And I can't have so many people close to my heart to worry about. Go be happy.
Yours,
Stan

~O-Kyle's Journal-O~

December 19th, 1941
I hate working in a department store this close to Christmas. All the customers do is complain about our prices and act like complete fools. Isn't this the season of giving? The season of being together in a family? These people are making it all about the presents… We're in a war for God's sake! People make me so mad…

December 21st, 1941
Yesterday was my first day off in ages… So I slept in and completely forgot to write anything. Oh well. Today, though, for some reason I couldn't stop thinking of Stan and how we used to celebrate the holidays… We'd always exchange the stupidest of presents on Christmas morning, and then get together that night to give each other the real presents. I… I'm going to miss that this year. I even had his gift for him. A locket with a picture of us in it. Maybe I can mail it before he ships out? I'm going to go look into that!

December 22nd, 1941
I sent out the present today. Hopefully Stan gets it before the first? I just want him to know that, even though he's miles away, there are people still caring about him here in SouthPark. I convinced Cartman to send Kenny a Christmas card at least. That was an adventure… It ended up saying something along the lines of "Merry Christmas, Loser." At least he sent it!

~O-Letter to Kyle-O~

Monday, December 23rd, 1941
Kyle,
How couldn't I remember to write you back!? You're my best friend in South Park and the world (even if you're a ginger Jew) and I couldn't imagine life without you! I wish I could be there to help defend you against what your boss did… That's just wrong. America is a country built on freedom. Our ancestors came here for religious freedom… People like him absolutely make me sick!
I broke up with Wendy… I couldn't take the feeling in my heart every time I thought of home and then of you and her. I can't have two people making me worry my ass off over here… And I've known you for so much longer… I don't even know if I loved her, especially after how she was in High School, you know? I loved the status of having a girlfriend, but… I feel free now that I've let her go.
I'll come back to South Park and you as soon as possible, Ky. We'll go and have a picnic under that tree in the woods that we claimed, or we can take another dip in the pool? I keep that picture and your letter in my jacket in a pocket near my heart. Corny I know, but they're all I've got… Please don't forget me over here?
Stan
P.S. Merry Christmas and Happy Chanukah. I wish we could do our gift exchange…

~O-Kyle's Journal-O~

December 23rd, 1941
Very uneventful day… Unless you count the screaming and crying Wendy that I just got saved from by Cartman… She was going on and on about how I stole Stan from her or something like that. He broke up with her? What did he say exactly? I'm so worried right now…

December 24th, 1941
I talked to Wendy in a more calm manner (she still cried and accused, but there was no screaming and threatening). She said that Stan sent her a very short letter breaking up with her and she had thought and thought. He "acts weird" around me (according to her) and out relationship is "weird" (also according to her), so Stan must have dumped her for me. Bull shit. She's just mad and trying to find an answer…

December 25th, 1941
Christmas… I miss Stan… He was the only person to really try to make me comfortable on this holiday… I want him back. I want my present, damn it! (Because it's a present. Not just because it's from him. Right?...)

December 26th, 1941
Back to work for the after Christmas rush… People are worse than they were before Christmas in some cases! They're bringing back gifts that people spent time to buy them… I understand if it's the wrong size or something, but come on… They thought of you enough to get it for you… Keep it! People… So insensitive.

December 27th, 1941
I haven't gotten a letter from Stan in a while… I know the postal service is going slow these days because of the war, but… it's been so long… I hope it's just the holidays and not that he forgot or got in trouble. Cartman and Kenny have been exchanging a lot of letters, but then again, Kenny is training much closer than Stan is. Stan's over around New York… So far. Will he ever be back this way again?

December 28th, 1941
A letter came from Stan! I'm going to go deliver his mom's part of the letter, then come back to read mine and respond. I'm so happy!

~O-Letter to Stan-O~

Saturday, December 28th, 1941
Stan,
I know you broke up with Wendy. She came to my house at an ungodly hour in the morning screaming about how I stole you from her. She threatened a lot of things, Stan… I had to call Cartman over to get her off of my front yard! It was pretty scary…
And thank you, by the way. I'm proud of being a ginger Jew! I'm one in a million! I mean, it sucks sometimes, but being unique is pretty cool. I'd rather be me than be some weird clone of someone else. Or be just like everyone else. Does that make sense? I'm me because I'm me, not because I strive to please others.
I could never forget you over there… You're my best friend. Every chance I get, I send a prayer up for you. That you'll come home in one piece, not messed up or dead. I can't lose you, Stan. You're too important to me… When you do come back (because it IS when, not if) I would love to go swimming with you and all kinds of other things with you. You're my best friend, all I've got. We're going to have to make up for lost time.
Merry Christmas, Stan.
Kyle

~O-Kyle's Journal-O~

December 29th, 1941
I think missing Stan this much is affecting my sleep and work… Maybe I should try to distract myself a little more and go out? I have enough money and vacation time saved up… I could go camping for the weekend. Or just go on a road trip? I'll invite Cartman. It'll do us some good.

December 30th, 1941
Cartman and I are still discussing where to go and when. He says as soon as possible, I say after the snows thaw a little. Both work though; it's just a matter of safety. We're going to go driving around, see the sights. We're probably going to go down to the warmth of Nevada or something. Las Vegas? Who knows…?

~O-O~

On December 31st, 1941, Stan Marsh got a package from Kyle Brofloski. In it was a small silver locket with a picture of the two of them in first grade, smiling and in each other's arms. On the locket, a short note was inscribed: Fly home safe, dear raven.

Stan Marsh cried like a child that night, wishing he could be home with the one person that understood him, the one person who seemed to care.