A Thousand Miles- Chapter One
He was home again, warm in his own bed. He could hear his mother down stairs, bustling about the kitchen making breakfast- it had been awhile since he had eaten a good meal. His stomach grumbled at the thought. The hair dryer clicked on in the next room accompanied by the soft humming of the Beatle's latest. He smiled- It was Meg.
Opening his eyes he could see the snow falling softly outside. His room was lit by a soft yellow light coming from the lamp on top of the stand next to his bed. His room was adorned with countless trophies and awards but the only thing that held his attention was a photo on his desk. Getting up out of bed he threw on a pair of jeans and an old plaid shirt under his football jacket. He opened the door to find Patty standing in front of a closed bathroom door with her arms firmly crossed, squaring her jaw.
"Meg if you don't get out of the bathroom I'm going to tell Dad!"
"Patty stop being a tattle tale and Meg get out of the bathroom. Hey JJ." Jack Pryor said exiting his while bedroom fixing his tie.
"Morning." He waved and began to make his way down the stairs when he heard a distinctly young voice yell his name followed by the soft thud of crutches hitting the ground. JJ patiently waited for his little brother Will to come to the top of the stairs.
"Can we go sledding today?" JJ smiled, gently picked the boy up in his arms and carried him down the stairs.
"Sure, but I've got a couple things to do first. OK?"
"Great!" Will exclaimed as his older brother set him down on the ground. JJ walked into kitchen, kissed his mother on the cheek, and grabbed a piece of toast.
"Aren't you going to eat anything more than that?" Helen Pryor asked.
"No, I've got to go but I'll be home for lunch. Bye, mom."
He buttoned up his jacket against the bitter cold and stuffed his hands in his pockets. Even though he hadn't far to walk and he wasn't late or even expected he hurried down the sidewalk. The excitement in his chest began to build and he began to jog slowly. He jogged down the street and as he turned the corner he broke into a run, sailing past East Catholic High School. Seeing the downtown coming into view he began to run faster than before.
He turned off of Main Street onto Forest Road and he could see her house. JJ slowed down just as he came upon her lawn. He caught his breath and slowly walked up the drive, feeling the nervousness building in his chest. So many questions racked his brain, had she missed him? Had she forgotten him? - But he pushed them from his head as he walked up the drive. He knocked loudly on the door and stepped back off the stoop. Everything from that moment on was in slow motion. He heard a shuffling of footsteps and the door opened. Beth gasped as her hands flew to her mouth. Tears began to fall down her cheeks. His heart ached to hold her in his arms. They stared at each other for a long moment.
"JJ?" She whispered. He opened his mouth and tried to speak but being so overcome with emotion he was unable to. He walked up the stoop and stood inches away from her. Her hands rose to his face-
"WAKE UP! We're being attacked!" I awoke from my dream to pitch-black and to the sound of bullets flying overhead. I felt for my gun and yelled for my troops to spread out.
They began to run in a million directions, being hidden well by the bush. I pulled the pin out of a grenade in my pocket and threw it as far as I could. A few seconds later it exploded and I could hear the Vietcong yelling to each other. Flames erupted a few feet ahead of me and I moved away from them. A severed limb fell an inch away from me and blood spurted across my face. I rose from the ground and began to run forward as my troops followed my lead. I looked behind me in just enough time to see McMullen take a bullet in the chest. I kneeled beside him and pulled his head into my lap. I took a cloth from my pocket and held it to his chest.
"MEDIC!" I screamed. "Stay still it's ok, you're going to be fine."
Color drained from his cheeks, he shook his head.
"Do it." McMullen whispered.
"No!"
"Please-" He begged. Blood began to pour from his mouth, he gasped for air. I closed my eyes, knowing what I had to do. I took the gun, put it to his head, and pulled the trigger. Tears streamed down my cheeks.
"God, save us." I whispered. Someone roughly pulled me to my feet and a moment later I could feel the cold blade of a machete against my neck.
Author's note- Should I continue with this story? If you think so, please review.
Disclaimer: I do not own American Dreams or any of the characters. This is a work of fiction based on the NBC television series.
