Letters Overseas

Chapter 2

Ethans POV

Sitting here in the desert. Sand for miles. Cooking under this Afghan sun off and on for 10 years. 10 years I've been serving my country working my way up. I'm Sgt. Ethan Luke Pierre from Mobile Alabama stationed at Fort Bragg the last seven years. I'm a sniper for the United States Army and I am the best of the best. I was raised by my grandmother after my crackhead mother ran off and my father who knows who he is. I don't fault my mother for leaving me she wasn't ready to be a mother. I've seen her a few times before I left for the Army. I knew I had to leave that country life and do what I was born to do. Be a soldier.

As I sit under the stars I wish for a happy future. A future with a wife and kids running around. A future with me home wherever that will be. I haven't received a letter in the last two years since grandmother passed. That was the final last time I went to Alabama. She was the only person I spoke with besides my best friend. Which hasn't been recently. Since then I've been on tour 18 of the last 24 months and I'm tired. Tired of not knowing if I'll survive my next ride out. So many times I've been lucky, but when would my luck run out.

Sgt. Pierre you have mail. Private I don't receive letters. This is a mistake. No sir. It has your name on it. It's from a Kayleigh Harper. Put it on my cot I'll grab it later. Dismissed. I go to my meeting with my men on our next patrol. We leave out at 0600 rest up and refuel. Dismissed.

After chow I'm laying in my cot holding the letter. Kayleigh Harper what do you want. Here goes nothing.

Hello Sgt. Ethan Pierre

My name is Kayleigh Harper and I'm from New Orleans born and raised living in Wilmington NC. I own a therapy clinic for wounded vets. It's one of the most rewarding when you see a veteran making progress. Let's see. I like to read and take walks along the boardwalk. I really didn't know what to say other than thank you for your service and know someone is thinking of your safety. I received your information off a website and your name is the only one I kept going back to. I figured it must mean something right. So enough about me. Where are you from? What are your interest outside of the Army? I hope to hear from you and if not that's okay as well. Be safe

Kayleigh

Kayleigh. Such a pretty name. As I close my eyes I dream of a faceless woman with the brightest smile. Waking up to alarms going off is not what I envisioned. Lacing my boots and tucking in my dog tags I grab my rifle and begin to see what is going on.
Sgt. False alarm. A private forgot to lock the front gate. Jesus. Put him in gate duty until he remembers his job. May as well get ready for our mission.

Sitting on this roof for the last 5 hours has been brutal. We've had to take down two groups of bombers. This job never gets easier. I've lost so many Comrades over the years. I never get attached to the men that I serve with because it would be hard to loose them as friends.

It's been a week and I've considered writing Kayleigh back, but I don't know what to say. What do you talk about when you have no life outside the army. I guess ill sit down and write to Kayleigh.

Miss. Kayleigh Harper,

I'm sorry it took so long for my reply I haven't written a letter in 2 years. I'm from Mobile Alabama and was raised by my grandmother. I've lived at Fort Bragg the last 7 years. Out of those years I've been gone a total of 5. I've been in the army since the day I graduated high school.

I don't really have many interest and I haven't been on American soil in 18 months. I don't have any friends except one. I don't allow myself to connect with my comrades because well you can guess.

I hope I'm not too boring and I hear from you again. It was nice to write a letter again. To know someone knows who I am. Take care

Also, how did you get my information?

Sgt. Ethan Pierre

- ——————-

I didn't think she would write back, but i was proven wrong. Two weeks after I sent off my letter I received a response. Seeing the envelope with my name on it brought a smile to my face. It's the first time I've been some what happy in a long time. And it's because of this faceless woman who cares about vets after war. She must have a kind soul.

Sgt. Ethan Pierre

I hope this letter finds you well. I'm glad you wrote back. To be honest I thought you weren't going to, but my friend Sam said you would that you were just busy and to give you time. We've been friends since high school. Maybe if you write back I'll tell you how he became my best friend.

Anyways like you I'm not much of a social butterfly. I've pretty much worked and went to school for the last 7 years. I don't have time for anything else. Unless I'm volunteering around town with fundraisers for families who's spouse or child has been injured overseas and needs help financially to get up and going.

Let's see. Let's play the question game. And you just answer truthfully. You are aloud one question left unanswered. I figure we can learn some about one another.

Question 1. When do you come back from overseas?
Question 2. If you could have any job what would it be?
Question 3. What do you look like?
Question 4. What is your favorite color?
Question 5. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?

I hope to hear back from you Sgt. Hope you are well and I'm thanking the stars for your safety.

Kayleigh Hunter

———————-

Miss. Kayleigh Hunter,

To answer your questions. Question 1. My last tour will end in 6 months . I'll be going back to Fort Bragg where I live in the barracks. Probably not what a woman would want to hear, but I'm not home enough to have an actual home.
Question 2. If I could have any other job it would probably be a nurse. Even though I am a sniper I am also a trained medic.
Question 3. Now why would I tell you what I look like. Maybe you are picturing me a bald overweight man. So you tell me Kayleigh what do you think I look like.
Question 4. My favorite color is Blue. Not just any blue. The color is the sea in the Caribbean. I've never been, but from photos the water is so blue. It can be mesmerizing
Question 5. If I could go anywhere in the world it would be some place cold. I've lived in the desert for so long I think I'd like to be in the winter snow. I've actually never seen snow.

I really enjoyed the questions. Good idea to get to know one another. I just hope this Sam isn't offended that you are writing to a man overseas. I wouldn't want to step over boundaries with saying the wrong thing. Like I've said communication with others is not my thing.

Question 1. What is your favorite color?
Question 2. If you had one wish what would it be?
Question 3. What do you look like? I'm picturing brown hair with glasses and freckles. Like a librarian. I'm just messing around. I bet you are beautiful.
Question 4. Why did you leave New Orleans?
Question 5. Left or right handed

I hope this letter finds you well.

Sgt. Ethan Pierre