It seemed like only a few short weeks between the time she found out he was
leaving and the time her actually left, but in reality it was a few months.
She had graduated nursing school two weeks after they drew his numbers and
had signed up directly after he had left for basics. She needed to be
there to help him. She needed to be there in case......
Most of the time she was elbow deep in blood and gore. The smell of burnt flesh was singed in her hair. She just wanted to be clean. At first, she tried to make the best of it. She even had some friends in country. The nurse who stayed next to her, Belle was great, well, used to be great. She used to be cheerful and sing off key all the time. Hell, they had both sung together. No longer, ever since her fiance Kevin died she hadn't been herself. She was mechanical. She no longer even smiled.
It was one of Chloe's rare moments to herself. She had just gotten off a rigorous 18 hour shift and the stench of death was still lingering in her clothes. She was too exhausted to care. She just collapsed on her bed with the latest letter from Brady.
Dear Chloe,
I'm not going to lie to you. Things are bad out here. I just keep thinking of you and that keeps me going. We went through a village today and everybody went a little crazy. There isn't anything I wouldn't give to be sitting in Salem with you. Going to the movies with you, going bowling with you. Just being with you. I spend so much time thinking of all the time we wasted not being together. I just can't get used to this, I don't understand how they can expect this of me. At least I'm not alone out here. Shawn's doing good. Way better than I expected actually. Susan sent him a letter yesterday. It wasn't good. What kind of heartless bitch dumps a guy in a letter, when he's over here? I guess she's turned all hippie anti-war and just can't be with a soldier anymore. What a laugh, like we aren't anti-war. Don't they understand what they're protesting for? Maybe I just don't understand what they're protesting for. If not for the loss of our lives then what? the vietnamese? I just don't understand. I'll write soon. We're close, you know. Maybe you'll see me one of these days.
Love that never ends,
Brady
"Oh god, I hope not, Brady," she said sadly.
"what was that, chlo?" Belle asked, peeking her head in.
"Nothing. I'm just worried about Brady."
"You're always worried about Brady. Guess what I did?"
"No idea."
"I went on a run with the guys. I mean, what a rush? The adrenaline is still pumping through my veins."
"You did what?!? Are you crazy? Do you want to die? Not to mention what'll happen if you get caught."
"Oh I'm so scared. Come on, Chloe, lighten up."
"Come on Belle, it's really dangerous out there. What about your family? Don't you worry about them and what would happen them if something happened to you?"
"There's always been just me and my mom. I have a brother and sister, twins actually, but they left a long time ago. My mom never stayed with my dad. He was in love with another woman and even if she was dead, my mom couldn't ever compare to her memory. I have a brother I've never met, but that's all I know. I could have a whole nother family out there."
"You're mother never told you his name?"
"It doesn't matter. He didn't want me. He didn't care about me."
"Maybe he didn't even know about you. Maybe your mom just assumed he wouldn't want you.."
"All I know is that John Black should drop off the face of the earth."
Most of the time she was elbow deep in blood and gore. The smell of burnt flesh was singed in her hair. She just wanted to be clean. At first, she tried to make the best of it. She even had some friends in country. The nurse who stayed next to her, Belle was great, well, used to be great. She used to be cheerful and sing off key all the time. Hell, they had both sung together. No longer, ever since her fiance Kevin died she hadn't been herself. She was mechanical. She no longer even smiled.
It was one of Chloe's rare moments to herself. She had just gotten off a rigorous 18 hour shift and the stench of death was still lingering in her clothes. She was too exhausted to care. She just collapsed on her bed with the latest letter from Brady.
Dear Chloe,
I'm not going to lie to you. Things are bad out here. I just keep thinking of you and that keeps me going. We went through a village today and everybody went a little crazy. There isn't anything I wouldn't give to be sitting in Salem with you. Going to the movies with you, going bowling with you. Just being with you. I spend so much time thinking of all the time we wasted not being together. I just can't get used to this, I don't understand how they can expect this of me. At least I'm not alone out here. Shawn's doing good. Way better than I expected actually. Susan sent him a letter yesterday. It wasn't good. What kind of heartless bitch dumps a guy in a letter, when he's over here? I guess she's turned all hippie anti-war and just can't be with a soldier anymore. What a laugh, like we aren't anti-war. Don't they understand what they're protesting for? Maybe I just don't understand what they're protesting for. If not for the loss of our lives then what? the vietnamese? I just don't understand. I'll write soon. We're close, you know. Maybe you'll see me one of these days.
Love that never ends,
Brady
"Oh god, I hope not, Brady," she said sadly.
"what was that, chlo?" Belle asked, peeking her head in.
"Nothing. I'm just worried about Brady."
"You're always worried about Brady. Guess what I did?"
"No idea."
"I went on a run with the guys. I mean, what a rush? The adrenaline is still pumping through my veins."
"You did what?!? Are you crazy? Do you want to die? Not to mention what'll happen if you get caught."
"Oh I'm so scared. Come on, Chloe, lighten up."
"Come on Belle, it's really dangerous out there. What about your family? Don't you worry about them and what would happen them if something happened to you?"
"There's always been just me and my mom. I have a brother and sister, twins actually, but they left a long time ago. My mom never stayed with my dad. He was in love with another woman and even if she was dead, my mom couldn't ever compare to her memory. I have a brother I've never met, but that's all I know. I could have a whole nother family out there."
"You're mother never told you his name?"
"It doesn't matter. He didn't want me. He didn't care about me."
"Maybe he didn't even know about you. Maybe your mom just assumed he wouldn't want you.."
"All I know is that John Black should drop off the face of the earth."