Finally Home to Yellowstone: Yellowstone Ranch Series

22

White. Everything was white. It was clean. I hadn't seen anything this clean in a few years.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

I looked to see where the noise was coming from. To my left was a machine with my vitals, hooked into an IV in my arm.

I tried to sit up. I grunted as pain shot through my left side.

"Corporal." My staff sergeant stepped into the room.  The hospital room.

"Sir." I nodded.

"How are you?" He asked.

I was taken aback. Not prepared for this question. This wasn't a question they trained you to answer like most. "I'm okay, sarg."

He nodded. "We need to talk about a few things. And this isn't going to be easy."

I gritted my teeth and stared at him. "How many?" I whispered.

"Mary, that isn't important right now-"

My throat had a lump in it,"How many... did we lose?"

He was silent. Then he opened his mouth just to shut it again. Then he spoke. "The Land was killed. And five from your platoon." My eyes burned. For fucks sake Mary, don't cry in front of this man. "Private Martin... Jake-" My jaw started to shake a little. "He wanted to tell you he made it home. But..." He cleared his throat. "The plane that was bringing him and other passengers into the states was hijacked."

"Oh, god." I felt like I was gonna throw up.

"He over powered the hijackers but died from the injuries sustained during it. The plane landed safely. He's being awarded a Purple Heart. His family wants you present for the ceremony." Sarg cleared his throat after spilling out the news.

I took a deep breath. "Okay. When- when do I get released? I can fly there and back within a couple days-"

"'Mary, you're going home." He cut me off.

My heart shattered. "Sir-"

"You're injured. You've been shot in the leg. You're not gonna walk the same for a while. Go home. Be with your family. You've done your part." He turned the walk out. But he paused. "You did a hell of a job, corporal. No one else would've held that Embassy as long as you did. You're an amazing soldier. Your country is proud of you." He pointed to the TV on the wall.

Sure enough, my picture scanned the screen, along with news coverage and photos of the embassy take over. The title of American hero flashed on the screen.

I dropped my head. And sobbed. I didn't feel like a hero. I felt like I failed.

I glanced at the phone by the bed. My shaky hands picked it up. And I dialed the only number I could remember.

"Hello?" The voice rang through on the other end.

"Rip? It's Mary. I'm- I'm okay."

*****

I opened my eyes. I was looking up to the sky. The clouds were dark and the sky was getting there. My mouth was dry. My head hurt. But my horse and I were huddled under an old cedar tree. It had the most coverage from the rain so I assumed that's why I had been under here. But my clothes weren't wet. And neither was the ground.

I stared out at the mountains and the streams in the mountains and the trees surrounding the streams. I breathed heavily. My stomach rumbled. Something felt off.