The Stranger under the willow tree

Letters from the dead

December 13,2017
*Skeeter's POV *
" You really want to do this skeeter?" My dad asked me while  parking  the truck in front of the recruiting center. I always wanted to do this ever since I was little, I love my country maybe not the people who live in it only some, but I want to protect my country. Money for college and a future to fall back on. I looked up at him and smiled. "Yes, dad I really want to do this." I told him and we both got out of the truck and headed towards the building to make the first step of my future to begin, by signing my life over to the government for the next 20 years.
January 9, 2028
*Midas POV*
"We're cleaning the attic out today. It's been almost 6 years...we believe it's time to clean out the things we don't need anymore." dad told me after coming home from school.

Geez, can't you just waited until I got completely in the house first?

I just stared at him, I glanced at my mom standing behind him looking at the ground.  mom hasn't been the same after we got the news 20 years ago. "The only things that are in the attic is skeeter's stuff, like I said every time you bring this up. I am not getting rid of her stuff." I said as calmly I can be when he brings it up. I walk past him putting my bag on the hook. I looked at the organized school stuff mom did for me and skeeter. I sigh, turning around looking at my parents with tears rolling down my face. "Fine, I will clean the attic out. I get to keep some of her things." dad walked over to me and gave me big hug like he use to. " that's alright with me son." He told me, then pulled away from me looked into my eyes. "Midas, just remember whatever you find if it's government information we will have to give it to her company." dad said, I saw fear in his eyes and that's  unusual even for him. mom just gave me a half smile and disappeared in her room, dad followed her down the hall. I put the rest of my stuff in the correct areas and started walking towards the attic.

Okay, you're probably really confused and wondering what's going on. Hi, I'm Midas, I am skeeters  brother. Yes, the one that left for the army about 6 years ago. Today marks the 6th year that we, mostly me got the news that she died in combat. She graduated school pretty early, as soon as she graduated she sold her soul to the devil aka the government. Skeeter told us she was going to do 20 years in the military, do college online and if she gets done with college before her 20 years is up, she would get out of the military.  Well, she finished her basic training, and her AIT which is called advanced individual training, its where the military goes in depth and hands on job training for their specific army job. Skeeter's job was a 92F which is a petroleum supply specialist. I am not going to go in detail what she does in her job because one she never really told me and two there's also google. (Go look it up if you want to really know what it is) also she was active duty, and her unit got deployed to some country. Skeeter couldn't give us details because she would've gotten in trouble. Then next thing we know, two soldiers in dress blues showed up at our door and told us skeeter was killed in combat. Some reason deep down I knew something was wrong.

I got to the attic and pulled the attic door down, dust went everywhere. I climbed up the  ladder and turned on the attic light. I looked around and saw skeeter's stuff up here, untouched and unopened just how we left it when mom decided to pack her stuff and move it up her when we got the news.

I think sometimes mom doesn't believe its true or wants to believe I was the only child. Mom kind of snapped when dad told her that skeeter passed away.

I started to go through her things separating into piles of 'do wants' and 'don't wants.' I  came across a little brown wooden box with one word craved into it. "Meadhon" it was Scottish Gaelic for my name.