Clocks

2

As the memory invaded his mind, he let out a deep sigh, thinking of all those opportunities he had missed to be with her as it had been seven months now, instead of three.

He looked back at Jack to console him once more that it was going to be okay. But, as he looked at Jack's blank eyes, which were staring at him with nothingness, he realised how wrong he was when he thought of all the times he was a good leader. Certainly, he didn't feel like it; he felt as if he was a part of some disease that couldn't be cured.

"Jack," this time his voice was barely audible. He shook him, but there was no response.

"Jack!" he called out again, and rested his ear to his heart, to see whether he was still breathing, but came up empty handed.

"No Jack, no! You can't go! Get up Jack! I will take you home, Jack!" He cried.

Once again, he checked his wrists for that one single bleep, but couldn't find any. It was like he was desperately looking for that one object which would bring his fellow buddy to life. He pressed his hands on his chest, pushed it hard just to hear that one sigh from his lips; nothing worked. He tried looking for anything that would work as a first aid for him, but didn't find any.

He knew death was inevitable; it could come at any time taking his last breath with it. Being an army man, he was prepared for it when the time came in his life, but the thought of death for his fellow mate was terrifying, and even when he was trying to do his best, an urge to shout in frustration made him feeble.

Death indeed was a powerful word and yet it brought grief, pain and confusion along with it. In that moment, he felt like the invisible walls were closing on him.

"Jack!" he cried again, pushing his chest hard, trying to do as best as he could in the state of pure grief.

He yowled muttering you can't go, over and over again.

And, that's when the impossible happened; he finally heard that miraculous sigh from Jack's lips.

It was a moment of pure joy. He never felt this happy as he was now and he sighed out of relief. He ignored everything, his pain, the poor state he himself was and took out his jacket to only secure it around Jack's middle. His pulse was low, but still what mattered was that he was alive; Alive and breathing.

The minutes ticked by and they both laid there in the hopes someone would come and get them. Albert too was growing weak with each passing minute. His strength was failing to cooperate with him and as he lay there, shivering in that cold night, trying to come out of his poor state; he thought about an angel who would come and save him from this misery.

As if on cue, team of ten men ran towards them with all the medical supplies. Albert was nearly unconscious, but all he remembered was being carried in a stretcher as someone called "It was a close call,"

That feeling when he muttered a silent thank you to the gods above, even in his comatose state, for saving his one fellow mate, nothing else compared to that moment, nothing.

***

A week later

When Albert opened his eyes, only to see himself in a hospital room, he sighed.

It had been a week, a week since they both came out alive.

Albert's leg was not only wounded, it was split open and his inner muscles could be seen easily, which made doctors' work even more difficult. They had stitched it and he was under observation, for there was any infection. Not only this, because of being in the cold for too long, he had developed blood clotting in different part of his body which led him to remain unconscious for three whole days.

Now as he lay in that pathetic bed, he got scratchy and tried to get up.

"Stop trying to get up Al," Amelia ordered as she came to him in her very pregnant state.

"Why did you come here early Amy? You need rest," he looked at his beautiful wife, who was holding a jar and a case of food for him.

"How am I going to rest when I know my stubborn of a husband is here all alone?" she replied and came to sit beside him.

"How is my baby doing?" Albert asked as he rested his hand on her belly.

"She was itching to come to her father," she smiled as she too rested her hand on top of his.

"She?" Albert looked at her with wonder and again his emotions took over him as he remembered about an angel.

"Yes, a she," she answered and clutched his hand in her hand.

"What are we going to name her?" she asked as in the hopes he would come up with a name.

For seven months she had craved for him, needed him to be there when she got tired, wanted him to take her to doctor's appointments instead of her relatives, but most of all, she wanted him to be by her side, discussing things about babies, like naming them or suggesting what color of clothes to buy. She didn't want him to miss out on things other than he already had.

Without Albert, she didn't even want to know about the gender, but when she had a doctor's appointment two days back, she requested her doctor so that she could give her husband a surprise. And seeing the look on his face, she knew she had made the right decision.

"Amber," he replied and waited for her to approve.

"It's perfect," she whispered.

"I can't wait for her to come to this world, Amy. I was always thinking of her when I was on the mission..." his sentence was cut midstride when by Amy when she said,

"Don't you dare speak about that mission Al! I swear I am going to sue that person who betrayed your team," anger was pouring from her every core and her nostrils flare which only made her more beautiful in his eyes.

When she had gotten the news from other members about Albert's state, she was fearful and her mind was thinking of all the things that would have gone wrong with him, she was sad when she learned about all those people who died and became martyrs for their country. But most of all, she was desperate to see her husband who was her life.

"Me too Amy, but I am stuck here in this pathetic hospital bed. I can't even get up to see Jack," he replied exasperatedly.

"Don't worry about Jack, he is alright. I saw him before I came here and his sister was sitting beside him," she reassured, her eyes became soft when she mentioned Jack.

"It's good to see that he is doing fine, he scared the hell out of me in...." he was going to say mission, but refrained himself in the fear it would bring not only a bad experience but a haunting one, which he was trying desperately to forget.

"It's okay Al, he is home now, and so are you," she reassured and kissed him on his forehead.

"Yes, that's true. I am home," he replied, looking at his wife with love and adoration.

And, that's where he wanted to be, his home, with his wife and now his Amber, his precious jewel, his angel.

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 Note: - I chose this song, because whenever I hear those lyrics 'confusion never stops, closing walls and ticking clocks' it always reminds me of my exams time, absurd, I know, but I have always loved those lines. Also, when it says 'nothing else compares' I feel the same when I am finally done with my projects or any task at hand.

This was my first attempt at writing a short story and that too for a contest. Hope you enjoyed reading it! :)