Post by Yusuf the Assassin on Nov 27, 2005 17:56:54 GMT -5
Here is a short story I wrote, I've only looked through it once or twice. It was actually inspired by a music video, "the ghost of you" by my chemical romance. Also by the fact that my father went to war.
A pale sun rose over the gray and cold waters of northern France. It was early in the morning on June 6, 1944, a day those in the future said with reverence-“D-Day.” The gray American transport ships were gliding toward the shore like fell swans. They were loaded with men, some with grim faces, but most with terrified faces, their green helmets rose from the top of the frail boats like a small field of smooth stones. A volley from the battle ship resonated over the waters; the huge bombs erupted on the distant beach. Pvt. Graham rode in the final boat with his platoon. The Nazi artillery was fired at the front boats; some of the shells were direct hits, sending screaming men into the air. A Nazi plane was flying and it mowed down the men in the very front boat with its machine guns. A soldier leaned over the side and vented his nervousness into the water. “Men” the commander, Cpt. Johnson, stated, looking them over with his green eyes. “Do not forget your mission. We are here to cleanse Europe of the Nazis and their allies. Your fear must be left behind on this transport ship. May God be with us all.” The Cpt. turned around and peered at the distant shore. “The shore is well defended. However I believe that we can still take it.” The men were silent, the captain looked at them. “Most of them are under twenty two…their all just babies. They do not belong in such a place as this.” He thought with sorrow. Cpt. Johnson wiped a small tear from his eye as he looked ahead. Pvt. Graham was deep in thought, his dark eyes clouding over as the memories of the home he had left behind surfaced. He remembered it well; he was a senior in high school, a starting player for the football team, and he made decent grades in school. He had a great girlfriend, Katrina, and a close circle of friends. He had already been accepted to Texas A&M through an athletics scholarship. His life seemed perfect…until that eventful day when the postman brought the mail.
San Diego, California, 1944
Joseph lay on his bed and read a magazine as the radio played. He had just gotten home from school and wanted to relax. “Please pardon this interruption.” The radio announcer said after a slight cough. “It has been confirmed today that there will indeed be a draft. All males eighteen and older must register with the selective service and draw a draft number at your local town. That is all.” The music continued to play, but Joseph did not hear it. The magazine dropped to the floor, Joseph’s mind was blank, for he had turned eighteen not nine months ago.
Joseph’s mind was numb as he stood in line behind many young men at the town hall. “The key is to try and draw as high a number as you can.” The boy behind him whispered nervously. Joseph said nothing, but merely stared ahead. Soon enough, it was his turn. His hand shook as he put it in the lottery. He looked at the number; it was 152. “You might just make it, mate!” The boy in front of him said cheerfully, as if it was all just a game, and not a lottery of death. Joseph merely looked at him, then looked away.
Joseph stood beside his bedroom window and was looking at the stars. He could not take his mind off what had happened a few weeks ago…when the man announced the draft. He heaved a great sigh. “What sort of evil purpose would wretch young men out of the prime of their life, when everything matters most, and send them to their potential deaths?” he thought. There was a soft knock at his door, Joseph turned around and muttered “come in.” His mother, middle aged woman with brown hair opened the door slowly. Her face was stained with tears. “Mom, what is it?” Joseph asked, his voice full with concern at his mother’s distraught. His mom sobbed and held up a letter. Joseph instantly knew what it was and rushed into his mother’s waiting arms, his tears also falling. “Mother! Why did it have to be me!?” He sobbed softly as his mother ran her fingers through his curly hair. “We must be brave, Joseph…for the sake of everyone,” she said, trying to control her quivering voice.
Katrina’s blue eyes filled with tears and she embraced Joseph tightly. “Oh Joseph…” she wept openly. Joseph embraced her back and gently kissed the top of her head. “Katrina…I do not want you to suffer…I would understand if-“ Katrina put the tips of her fingers on his lips. “Joseph, I love you and always will…I will wait for you; for I know you will come back to me.” Joseph began to cry and they both held each other for a long time. After awhile, Joseph opened his eyes. They were standing on the balcony of the beach walk as the sun began to set. There were a few people milling around or eating at restaurants. “Do you remember when I first brought you here?” Joseph said with a sad smile. Katrina looked up. “Yes” she whispered. “You declared your love for me here…it seemed so long ago.” Joseph nodded and was silent. Katrina stepped back and removed something from around her neck. She walked behind Joseph and put it on him. “I want you to always wear this, never take it off.” Katrina whispered into his ear. Joseph looked at the necklace. It was a small, simple, heart-shaped locket on a thin silver chain. He hugged Katrina, his tears dampening her hair “Of course I wont…I’ll never take it off.”
Joseph held the locket in his hand and looked down at it. He could hear Katrina’s whisper, and could see her sad blue eyes as he touched it. “I love you Joseph…never take it off…” Tears welled in Joseph’s eyes as he kissed the small heart and tucked it under his uniform. “Prepare to disembark!” Cpt. Johnson shouted over the deafening explosions and the hissing of bullets like swarms of angry hornets. Joseph could see the other American soldiers who had taken up positions on the beach and were trying to take out the machine gun nests. Many dead bodies were strewn across the beach. Mortar shells exploded not five feet away from the vessel, drenching the soldiers and sending up waves that rocked the small boat. The man beside Joseph crossed himself and gritted his teeth. “I will come home to you, Katrina. I say this with God as my witness,” Joseph thought. He narrowed his eyes and held his rifle tightly as the ramp crashed down on the beach. “Everyone forward, stay low!” The captain yelled.
