Say You Love Me Again - Choni

Chapter 26

Archie and I had been wandering around this town for the better part of an hour, I don't know what we are looking for and I am starting to question why I am here.

What did I think I would find?

Chery's body neatly wrapped up in the corner for me to take home.

It's Macabre.

and I am fucking delusional.

"Come on Toni, this is getting no where" Archie touches my arm softly.
I sigh in defeat, I hate to admit it, but everyone we have tried to talk to ignores us and puts their head down. I try to show them Cheryl's picture but they just scurry away, I don't think my American accident is helping.

"Just the market area down there please Archie then I promise we can go, please?" I look at him pleadingly.

His hands go behind his head and he looks down at the market just below the hill and back to where the jeep was parked.

"Toni I have been off base for 3 hours now, if I am gone any longer my Officer is going to go crazy" he lets out a deep breath.

"Just the market please?" I am practically begging now.

He sighs in defeat "Okay fine, come on" he starts to walk towards the market, I shuffle after him trying to keep up with his big strides.

"MIRA!!" I am shouting now, I don't care, I am going to die in a few hours so what is the difference.

"MIRA!!!!!" there's no answer. My screams are going unanswered and just falling dead against the thick walls of this hole.

I collapse back against the wall exhausted from my shouting.

I had been shouting for the last two hours, I don't know what I was going to do if Mira came in here, stab her?

Run?

I don't know.

I had been stretching out my leg all night, trying to strengthen it, it's infected and if got some bad damage to the skin of my hip and my leg but the disinfectant and bandages have helped the healing, it no longer smells like rotten flesh.

If I get out of here I am going to have a nasty scar.

I won't be wearing a swimsuit for awhile. I chuckle at my thoughts.

I then start to feel the tears burning my eyes.

"Where the fuck is everyone!!!" my external thoughts are being let out.

"Where are you Archie, huh!!! Where are you!!!"

"Jones!!"

"Roberts!!!"

"Bishop!!

"Bennett!!"

"Martinez??? Where are you bitch!!! I saved your ass in Afghanistan, you remember, your dumb ass was walking around with your clown feet and nearly stood on an IED! and this bitch, yes THIS BITCH!!!, tackled your ass stopping you nearly ending up in a million pieces, shit's my thanks from you Martinez!!!"

"Monroe the Hoe! Where are you brother?"

"Jason, I hope you are okay kid" I whisper out the end, I am exhausted from the screaming, the lack of food and I think the infection is making me delusional. It's probably in my blood stream now.

This must be what the army calls stir crazy, it was happening, I was going out of my damn mind.

I think I hear a woman speaking, "Toni, that you" I shut my eyes, I can picture here.