soldier
ezra

100
Issa POV:
*Itโs winter again.*
*The second one. 365 days. 12 months since he left.*
I donโt know if heโs alive.
Or if he hates me.
The last time I saw himโฆ his eyes were edged with pain, not love.
And the last thing I said to him wasnโt โI love you.โ
The memories rushed back.
โWhy wonโt you listen to me?!โ My voice cracked. โWhy wonโt you stay? Why?!โ
He stepped back, jaw tight. โBecause I canโt, Issa. If I donโt risk this, I risk *you*. I would stay if I could. But if this country falls... you fall with it.โ
โThey can excuse one soldier. Not you. Never you. I canโtโI canโt watch you throw yourself into this.โ
โIssa... we need as many hands as we can. I promise Iโll write. But promise meโif I fall... donโt cry for me. Just look up at the stars. Iโll be there, just like I said I would.โ
โDonโt say that! Itโs bad enough youโre going to warโjust come back. Come back in one piece.โ
Silence.
โEzra, promise me...โ
โI canโt.
*He never wrote back.*
*Never showed me he was alive.*
*Neverโ*
โTheyโre pretty tonight...โ
His voice.
No. o, it canโt be.
The grass beside me rustled as that voice filled my head again.
โThe stars. Theyโre pretty tonight.โ
I turnedโand there he was.
I didnโt think. I threw my arms around him.
But something was wrong.
My hands didnโt meet him fully.
One of his armsโฆ was gone
โWhat... what happened?โ I whispered. I didnโt een know if he was real.
But I didnโt care. He was *here*. I could feel him. โItโs... a long story,โ he said. โHe was coming for you. For our home. I stepped in front of the bullet. Iโm sorry I couldnโt write... I was learning how to do it with my other hand. As you can see, I struggled.โ
He laughed, but it sounded broken
He sat next to me.
continue in ooening