Ark Lore Backstories Part 1 - Kaitlyn

Part 5 A Week later

Kaitlyn sat at her desk in her room at the barracks. She was hunched over her typewriter. The trash can next to her desk was filled with crumpled-up pieces of paper. It was late in the night, and Kaitlyn looked like a mess. Her hair was messy, tangled, and it was so oily to the point where it was shiny. She felt so physically drained and she could barely muster the energy to walk around her room. She hasn't left her room since she was discharged from the hospital, using all of her vacation time. The events of last week still plagued her mind. When she closed her eyes she saw it play again like she was there. She couldn't leave her room; she would have to look at the faces of the teammates she let down. The only solution she could come up with was to quit and start a new life over. So here she was, typing her letter of resignation at the ripe age of 22. A part of her felt like she was betraying her father, and her entire lineage of Royal Archers, but at the same time, she knew her brother was more fit to carry the torch and burden of the family expectation, even though both their parents have passed. And so, with the last click of a key, the typewriter rang. Kaitlyn hastily lifted it off the typewriter and scanned it for any mistakes, or errors. She folded it neatly and put it into an envelope, writing in the middle:

"You Know what this is - Kaitlyn" in purple pen. She stood up and walked out of her room for the first time in five days. She scanned the hallway to look for others, but it was empty. Kaitlyn turned to check her mailbox, it was stuffed full of letters, bills, and junk mail. She pulled it out and flipped through it, three things piqued her interest: a letter from Zac, the hospital invoice, and a sticky note attached to the invoice. Kaitlyn sat back at her desk and read the sticky note that was written in permanent marker:

"We need to Talk when you are ready - J"

Kaitlyn sighed as she placed everything on her desk, before getting up with the envelope in hand. She walked back out to the hallway and took a right out of the room down towards the human resource offices.

Kaitlyn walked into HR, it was dimly lit as everyone was home for the night. The only bright source of light came from an office in the back. Kaitlyn sighed as she began to walk down toward it. Her footsteps echoed down the halls as she slowly made her way to the back. As she got closer she could see the open door, and her whole body began to shake uncontrollably.

"Um, hello? Who's out there?" a masculine voice said from the office.

"I-I-I-it's me, Jay," Kaitlyn said as she entered the room.

"Oh, what's up?" Jay asked as he took notice of how disheveled Kaitlyn looked. Kaitlyn sighed as she paced the envelope down in front of Jay. he picked it up and opened it, and before reading it he looked up to Kaitlyn and spoke, "What if I don't know what this is?"

"You should," Kaitlyn said emotionless as she sat down. Jay nodded and began to read the letter. 

"Are you sure about this?" Jay asked.

"Yes, I can't do this anymore, I I I," Kaitlyn began to stutter at her words.

"Look what happened last week was not your fault it was the military's, so stop blaming yourself, and don't throw your career away!" Jay said as he placed the letter down on the table.

"I-I have already made plans on w-what to do. I will be moved out of the barracks before the week ends, b-but my only request is that you offer the position to my b-brother," Kaitlyn said before she got up and left Jay's office. Jay's jaw dropped to the ground as he watched Kaitlyn leave his office and throw her lifelong dream out the window, along with her family's honor, well what's left of it that is.