He was home again, warm in his own bed. He could hear his mother down stairs, bustling about the kitchen making breakfast- it had been awhile since he had eaten a good meal. His stomach grumbled at the thought. The hair dryer clicked on in the next room accompanied by the soft humming of the Beatle's latest. He smiled- It was Meg.
Opening his eyes he could see the snow falling softly outside. His room was lit by a soft yellow light coming from the lamp on top of the stand next to his bed. His room was adorned with countless trophies and awards but the only thing that held his attention was a photo on his desk. Getting up out of bed he threw on a pair of jeans and an old plaid shirt under his football jacket. He opened the door to find Patty standing in front of a closed bathroom door with her arms firmly crossed, squaring her jaw.
"Meg if you don't get out of the bathroom I'm going to tell Dad!"
"Patty stop being a tattle tale and Meg get out of the bathroom. Hey JJ." Jack Pryor said exiting his while bedroom fixing his tie.
"Morning." He waved and began to make his way down the stairs when he heard a distinctly young voice yell his name followed by the soft thud of crutches hitting the ground. JJ patiently waited for his little brother Will to come to the top of the stairs.
"Can we go sledding today?" JJ smiled, gently picked the boy up in his arms and carried him down the stairs.
"Sure, but I've got a couple things to do first. OK?"
"Great!" Will exclaimed as his older brother set him down on the ground. JJ walked into kitchen, kissed his mother on the cheek, and grabbed a piece of toast.
"Aren't you going to eat anything more than that?" Helen Pryor asked.
"No, I've got to go but I'll be home for lunch. Bye, mom."
He buttoned up his jacket against the bitter cold and stuffed his hands in his pockets. Even though he hadn't far to walk and he wasn't late or even expected he hurried down the sidewalk. The excitement in his chest began to build and he began to jog slowly. He jogged down the street and as he turned the corner he broke into a run, sailing past East Catholic High School. Seeing the downtown coming into view he began to run faster than before.
He turned off of Main Street onto Forest Road and he could see her house. JJ slowed down just as he came upon her lawn. He caught his breath and slowly walked up the drive, feeling the nervousness building in his chest. So many questions racked his brain, had she missed him? Had she forgotten him? - But he pushed them from his head as he walked up the drive. He knocked loudly on the door and stepped back off the stoop. Everything from that moment on was in slow motion. He heard a shuffling of footsteps and the door opened. Beth gasped as her hands flew to her mouth. Tears began to fall down her cheeks. His heart ached to hold her in his arms. They stared at each other for a long moment.
"JJ?" She whispered. He opened his mouth and tried to speak but being so overcome with emotion he was unable to. He walked up the stoop and stood inches away from her. Her hands rose to his face-
"WAKE UP! We're being attacked!" I awoke from my dream to pitch-black and to the sound of bullets flying overhead. I felt for my gun and yelled for my troops to spread out.
They began to run in a million directions, being hidden well by the bush. I pulled the pin out of a grenade in my pocket and threw it as far as I could. A few seconds later it exploded and I could hear the Vietcong yelling to each other. Flames erupted a few feet ahead of me and I moved away from them. A severed limb fell an inch away from me and blood spurted across my face. I rose from the ground and began to run forward as my troops followed my lead. I looked behind me in just enough time to see McMullen take a bullet in the chest. I kneeled beside him and pulled his head into my lap. I took a cloth from my pocket and held it to his chest.
"MEDIC!" I screamed. "Stay still it's ok, you're going to be fine."
Color drained from his cheeks, he shook his head.
"Do it." McMullen whispered.
"No!"
"Please-" He begged. Blood began to pour from his mouth, he gasped for air. I closed my eyes, knowing what I had to do. I took the gun, put it to his head, and pulled the trigger. Tears streamed down my cheeks.
"God, save us." I whispered. Someone roughly pulled me to my feet and a moment later I could feel the cold blade of a machete against my neck.
Author's note- Should I continue with this story? If you think so, please review.
Disclaimer: I do not own American Dreams or any of the characters. This is a work of fiction based on the NBC television series.