The Soldier's Love | Teen Ink

The Soldier's Love

September 12, 2015
By BlossomM. PLATINUM, Austin, Texas
BlossomM. PLATINUM, Austin, Texas
20 articles 0 photos 5 comments

     Another war completed. Another land conquered. Another ruler dethroned. Another people beaten. But none of that matters now, for I am riding the train back home. I do not see the city around me, or hear the crowds cheering our return. The only sound I hear is the lilting laugh of my wife, tinkling with humor and happiness. All I see is my simple cottage, with the red brick walls and the honeysuckle climbing the cottage side, shadowed by a towering maple, just turning color with the coming of autumn. The only thing I feel in place of pride is the powerful urge to see my home, look into the eyes of my little girl I haven't seen for four years, and finally meet the baby I have never been able to hold. I long to smile with my wife again. To wash away all memory of that far away land and what I did to those people in the name of justice and honor. All I see are the hazel, smiling eyes of my wife and all I smell are the wafts of honeysuckle in the cool autumn air. The rest of the worlds ceases to exist. All but the memory of that cottage under the maple tree and the family waiting for me.


The author's comments:

There is an alternative ending called: The Soldier's Tears


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on Sep. 18 2015 at 7:23 am
BlossomM. PLATINUM, Austin, Texas
20 articles 0 photos 5 comments
Hi All. Unfortunately, I seem to be unable to edit the name so in place of a apostrophe there is a jumble of symbols. The same with the corresponding work; A Soldier's Tears. Sorry for the confusion regarding the title. Thanks for reading!