Redamancy ✷ Simon Riley

Chap 10)

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𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐞𝐧
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The wet patter of boots striding across the tarmac resounded around Poppy as she ambled. She sullied reflecting crystalline puddles by splashing them upwards when her feet came slamming down on them. She peered down at her boots and ignored her black-knotted laces that had become damp by the pounding rain. They no longer sat in perfect bows but rather slumped indolently.

Glass raindrops hit her face and rolled down her countenance like sorrowful, grieving tears. She wasn't filled with sadness and was not crying and even if she was, no one would notice as the rain danced down her erubescent cheeks.

She audibly sniffled and scrunched her nose up as she cradled her helmet in the crook of her left elbow against her clothed stomach. Her free hand swung gently and loosely by her side as she blinked and disregarded the grey clouds that dangled in the morning sky.

After General Shepherd commanded Bravo and Alpha Team to move from the warehouse and call for fire for the ballistic missile to be destroyed, the soldiers withdrew and were picked up by a heli.

By the time they were in the sky travelling back to the base, the blazing sun was rising over the horizon line. Sadly, it didn't prevent the downpour from falling from the dreary clouds and soaking the surface of the earth. Nature sucked up the rain, sponging it into the parched dirt to feed it and blossom fresh dainty wildflowers.

When they all arrived back on the base, every soldier split off in different directions. Some marines conversed with one another as they sauntered off to change out their uniform and protective gear, ready to fill their rumbling stomachs with food and rest their tired eyes.

Sergeant Dargie was candidly drowsy with approaching sleep. She hadn't felt this tired since giving birth to her daughter but at this very moment, she could curl up in a ball and hibernate like a grizzly bear. A warm bed with a comfortable duvet sounded wonderful right about now. She wanted to flutter her eyes close and drown in cozy warmth and thick winter blankets.

It made her reminisce about the ending of her maternity leave. It was a Friday morning she remembered. She woke up in the early morning to Alba crying for her familiar motherly embrace. She tore the duvet from her body and rose to walk to Alba's nursery. When she picked her daughter up and held her to her chest, she immediately calmed down and tucked her face into Poppy's neck.

The mother had changed her nappy and prepared her bottle of milk before feeding and burping her. Alba babbled inaudibly as her small palms curled around her mummy's dark hair. The sergeant didn't remove her hands as it wasn't causing her any discomfort. She merely took herself back to her bed with Alba beside her.