The daughter of a soldier

Over before it starts

The plane landed hard, burying its nose into the soft sands of the desert. The pilot and co-pilot died on impact. Many of the passengers had been thrown around inside the aircraft, some even thrown out through the hole in the side of the aircraft. Amelia, who had been on the opposite side of the plane when it exploded, on impact had been thrown out. The medic was the first to stagger out of the wreck, and he quickly spotted Amelia and several others who were wearing their Service dress. From the plane he could also see the glisten of blood in the light.

The medic worked quickly, checking everyone's vitals before moving onto the next person. It was when he got to Amelia that trouble began. Over the top of a nearby sand dune the medic spotted enemy soldiers advancing on their position. He yelled out behind him and several of the soldiers that were able to move took up their weapons. The medic assessed Amelia's condition. A piece of shrapnel from the explosion had pierced through her abdomen, just above the hip. Amelia was soaked with blood, shaking and short of breath. It was hurting to breathe, and Amelia was losing consciousness fast. Before she faded out she heard a faint buzzing sound in the distance. She looked at the medic but heard no words come out of his mouth as it moved. The world went dark.

Jade ran through the hospital corridors, panting and gasping for air but the adrenaline wouldn't let her stop. She scooted past nurses and other patients. She stormed past the nurses station and finally came to a stop. On a door to her right, a small tag held on the door with blu-tac showed her daughters name. Another tag just below showed that she wasn't allowed visitors. Her husband would have just gone straight in if he were here. He used to do it all the time. Jade felt empty inside, having nobody to hold her this time, no one to hug, no ones shoulder to cry on. She missed daniel now more than ever. Jade sat down in a chair opposite the door, waiting. Her tears fell silently.

The medic who had been in the desert that day approached jade.
"Excuse me ma'am" he said softly, and jade turned towards him.
"How can I help you corporal?" Jade says flatly, gazing levelled at him.
"I wanted to say I'm sorry about Amelia. I tried my best out there." He says, bowing his head as if in shame.
"You did what your trained to do corporal. If I may ask, what happened out there?" Jade asks.
"It was a shambles ma'am, the enemy swarmed over a nearby dune towards the crash site. We had wounded everywhere. We had minimal weapons. If the rescue helicopters hadn't arrived as quick as they did, we'd all be dead. I moved the Pilot Officer onto a helicopter as quickly as I could, but I don't know if it was quick enough ma'am." The medic finished. "Thank you ma'am" he said before turning and walking away, leaving jade to run through it all in her head.

Amelia woke with a start. Disoriented and confused, she looked around rapidly, still thinking she was in danger. Then the pain caught up with her, taking her breath away with its intensity. Amelia looked down at her abdomen, and noticed the bandages and drips. It felt like whatever was under the bandages was on fire, and Amelia gasped for a nurse. A nurse came running into Amelia's room, and administered some strong painkillers, and soon enough Amelia was asleep again.

The war raged on. Australia committed more troops and resources to the war. Jade was never allowed to see Amelia, being called away to work before she could go in. Jade was flown over to the United States to begin work as a tactics officer. Amelia was awarded the cross of valour for her bravery and sacrifice. The United States also awarded her the Purple Heart. After several weeks of recovery, Amelia once more had to pass a physical. It was also the same week her old recruits were graduating, and she was invited to attend the parade. She declined. She was passed as medically fit and loaded on a plane that night.

After an uneventful flight, Amelia finally steps out onto the base in the Iraqi desert. She is loaded onto a truck and rushed forward to the front lines, already having been issued a rifle and webbing. Soon enough, Amelia is in a trench, eyes forward, watching and waiting.
'Literally following in your footsteps now dad.' Amelia says to herself. 'Let's hope this tour is less interesting than yours.'

As Amelia arrived in her trench, jade had reported for duty in the war tactics office. Straight away she was taken to a planning room and started work on the next attack, planning and strategising ways through the Isis forces.

During Amelia's stand down time one evening, she got talking with an army captain. He was rather good looking to Amelia, standard short buzz cut, clean shaven, brilliant blue eyes, and a winning smile. Amelia became rather fond of him. When they eventually parted ways, they agreed to meet up again.
"Maybe this is the start of something." Amelia thinks as she walks away, grinning to herself, completely unaware of the terror barreling down from above.