Every Day Without You

Welcome to War

I glanced around the living room and wrinkled up my nose, my mom had left to work the early shift at her job by now and it was only him and I in the house. His head was leaning on the back of the sofa and his face was entirely calm and oblivious. I slid my finger softly along his jawline. I leaned over him, pressing my lips to his. He pressed his palm to my cheek gently, and kissed me back, pulling away with a lazy smile on his face. "I could live with a wake up call like that every morning," He joked.

I tucked my hair behind my ears and sat beside him, playing with his fingers absentmindedly. He leaned on my shoulder. "Are you hungry?" I asked him and he shook his head.

"I don't eat breakfast," He said.

"Alright, well, here," I handed him the remote and told him to watch TV while I went to eat. He just looked at it like it was a foreign object, but turned up the volume.

I stood in the kitchen, making myself an egg when I heard something clatter against the floor in where he was sitting. I stopped what I was doing and rushed to see what was happening. He was sitting there eyes glued to the screen as images fluttered past, a huge cloud had just shot into the sky and a red glow filled the screen, a mix of fire as everything in the distance was obliterated. "This image," said the news anchor, "Was filmed just ten minutes ago in California, just as Iran dropped a nuclear bomb in central California, wiping out thousands upon thousands of people. We see this as an act of terror upon our country the first since centuries ago on 9/11/2001. They broke the Nuclear Pact and now the president is asking Congress for the permission to go to war."

The screen flickered, showing so many images of crying people, dead bodies and the rest of the dead would never be known, as they were obliterated in the blast. "We are calling upon recruits as we speak, check for the deployment issue. The Military has assured us they will have a standing army on deck within the next two days." 

The screen changed and there was our president, Mark Alvris, sitting solemnly with the backdrop of the United States flag behind him.  "My people," He began, "I'm sorry to inform you, after so many centuries of peace that we are to declare war on Iran and their allies as of today. They have broken our trust and killed thousands. We cannot let this escape our sight, I know this is all so sudden. But we are a country of doers, and therefore we shall succeed. I beg you come and support us, men and women alike in our cause. Lets make America safe again. Thank you."

The image disappeared and went black. "Brilyn," His voice shook as he called out to me, I rushed over, kneeling beside him.

"I'm here," I said, placing my hand on his arm. He wrapped me into a hug, and let go after a couple seconds. 

"I need to go home," he said, his voice dry, and his liquid eyes turned cold. "I'll come back," he promised quietly.

"I'll be at work," I told him, and he stood up.

"I'll find you there then," He ran his fingers through his hair, and kissed me quickly, but it was a distracted kiss. One he did as a habit, rather than because he wanted to. I began to get the feeling there was more to this than he was telling me, 

"What;s going on, Brody?" I asked him, holding his face in my hands, he gripped them tightly and squeezed his eyes shut. 

"Nothing," he said skillfully hiding his emotion, and I dropped my hands. 

"Don't leave me like this," I begged, worried I had lost his interest already.

"I have to, I promise I'll come back," he said, he kissed my lips forcefully. A foreboding goodbye behind it. He left swiftly, and didn't turn back. I watched him leave, pressing my hands to the glass of the small window we had in the front of the house.