Ghosts of War | CoD - MW

Chapter 10.

Kimberly jogged beside Price, feeling exhausted. Her body was aching, but she managed to keep up. She sounded like a dying horse, but she enjoyed the jog. It was fun spending time with Price, even if it meant that she was slowly dying on the inside.

John turned his head towards the girl, smiling widely at her. This was exactly how he had pictured the future when she was a child, sitting quietly in his office.
-"How are you keeping up?" John asked as if he wasn't even tired at all. Kimberly knew he 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 because of her.

-"My lungs are dying, but I'm doing it," Kimberly wheezed out. Her stomach was stinging, the sweat rolling off of her. To her luck, the weather wasn't 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.

They were running through the city. John had explained the layout to Kimberly, explaining the new stores to her. She honestly didn't pick up the location of one single store, because she was too focused on breathing. She didn't think, she just ran.

-"You're red as a lobster! Why don't we stop for a few minutes and grab some ice cream?" John asked, stopping in his path. Kimberly stopped immediately, hunching forward. She grabbed her thighs, breathing heavily. She threw a glance at her Captain, not seeing a single drop of sweat on his forehead. The girl nodded, clearly exhausted.
-"Yes, please," Kimberly said, 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.

John smiled as he led way into a store, holding the door open. Kimberly walked through it, 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 the flavours. Kimberly did so too, but she already knew what flavoured ice cream she wanted. The one she always went for.

Kimberly thought back to when she had been a child. She had been at this exact location once when she was eight. John had bought her ice cream one day after Bruce had thrown a beer bottle at the girl. 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, but no one had seemed to care. No one but Price.

-"Hello, good sir. What might I help you with?"
Kimberly was brought back to reality, having a glance at the man behind the ice cream desk. He seemed happy. A bit too happy.
-"I'd like one chocolate flavoured ice cream in a cone, and a pistachio flavoured one in a cone, thanks," John said, turning to look at the girl. She simply nodded, letting John know that he had picked the right one. As he always did.

John paid for the ice cream, grabbing the both of them. He led way to a table, and the girl followed his lead. They settled down around a small table, enjoying the view outside. John gave Kimberly the ice cream, taking a look around them. John always liked to be aware of his surroundings, while Kimberly had let down her guard when beside John. She didn't expect anyone to do anything criminal in the middle of the city either.

-"Didn't we sit at this exact location fifteen years ago?" Kimberly asked, studying the outside. She managed to bite down the location of the one store her father would always go to. And it still stood. The one where he would get all of his alcohol.
-"We did. It's been some time since you moved out here," Price said, nodding for himself. They even sat at the exact same table. Kimberly looked up at John's face, thinking back to the time they were here last.