Only 70 Years

Bombs Away

Adeline awoke to a loud burst just outside the tent. Shouts and guns go off. She bolts up and grabs her coat "Boys! Get up!" She screams. They groggily sit up "What's happening?" Bucky asked rubbing his eyes "Bombs, Bucky, Bombs." Adeline says simply. Steve stands up like he had been up for hours "Where did they hit?" He asks her as she opens the tent.

"Other side of Camp it seemed." She took a step outside and was suddenly on the floor. Bucky and Steve instantly scrambling to her. Sitting up, she steadied herself with one hand and with the other touched her leg. Just her luck a nice gash along her calf. "I'm fine!" She called as the men reached her.

"No you're not! Look at your leg." He picks her up. "We're leaving. Now." She squirms and shouts to put her down, he doesn't oblige. The three take off in the direction of the woods, away from the chaos of war behind them. They stop about a mile out.

He sets her down on a rock and takes her leg into his hands "Nasty." He rips part of his shirt, carefully tying it around her wound. She gasps at the pressure "Sorry, I don't have anything to ease the pain, I'm sorry."

"At least we're safe here." Steve says looking over his shoulder as if something were to jump out and bite him any moment.

"How are we any more safe here than there?" Adeline complains.

"This is out of camp boundaries. They'll never find you here."
"Me? What about you?" She pushes herself up on the rock "Where are you going?"

"I'm going back. I have to fight, It's my duty." He says looking at Steve "It's our duty." Adeline shakes her head in disbelief.

"I need you safe. Both of you." He walks up to her, "I can't lose you."

"I can't lose you! Please don't go..." On the verge of tears she tries to stand. Bucky pushes her down.

"I'll be back.. I promise." He turns around "Steve... let's go." He sets off running. Adeline sat dazed. How could he do that to her. Just leave her in the woods? Would he ever find her again? Would she know what to do if he didn't come back? Questions kept streaming through Adeline's mind.

She looked up to see both boys running, almost out of view when suddenly the same noise that woke her shook the ground once more. One moment she saw them running, the next a cloud of smoke rose from the very spot they were. She imagined how close they were... and how distant she was to the explosion. Adeline felt dizzy and stood up, forgot the pain in her leg and limped as far as she could. This couldn't be happening. No, this couldn't be their end. He couldn't be dead. She went to take a step but the world turned black and Adeline crashed to the floor.