Ghosts of War | CoD - MW

Chapter 15.

Tuesday, 16th of November, 2021.

As morning started before the sun had risen, the base was still quiet for the most part. Kimberly opened her eyes as she woke, noticing the empty space in bed beside her. She closed her eyes and let out a sigh, reaching over and feeling the empty space. She grabbed the bedsheet, feeling it. It was cold beside her, resulting in her turning around. She glared at the clock, seeing it was 5:57. She rolled her eyes as she sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. It felt unusually cold this morning.

She sighed, waiting out the few last minutes. As the clock hit 6:00 and the alarm began, she reached over and shut the alarm off. Kimberly got up from the bed and walked towards the closet, grabbing the sweater she had used yesterday. She headed into the bathroom, doing her business on the toilet. She washed her hands, her face, brushed her teeth, combed her hair. Kimberly dressed in the sweater and her cargo pants, running a hand through her hair on her way out. She hated how it looked now. Long enough to be unable to control it, short enough to not be able to style it. Looked like a bird's nest most mornings.

Kimberly put her shoes on, getting out of the room. She shut the door behind her, leaving the dormitories on third floor. Kimberly walked past the main hall and past the cafeteria, making her way towards the gym. She made her way inside, flipping the light switch on the wall. The lights turned on and Kimberly made her way towards the treadmill. She turned it on and put it to a jog, starting easy. She would have to warm up properly.

Kimberly had her mind full. So full that she couldn't even think about anything right now. She felt slightly overwhelmed by everything that was going on, and the one person she could talk to didn't want to talk to her. She didn't want to blame him, because she knew where his anger came from. But she did blame him because she felt so greatly disappointed and alone when he just gave her the cold shoulder.

She put the treadmill into a run, letting her feet follow its pace. She was fine with getting the silent treatment, but this wasn't the right time for it. She was fully depending that John communicated properly with her. The thought had hit her that maybe he had given up on her. That he would let her go before or after the mission, but at the same time she knew he wouldn't. Especially since he knew her history and had been a part of her life. She refused to believe John could just let her go like that.

She didn't like the idea of giving Phillip this extra chance, but she was a forgiving person. A bit too forgiving sometimes. Kimberly only wanted to give people a chance to be their best, even if they had hurt her earlier. She believed and hoped people would change, even if proven wrong time after time. Perhaps she was a bit delusional for her own good, but if she couldn't hope - then who would?

Kimberly thought back to her father, completely aware to this day why he had been so hard on her. All the beating was obviously overdoing it, but his hate for her wanting to join the Army. It wasn't a pretty life, and he just wanted to keep his only daughter and child safe from harm. He had served three times in Afghanistan, once in Iraq and once in Vietnam. His time had been rough and only the gods was aware of the things he had seen and done in his life.

Whose parents would be okay with knowing that their child would go through the same shit? Whose parents would be okay with knowing that their child could be sent home in a casket, if they were ever found. If there was anything left but a dog tag to be saved. She sighed, feeling a twist of guilt in her stomach.

The only regret Kimberly had to this day was not getting the help her father so clearly needed. She just left him, having flipped the finger to a drunk man after so many threats. She had never taken him serious when he threatened to kill himself, and in the end he had surprised her. Proved to her that he meant it. Meant everything he said. Which hurt even more for Kimberly, because the words he had spoken to her were deep and harsh.