To Tend to a Garden

I sat on the small incline, sniper rifle in hand. This war has been waging on for some time now, about 2 to 3 months. Who really knew, surviving out here for that long made you lose track of time. I miss my daughter terribly, and I can only imagine how much she misses me, too. She’s always been a daddy’s girl. My wife and I are snipers, trying to hide the best we can so we can take out the enemy silently and skillfully. We’ve been lucky enough so far, I have only been shot twice and her once.

Tasha Longwood is the name of my loving wife. She and I met in this army, and fell for each other after being paired together for several missions. At first it was a sort of hateful and angry love, we didn’t like each other. It didn’t take long, however, for it to turn into a playful, genuine love. We got married about three years ago, and we had our daughter, Madeline, about two years ago. Madeline is the spitting image of her mother. Blonde hair, same round little nose, same face shape. The one thing she has from me is my violet eyes. She’s my little pride and joy, I wouldn’t trade her for the world.

But this was war. She couldn’t come here. The most I could do was carry a picture of her around in my pocket at all times, and look at it whenever I miss her. Tasha is no different, she, too, misses her little girl gravely, and would do anything to see her again. Being a sniper can be boring work. Yes, borning. You sit there until you’re able to shoot one off, then it’s back to waiting. While we waited, I sat up and shook my head. ¨Come on, dear. Let’s at least eat somethin’ while we’re waiting.

My mind started to wander to how we first met. I had moved to Britain from the United States, wanting to get away from my meddling parents and the way they treated me with little-to-no respect. I joined the army in hopes to find something, and boy did I. A tall, gorgeous woman who was not afraid to show who she was. Other women wanted me, but I did not want them. I wanted her. And I felt so lucky I was able to have her.

My thoughts were interrupted by gunshots and a scream. I assumed the battle had drawn closer and we had to either shoot or move, but my heart sank when I looked over at Tasha. She was laying on her back, blood gushing from two gunshot wounds in her chest. I was frozen for a second, I wasn’t sure what to do, but I rushed forward and looked down at her. My hands shook and my thoughts raced. The blood slowly spread around onto the grass below. I could almost smell the hot, warm blood, but the nearby wildflowers drowned out any scent of her wound.

By the look of the blood bubbles in her chest, she was shot in the lung.I stared at the popping bubbles, tense and lost in stress and fear, it was overwhelming. Each popping bubble looked like a blooming flower: opening from the top and fanning out, delicately laying on the surface presented. I heard her gargling and gasping for air, squirming and gripping onto my uniform.

I blinked a few times, finally snapping out of it. I looked around, desperate to find a medic. I called out as loud as I could, begging for a medic to come help. My voice held no volume over the sound of the battle. I try to take any action I can, taking off my uniform coat and pressing it into the gunshots. I had never been trained in medical assistance, I had no idea how to help. Where was that damned medic? I mumbled sweet nothings to my dying wife, knowing she wouldn’t make it. I attempted to hold myself together, I didn’t want to cry, not now while she was dying. No matter how hard I tried, I felt myself give way to tears, letting out sobs as my wife lay there, dying.

All I wanted was to take her home, and let her see Madeline again. Oh. Madeline. She’ll be so devastated. This can’t happen. I begged her to hold on, to stay with me and wait for a medic. She can make it. She can do it. I won’t be a male widow. I won’t be a single father. I’ll stay married, we’ll still have a happy family.

I could tell when her last breath was drawn. Her hand slowly let go of my wrist. The pool of blood was well past my knees now, soaking into my pants and staining them a deep red. There was a bubble from her mouth, and then it all just.. stopped. It had only been about 3 minutes, but it felt like an eternity.

I had never felt so alone. I lost the love of my life, the one I promised to love until the end of time. I would have to go home and explain to my little two year old that her mommy wasn’t coming home, and never would.

I was so lost. Lost in a garden of wildflowers stained red.