The Soldier, The Wife And The Child.

The End Of It All.

The sounds of bombs, dying men, guns and the shouts and prays of soldiers echoed all around me. We have been waiting for the signal to begin the assault. I was scared. Frightened of death but I pushed myself forward. I am doing this for my family I told myself. Johan said that I might as well send them a photo before this fight and so I did. I hoped beyond belief that it made it to them safely. As soon as I heard the whistle sound everything went silent. I felt the horror fill my body as I forced myself to run and shoot. It has been years, I do not even want to keep track. Jason would be sixteen around about now. In high-school following his dream. Aria sent a letter not to long ago saying he wants to be a zoo keeper or a vet to save animals and help the protected become unprotected and be able to repopulate  themselves in the wild. I smiled as I run still shooting.

Johan's point of view

I could see Edric's fear. He was overflowing with it. When the whistle blew I kept close to him shooting and running. I saw everything.

Jason's point of view.

Mum said that the soldiers would be returning soon and that my dad 'might' be coming home. On the day appointed to many of the troops return we stayed inside the house because it was raining. A knock came to the door and both me and mum got up and walked over to the door. Mum was too scared to open the door so I did. There was a man there but the look in my mum's eyes told me it wasnt my father.
"Johan " she breathed.
"Aria, nice to see you " he said. He turned to me and held out his hand. I took it and we shook hands.
"You must be jason. I remember seeing you as a child " he said then he remembered " I am one of your father's friends Johan stone "
"Why are you here " mum asked. Johan got back to the matter at hand. He took his army hat off and held it to his chest.
"Aria...I am afraid " he got no further before mum bursted into tears.
"Dad didn't make it " I finished.
"I am sorry, I couldn't protect him " he said. I could tell this was hurting him even more that us. The loss of his friend and then having to give that news to his friends family.
"What about " mum croaked through sobs "his body". All Johan did was look down and mum fell to her knees and cried. I barely knew my dad but even so. Silent tears fell down my face. I stood there in silence. Johan got my attention and asked me to hold out my hand. I did as he asked. He placed something in my hand. I looked at it. It was a tag.
"I think he knew if he was killed we wouldn't be able to retrieve his body so he left these with a note saying to give them to you as apology for not coming back " Johan said. I rubbed my eyes dry and looked at the neck lace closer. There were two tags. One had his name, age he joined the army, country and date of birth. The second had which army he was in, which group and which rank he was. I placed it over my neck and smiled at it.
"Thankyou" I say.

Area's point of view.

When the knock came to the door I was too frightened. My son opened it and someone was there but it wasn't my husband, it was his friend johan. My heart sank fearing the worse.
"Aria, nice to see you " he said. He turned to Jason and held out his hand. Jason took his hand and they shook.
"You must be Jason. I remember seeing you as a child" he said. " I am one of your father's friends. Johan stone " he added.
"Why are you here " I asked. I watched as he took of his hat and held it to his chest.
"Aria, I'm afraid " he needed not to say anymore. I knew why he was here. My husband hadn't made it. Sorrow overwhelmed me and I couldn't stop the tears that began to fall down my face.
"Dad didn't make it" I hear jason say.
"I am sorry, I couldn't protect him " he said sadly. I knew this was harder on him. Having to tell us.
"What about" I say scared " his body ". I watched as his head sank further down. Nausea over took and I fell to my knees I covered my eyes and cried. I didn't know what happened after that all I heard was johan giving jason something.

Flashback before the end of the war. Johan's point of view.

"Edric!" I yelled catching my breath still shooting. All I could hear were guns and bombs. I slightly heard my name being called next to me. I turn my head still shooting to see Edric. A bomb exploded and distracted him.
"No! Eyes forward " I yelled but he couldn't hear me. I watch as he turns his head forward. A bullet struck him right in the forehead and he falls back. Everything went silent as his body to be falling, to me in
slow motion. I cursed knowing I could not get to his body. I continued to shoot. When it ended I found his tag with a note saying to give it to his son. He knew that if he died his body wouldn't be retrieved. The way back to our county and to Aria's house was a dreaded one that I did not wish to make.

Edric's point of view. During the war.

I was shooting and shooting. I called out to Johan. I see him turn his head still shooting. Suddenly a grenade blew up near me. As a normal reaction I turned to look startled. I sensed Johan yelling at me. As I turned my head everything went black.

A few days later.

"We hold this funeral in memory of a loving husband and caring father and a strong soldier fighting for his home, family and friends " said Johan. I watch sadly as my mother begins to weep once more. Johan continue and soon it came to putting flowers on the coffin which everyone knew was empty. I walk over and place the flower down. I was numb. I couldn't feel anything. Mum went after me and collapsed in sadness next to the coffin. I helped her up and walked her back to our seats. I was scheduled to have a speech and now it was my turn. I stood up and made my way to the front.
"My father" I say beginning "was a very brave man ready to leave his home, safety and family to fight for their safety. He was strong enough to leave his three year old son and wife to fight for our freedom. Since he left when I was three I have almost no memories of him or how he acted or what he used to say the most. Mum says he was caring, kind, funny and did not tolerate bullies " I smile sadly. " I strive to save animals like how he strived to save the country and the people. Even though I don't remember him all that well" I say stopping to take a breath to hold back tears. " I still loved him like any other kid with a father they know well " I say. I reach into my shirt and pull up the tags my father left me. "I will treasure every memory that I do remember and ever thing i possess that he has given me as proof he loved me dearly ". Everyone clapped. That was the end of the funeral. The next day on the TV they congratulated all of the soldier alive or dead in succeeding in winning the war. I was at school for this but my teach put it up on the bug screen. They went through all of the soldiers who unfortunately didn't make it back. They called out my dad's name and everyone in my class turned to me. My dad's tags were on the outside of my shirt not underneath. I grabbed them and gave everyone a small smile as the news went on.