(thats it lol)
A pale sun rose over the gray and cold waters of northern France. It was early in the morning on June 6, 1944, a day those in the future said with reverence-“D-Day.” The gray American transport ships were gliding toward the shore like fell swans. They were loaded with men, some with grim faces, but most with terrified faces, their green helmets rose from the top of the frail boats like a small field of smooth stones. A volley from the battle ship resonated over the waters; the huge bombs erupted on the distant beach. Pvt. Graham rode in the final boat with his platoon. The Nazi artillery was fired at the front boats; some of the shells were direct hits, sending screaming men into the air. A Nazi plane was flying and it mowed down the men in the very front boat with its machine guns. A soldier leaned over the side and vented his nervousness into the water. “Men” the commander, Cpt. Johnson, stated, looking them over with his green eyes. “Do not forget your mission. We are here to cleanse Europe of the Nazis and their allies. Your fear must be left behind on this transport ship. May God be with us all.” The Cpt. turned around and peered at the distant shore. “The shore is well defended. However I believe that we can still take it.” The men were silent, the captain looked at them. “Most of them are under twenty two…their all just babies. They do not belong in such a place as this.” He thought with sorrow. Cpt. Johnson wiped a small tear from his eye as he looked ahead. Pvt. Graham was deep in thought, his dark eyes clouding over as the memories of the home he had left behind surfaced. He remembered it well; he was a senior in high school, a starting player for the football team, and he made decent grades in school. He had a great girlfriend, Katrina, and a close circle of friends. He had already been accepted to Texas A&M through an athletics scholarship. His life seemed perfect…until that eventful day when the postman brought the mail.
San Diego, California, 1944
Joseph lay on his bed and read a magazine as the radio played. He had just gotten home from school and wanted to relax. “Please pardon this interruption.” The radio announcer said after a slight cough. “It has been confirmed today that there will indeed be a draft. All males eighteen and older must register with the selective service and draw a draft number at your local town. That is all.” The music continued to play, but Joseph did not hear it. The magazine dropped to the floor, Joseph’s mind was blank, for he had turned eighteen not nine months ago.
Joseph’s mind was numb as he stood in line behind many young men at the town hall. “The key is to try and draw as high a number as you can.” The boy behind him whispered nervously. Joseph said nothing, but merely stared ahead. Soon enough, it was his turn. His hand shook as he put it in the lottery. He looked at the number; it was 152. “You might just make it, mate!” The boy in front of him said cheerfully, as if it was all just a game, and not a lottery of death. Joseph merely looked at him, then looked away.
Joseph stood beside his bedroom window and was looking at the stars. He could not take his mind off what had happened a few weeks ago…when the man announced the draft. He heaved a great sigh. “What sort of evil purpose would wretch young men out of the prime of their life, when everything matters most, and send them to their potential deaths?” he thought. There was a soft knock at his door, Joseph turned around and muttered “come in.” His mother, middle aged woman with brown hair opened the door slowly. Her face was stained with tears. “Mom, what is it?” Joseph asked, his voice full with concern at his mother’s distraught. His mom sobbed and held up a letter. Joseph instantly knew what it was and rushed into his mother’s waiting arms, his tears also falling. “Mother! Why did it have to be me!?” He sobbed softly as his mother ran her fingers through his curly hair. “We must be brave, Joseph…for the sake of everyone,” she said, trying to control her quivering voice.
Katrina’s blue eyes filled with tears and she embraced Joseph tightly. “Oh Joseph…” she wept openly. Joseph embraced her back and gently kissed the top of her head. “Katrina…I do not want you to suffer…I would understand if-“ Katrina put the tips of her fingers on his lips. “Joseph, I love you and always will…I will wait for you; for I know you will come back to me.” Joseph began to cry and they both held each other for a long time. After awhile, Joseph opened his eyes. They were standing on the balcony of the beach walk as the sun began to set. There were a few people milling around or eating at restaurants. “Do you remember when I first brought you here?” Joseph said with a sad smile. Katrina looked up. “Yes” she whispered. “You declared your love for me here…it seemed so long ago.” Joseph nodded and was silent. Katrina stepped back and removed something from around her neck. She walked behind Joseph and put it on him. “I want you to always wear this, never take it off.” Katrina whispered into his ear. Joseph looked at the necklace. It was a small, simple, heart-shaped locket on a thin silver chain. He hugged Katrina, his tears dampening her hair “Of course I wont…I’ll never take it off.”
Joseph held the locket in his hand and looked down at it. He could hear Katrina’s whisper, and could see her sad blue eyes as he touched it. “I love you Joseph…never take it off…” Tears welled in Joseph’s eyes as he kissed the small heart and tucked it under his uniform. “Prepare to disembark!” Cpt. Johnson shouted over the deafening explosions and the hissing of bullets like swarms of angry hornets. Joseph could see the other American soldiers who had taken up positions on the beach and were trying to take out the machine gun nests. Many dead bodies were strewn across the beach. Mortar shells exploded not five feet away from the vessel, drenching the soldiers and sending up waves that rocked the small boat. The man beside Joseph crossed himself and gritted his teeth. “I will come home to you, Katrina. I say this with God as my witness,” Joseph thought. He narrowed his eyes and held his rifle tightly as the ramp crashed down on the beach. “Everyone forward, stay low!” The captain yelled.
(thats it lol)
