"Oh cool where you going." She mumbled as she finished her cake in the coffee shop.
I sipped on my mug tucking some hair behind my ear.
She gave me a knowing look.
"Ren you've been my bestfriend for 12 years now, but I think you've officially gone mad-"
"He's Alive nika , I just know it."
She looked at me with a confused look.
"Keith got drafted in 2019 his mission was 7 days long boo. It's been 2 years, he ain't coming back" She put a hand on my shoulder but I shook it off.
"Well then let's agree to disagree. I'm heading to the corporate office." And with that I threw my change onto the table and walked out. Nika was shaking her head mumbling words under her breath but I didn't care. I was so tired of everybody. 3 years ago after mankind got the covid vaccine, more than half of the global population started to go rogue. I'm talking loss of speech animalistic type of rogue, almost zombie like, they'd kill and eat everything in their way. It doesn't sound scary but when you see their fully covered pitch black eyes and their bloody mouths it's a nightmare. For now the government has managed to move them to a large terminator camp in Russia, but with this airborne disease, many soldiers and army reserves were going rogue and eventually they took over. So 2 years ago the government started drafting men and women from the general public to Russia to fight the war. Keith got drafted in the second heat He was promised a plane back to America if he had completed his 7 days of service but he never came back. His team members returned alive and well but when I asked about him nobody had any answers. I almost thought he was dead but his chip device in his arm detects a pulse till this day, just no location. As always, every draft season I go to the corporate office in hopes of seeing him return back home. I let security scan my thumb print as I got my pat down they let me through and I was let into a big hall with lots of other families.
I watched children play with each other, parents talking amongst each other. Some even held signs with peoples names on them. It was like I was the damn airport. I sat in an empty chair towards the back of the hall away from all of the anticipating families. I heard a faint countdown in the back ground as the room shook, signalling the plane landing from outside, people started to cheer and clap in triumph knowing they'd soon be reunited with their loved ones. I sighed as I pulled out my pocket mirror. I dabbled with my curls a little bit as I brushed my lashes with my finger. I put it away as I scanned my surroundings, my heart started to thump in my chest, I didn't want to get my hopes up, but what if he was really back this time, I don't even know how he'd been surviving out in a Russian war for that long, whilst being off the grid.
"Today could be the day." I mumbled as I stood up.
The countdown ended and the buzzer went off. The metal shutters lifted and everybody went wild, running towards their loved ones. My eyes scanned all of the soldiers, some of them had missing limbs, some had cuts and bruises but some were completely fine.
"Come on baby, where are you." I mumbled standing in my chair so I could get a better look of the crowd of people. I bit my lip as I clasped my hands together. The shutters were only open for 15 minutes, 10 minutes to return the soldiers, and 5 minutes to load on the new draftees. As I saw less and less people walk out of the shutters, my heart began to get heavy. Still no sign of him. I sat back in my chair as my eyes started to water but I controlled it before any tears could fall.
"No sign of him yet ren?" A familiar face patted my shoulder. I looked up at major Lance. He was Keith's, co partner. They were both out in the war together with the rest of the team. He told me the last time he saw keith was when there was an acid attack, he said, Keith told him to go and save everyone else, and never look back. it was an order, he had to obey. Something else definitely happened that night because Lance was extremely hesitant when talking, but it was something at least. As people walked past they gave me pity looks that I ignored, it might've been rude but they're pity wasn't gonna change anything, my fiancée was drafted the day before our wedding and was forced to leave our unborn child, he didn't even know I was pregnant. Keith had definitely gained a fan base since being drafted, word got out that he was still alive after being in the war zone for 2 years and it gained him and me the ultimate respect, some thought it was a conspiracy theory, his family even hosted a funeral for him last year, I didn't attend so they cut me off. How the hell can you even host a funeral with no body in the coffin?! now it's just me and Karlee But I know my baby is alive, a beating pulse doesn't lie. I shook my head at Lance as I sighed gathering my things. The shutter was closing in 5 minutes and the new draftees were boarding, normally I'd be forced to leave but I was a familiar face here, hell I've been here every week for the past 2 years. I always wait until the boarders close before I leave, just in case but today I felt unlucky.
"Yeah he's not coming." I shook my head standing up. I had one minute until the shutters closed and it didn't look like no one was coming out, the hall was empty and I was left alone with my own thoughts. I'm stupid, this has gone on for way to long now, I should just accept the fact that he's- he's not coming back. I felt a pain in my heart thinking that. I looked down at my phone wallpaper of us two at our high school prom, my bestfriend, the love of my life is actually gone. I snapped out of my thoughts as I looked at the time. Huh, that's weird, the shutters were supposed to close 4 minutes ago, what's the delay. I saw a tall figure approaching slowly as faint heavy footsteps were heard. My heart stopped, my mouth parted as I rubbed my eyes.
I approached the male quickly soon recognising his infamous features. I run up to him as he stood there but I slowed down as he walked closer and closer.
(Inspired by the tomorrow war,)
