Line of Time

Send of to War

The boys were ending their elementary school days and starting their high school days this year. It was their soft more year. But a war had also broken out just as school had started and men were being drafted. Chase was one of them... 

It was during dinner that Chase broke the news to his son. 

"No, you can't!" Tino yelled as stood up from the table, his eyes wide with fear. 

"Tino just calm down." Chase tried to tell him. 

"No, you can't go. You can't go Dad. Please don't go." Tino said as he started to cry. Chase got up and walked around the table to him. 

"Tino, it's going to be okay, I'm going to be fine and I promise I'll come home." Chase told him as Tino hugged him and didn't let go. 

"What if you don't... what if you don't come back... what if you get hurt. What's going to happen if that happens? . . . " Tino asked as he then looked up at him with wide fear filled eyes, his body shook from his sobs and his face was red. 

"Bud, I promise that I'm gonna come back. I'm gonna make sure of that, I wouldn't leave you all alone. Trust me, I don't wanna go. No one wants to fight in a war." Chase told him as he looked down at him. 

"Then why are you going? . . . " Tino asked his voice heartbroken and chocked up. 

"Because no one wanted to go, the government is forcing us to... Trust me, if I could I'd stay here and protect you from here." Chase told him as he hugged Tino tighter as he sobbed into his shirt. Chase even started to cry, he hated to hear the pain in Tino's sobs. He had never heard him so hurt before. He felt terrible that he had done this to his son but he knew he had to tell him now because the longer he waited the more it would hurt him. At least now Tino had some time to think about the whole thing and get prepared for the day that Chase would leave for different country and fight a war that he might not come back from. 

The rest of the night Tino was glued to Chase's side. It was like that right up until the day came. It was early one morning when everyone was being shipped off. Chase walked down the stairs as Tino tried to stop him. Miss Cooper and her children came outside at hearing the commotion and they knew instantly what was happening. Miss Cooper covered her mouth to hide her shock. Their eyes went wide as Chase walked out to the military truck that was picking up men to drive them to the airport. Gunnar, Mathias and Berwald all ran to hold Tino back. He was in full sobs by the time the truck had disappeared down the street and farther into the city. 

"Tino, he'll be back." Berwald told him.

"Chase is a tough guy, he'll be fine." Mathias told him. 

"... I just don't wanna be alone again... If something happens to him-- their going to put me back in the system!" Tino realized as fear took him over again and he sobbed even more. The boys looked at each other and then back down at him. They didn't know what to do so they looked over to Miss Cooper for help. She walked over and hugged him. Making him understand that she wouldn't let anyone take him away from his home and that she would take care of him while Chase was gone. She was being a good woman but also a grandmother to him. While someone she considered a son had left for war she would take care of the person she considered her grandchild. She didn't see a problem with taking him in for a little while, since everyone said that the war would be over in a matter or weeks at the most. She was already fine with the children that she had, so what was one more that was already partially part of their family.

"Come on Tino, we'll get you taken care of." May said as she handed him a tissue as she walked him back inside of the complex communal area. This is where they figured everything out.