THE DESOLATE SOUTHLAND

CHAPTER 16: HARLEY BEGINS TO UNDERSTAND

"Riko."

"Riko."

"RIKO, ANSWER ME DAMN IT!"

Harley slams her glass down on the bar shattering it.  Tea and glass went everywhere.

"He will be ok, Harley." Drake said trying to calm her.

"Something is wrong or he would answer me."

"Look, I am sure he is fine.  Trust me, I know for a fact he knows what he is doing.  And he is better off this time not worrying about our safety."

"And exactly how do you know that?" she snapped.

"Follow me," and he took her by the hand and pulled her toward the living room.

"O-kay, how much of this house have you seen?"

"Just the kitchen, the room I am staying in, and this room, why?"

"Have you seen inside that room over there?" and he pointed.

There was a room off to the side at the base of the staircase.  A closed hand made door was there that you wouldn't notice if you were not paying attention.  Maybe it was because of the American flag standing to the left and the Alabama flag on the right.  The door itself was hand carved with the Marine Corp emblem centered at eye level with a banner below with the phrase, "Semper Fidelis."  A wooden shelf was mounted above the frame with a single plaque perfectly centered in the middle.  It read, "First in, last out."

"No, I haven't been in there," and she looked at Drake as he reached up to the shelf and retrieved the key to unlock the door.

"Well then, come on, because I think you need to see this."

He pushed the door open and she slowly entered.  Once inside she noticed that there was no furniture inside except for a single chest painted olive drab.  In the center of the lid, "USMC" was painted in bright yellow.  Hung in perfect alignment with dog tags hanging from the right corner were four pictures on the outer wall.  Under each picture was an engraved plaque with their name, rank, birthdate and date of death.  Above the pictures, painted on the wall were the words, "My Brothers, I will always remember." On the left wall, was pictures hanging like a collage.  All were group pictures of those Marines along with Riko in different parts of the world.  On the right wall, was a single picture of a Marine.  It was displayed exactly like the four on the outer wall.  This picture was above a picture painted, in great detail, of a rifle with a helmet hanging from its bayonet.  A pair of combat boots at its base.  A cloth banner of the Marine's prayer to the right of the picture and the Marine Corp flag to its left.

Harley gazed at all of this in awe.

"How do you know about all of this?"

"I spent some time here last summer helping him fix up a few things on the plantation.  I needed the money, and he needed the help."

"What is all this about?"

"These are men he served with that lost their lives.  He comes in here from time to time and sits on this trunk paying his respects."

"Why?"

"All I know is he said they were his family, and he lived, they didn't.  It is like he feels guilty about it."

"I didn't know."

"That is why I showed it to you."

"But I don't understand.  How is this suppose to make me believe he knows what he is doing?  I...I mean if he feels guilty, doesn't that mean he has some kind of death wish?"

"No, no.  Don't you see?  He made it back, they didn't.  He feels guilty because he wasn't able to bring them back with him.  So he will stop at nothing, nothing he won't fight, to ensure that we are safe.  So, he is coming back so he can make sure that happens."

Harley began to cry.  "But he is alone in town.  He may be dead for all we know."

"I told you, he knew what he was doing.  Look, I will prove it to you."

He sat down on the floor and patted it motioning Harley to sit down beside him in front of the chest.  She sat down on her knees and Drake opened it.  She started going through it piece by piece.  She pulled an item out and look at intensely.  As she did, Drake would tell her what it was and what it meant.  Most were awards he won for his service to the United States.  He had purple hearts and even had a Congressional Medal of Honor.

Harley looked at Drake and asked, "Why doesn't he display these?"

"I asked him that once," he replied, "And he said that he didn't feel the need.  Besides he was just doing his duty.  His reward was knowing that freedom back home was still free. What ever that meant." 

"Do you really think he is ok?"

"Yes I do.  Because all of these say one thing.  He is the best at what he does."

"So why doesn't he answer?  He promised he would."

"I am sure there is a good reason.  We just have to be patient."

"Patience isn't my strong suit, you know that."

"Yeah, I know.  Boy do I know."

They placed everything back in the trunk just the way they found them.  Harley went back to the kitchen while Drake locked the door.  Feeling better she began to clean up her mess.

"Riko, you better come back to me."