Ghosts of War | CoD - MW

Chapter 10.

Kimberly jogged beside Price, feeling utterly exhausted. Her body was aching, but she managed to keep up with John. Barely though. She sounded like a dying horse, the sweat dripping from her forehead, but she enjoyed the jog. It was fun spending time with Price again, even if it meant that she was slowly dying on the inside. One thing hadn't changed - she pushed herself hard to not fall behind.

John turned his head as he glanced at Kimberly from over his shoulder. He couldn't help but smile widely at her, having missed times like these. He didn't see this as work, but he saw it as spending time with his favorite person. He wouldn't trade it for anything in the whole world. This was exactly how he had pictured the future when she was a child, sitting quietly behind him in his office.
-"How are you keeping up?" John asked easily, slowing down so he didn't run away from her. He could see that she was struggling to keep up. Kimberly knew John was taking it slower than usual, for her sake. It was kind of him, but she didn't want him to have a boring training session just because of her. Gods knew she never had the patience to wait for someone else when training.

-"My lungs are dying, but I'm doing it," Kimberly wheezed out, fanning herself. Her stomach was awfully painful, the sweat rolling off of her. To her luck, the weather wasn't too warm today. The sun was hidden behind clouds, a cold breeze flying through the streets. But it didn't mean she wasn't struggling, because she was. More than she would admit to. She felt like passing out, her head thumping. She was really in a bad form. It was embarrassing that even Price could run further than her.

The both of them were running through the city of Casper. John had explained the layout to Kimberly as they passed, telling her where the new stores were. Kimberly didn't really catch the location of one single store, just because she was too focused on breathing. She didn't think, she just ran, trying to stay upright. And eventually Price noticed that she was at her breaking point.

-"You're red as a lobster, Kim! Why don't we stop for a few minutes and grab some ice cream?" John asked, stopping in his path. He straightened up and took a deep breath as if he wasn't tired at all. Kimberly on the other hand stopped immediately, hunching forward. She grabbed her thighs, breathing heavily. She threw a glance up at John, not seeing a single drop of sweat on his forehead. She nodded, clearly exhausted.

-"Yes, please," Kimberly whispered, moving on to holding her side. She applied pressure as if she had been shot, trying to get away the stinging sensation in her stomach. It was painful, but she had pushed through it for some time now. John couldn't help but smile, a quick picture of a much younger Kimberly returning in his mind. He felt lucky, as of it felt like he was helping her through enlistment once more. Training her to get ready and pass her tests. He was lucky to get this time with her, and he would cherish it. She should have been dead, but she's alive. And John won't take that for granted. Not anymore.

John smiled as he led way into a store, holding the door open. Kimberly walked inside the store, studying the restaurant. It seemed fancy and familiar, with brand new tables and chairs, candles lit at every table. Price made way up to the desk, having a look at all the flavours. Kimberly did so too, but she already knew what flavoured ice cream she wanted. The one she always went for. Her favorite.

Kimberly thought back to when she had been a child. She had been at this exact store many times when she was younger. John had bought her ice cream one day after Bruce had thrown a beer bottle at her. It had hit the wall behind her, shattering into a thousand pieces. It didn't hit her, but she had been so terrified that she had slipped on the remaining beer from the bottle, making her fall on the floor. Her hands and knees had been cut open with glass. How no one ever took her away from him, was frightening to her. His custody over her should had been taken away the second he was hurt and retired, but no one had seemed to care. No one but Price. Yet Kimberly never understood why John didn't fight for custody over her.