Desert War


My heart begins to race wildly.

My hands embrace my gun as a tool of carnage and fear.

My mind is taken off guard by my legs springing into action.

I feel each heartbeat grow further and further apart.

I’ve never looked into the eye of death, but I knew what was on the other side of the wall.

Cries for glory, strength, honor, and forgiveness;

The sweet lullaby that now filled my head and tucked me into bed each night.

I come to find a second of safety behind the war battered wall.

My chest expands further than I ever knew it could,

This could be my last breath.

My stomach tightens and I let out a blood-curdling yell,

Maybe it will distract my mind from any second thoughts.

The earth shakes and rains down upon me.

I pivot around the end of the wall to face the enemy.

I pivot around the wall to face each moment of my past as it slowly flashes before my eyes.


My body takes control and my mind dances upon memories of her.

Katie.

Her weightless blond hair frolicked through the air in on this warm spring day.

The vivid green grass illuminated the bottom of her flowing white skirt.

Her light hazel eyes fractured the radiant sunlight.

She has eyes full of passion, excitement, and wonder.

Her wonderfully white smile brought comfort in a way that wasn’t possible.

I felt warmth of the sun beating down on the back of my neck.

It filled my body.

I felt her breath fall upon my lips.

A Kiss.


My shoulder endures the rhythmic pain of my gun firing.

My finger grasps the trigger.

My chest sears of burning.

I don’t feel the bullet blast through my chest.

I feel only the energy the bullet had left behind.

My legs understand what have happened and let gravity float me to the earth.

My eyes close and my heart slows, I still can feel her kiss.

I smile, what a wonderful day.

I smile, what a wonderful life.